By Our Reporter
Seeking a safer, more sustainable lifestyle grounded in family values, former American linguistics professor Pablo Segun and his Nigerian-born wife, Aanu, have officially relocated their family of seven from the United States to Ondo State in South-West Nigeria.
The couple, widely known on social media as “Familia PablAnu,” made the permanent move after years of searching for an alternative to the high cost of living, rapid pace, and social tensions they experienced in the US.
Pablo, a native-born American who spent nearly a decade teaching Spanish-language linguistics at the university level, explained that the drive for a lifestyle shift stemmed from a desire to prioritize family time over constant work. Inspired by African academic colleagues who maintained farms alongside their university careers, the couple initially explored settling in East Africa.
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“The U.S. was expensive and didn’t seem like a safe or healthy place for us,” Pablo said. “We wanted a sustainable life with more time for our children.”
Before settling in Nigeria, the family spent time in Uganda, where they engaged in local cultural life and even produced a feature film titled My Love from Another Land. However, when land acquisition in Uganda proved difficult, the family turned their attention to Nigeria – a transition that ultimately felt like the right fit for the whole family.
For Aanu, returning to Nigeria provided a welcome home, while for Pablo and their five children, it offered a deep immersion into language and heritage.
A central pillar of the couple’s household is multilingualism. Using a “one parent, one language” approach, Pablo speaks Spanish to the children while Aanu speaks Yoruba. The children have also picked up English, creating a blend of cultural fluency that the parents view as key to their identity.
“We want to preserve all aspects of who they are because that’s their identity,” Aanu explained, addressing the unique balance of raising multicultural children across continents. “They will retain the languages so that if they decide to go to South America, the U.S., Africa, or anywhere else, they will have the tools to excel.”
Reflecting on the move, Pablo noted that adjusting to life in Ondo State has been seamless due to shared values surrounding community and respect for elders. While adapting to local social nuances, including colorism, he expressed that Nigeria is the first place where he truly feels at home, largely because his family is thriving.
The couple continues to document their journey on social media, sharing their experiences with agricultural pursuits, language learning, and daily life in South-West Nigeria with an expanding global audience.
