This story is part of the Niles West News 2025 Immigration Series which documents community members’ experiences immigrating to the United States. Most of these stories are written by Niles West News writers, but some will feature guest writers who will tell their family’s story.
My dad, Ayowale Alao, grew up in Nigeria in a loving and supportive home. He was always curious about the world and dreamed of exploring beyond his homeland. However, the economic situation in Nigeria limited opportunities, which motivated him to pursue a better life in the United States.
“There were two reasons I wanted to immigrate to the US. First, I grew up reading a lot about the world and wanted to go out and see it. Second, the economic situation in Nigeria wasn’t great, and I wanted to see what opportunities America had to offer,” Alao said.
My dad spent time figuring out what career would suit him best, while he began working as a driver, to make ends meet, he also attended school to study computer technology and networking. After earning his degree, he tried working in financial planning but quickly realized it didn’t fit his introverted personality, sales and constantly interacting with clients just wasn’t for him.
At 27 years old, he left Nigeria and landed at JFK Airport in New York on Nov. 6, 1997. He then took a bus to Chicago, where he eventually settled into his first apartment in the Rogers Park area.
At some point, he returned to school and completed an accelerated nursing program. After working as an ICU nurse for several years, he transitioned into home health nursing. Seeing his potential and skills in this field, he decided to start his own home health agency, Serenity, in 2012. Along with his sister and a friend, they built the company from a small team of 10 to over 2000 employees today.
“Our parents encouraged us when we were quite young, especially our mother she was the one who taught him [Ayowale Alao] business 101. We always knew we wanted to own our own business, and so when we came up with Serenity we pursued it. Your father [Ayowale Alao] is very much dedicated and puts all hands on deck,” my aunt and co-founder of Serenity, Lara Ezobi, said.
Despite his success in the United States, my dad still makes an effort to stay connected to his Nigerian roots. Living far from home has helped him appreciate his culture even more. He now listens to traditional Nigerian music that he didn’t care much for as a child and values the cultural lessons he grew up with. He has also worked hard to pass on these values to his children, emphasizing the importance of respecting elders and staying connected to family.
“My father immigrated from Nigeria to America, which caused him to have to assimilate into American culture. He for one taught his children English, and then he started to wear American clothing and dresses his children in American clothing, too such as jeans, T-shirt, and more,” my sister Deborah Alao said.
