The Japa Syndrome -By Awotesu Ayomide MosadiOluwa

Japa is a slang derived from a Yoruba word that means to run away or to retreat from a dangerous situation. In Nigeria currently, JAPA is a term that is now popularly connected to traveling abroad and not coming back.

Nigerians are leaving the country in an alarming rate, they all seem to want one thing; a greater future. People leave the country for different reasons –good education, better job opportunity, political freedom, environmental factors, health, poverty, personal needs, security or even a better future for themselves, family, and children.

Everyone seem to be leaving the country now these days; the young and old. Everywhere or anywhere seems better than here, nobody seems to believe in thr ‘Nigeria will be great again’ phrase. People even go through extreme lengths to leave the country. Many Nigerians have died trying to reach Lybia, just for some of them to die in the desert, couped up in a car or even face human trafficking, and many more have died on the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. Had the current living standard of Nigeria our great nation become so bad?

The current net migration rate for Nigeria in 2023 is -0.273 per 1000 population, a 2.5% decline from 2022. The net migration rate for Nigeria in 2022 was -0.280 per 1000 population, a 2.78% decline from 2021. The net migration rate for Nigeria in 2021 was -0.288 per 1000 population, a 2.37% decline from 2020.

Does this japa syndrome has a negative effect on the country?Those who are leaving the country are mostly youths, this leads to high school drop outs, loss of labour, which eventually leads to poverty. It’s no news that most of our bankers, doctors and teacher are migrating at a very alarming rate, our health sectors have now declined terribly and there have been multiple reports of scams from our banks.

The cause of this syndrome is the failed state of our country and the solution to our failed state is not only the government. Corruption has eaten deep into us as a people, we don’t even know where to draw the line from right and wrong, good or bad. We must learn, unlearn and relearn things and build ourselves to be better citizens of our great nation, Nigeria.

Is there any hope for the future? I believe in a better Nigeria, a brighter future. There is however no Messiah or chosen ones coming to save us, we the people must rise from the ashes and rebuild.

Awotesu Ayomide MosadiOluwa