A recent report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that one in four Nigerians, especially the youths, wants to leave this country, in what is called the Japa syndrome. Knowing the position of the youths in nation building, in this report, some Nigerians suggest how to tackle the Japa syndrome.
Govt should encourage patriotism – Dr. Abigail Gire, lecturer, BSU; Makurdi.
The issue of our youths leaving the country for other countries is becoming alarming. They are seeking better quality of life, with access to opportunities, amenities, and services that are often lacking in Nigeria. To tackle the trend, the Nigerian government must improve economic conditions through collaborative efforts with others.
Government and private sectors need to create job opportunities and pay commensurate salaries. We must address security concerns and improve infrastructure; Nigeria should go back to the era of provision of social amenities practically.
We must invest in relevant education and healthcare, provide more opportunities for skills development and entrepreneurship based on youth’s peculiarities, carry out sensitisation for youths to be aware of opportunities available, encourage patriotism and national pride.
Fostering a sense of patriotism and national pride can encourage Nigerian youths to stay in the country and work towards its development.
Youths should be enlightened on opportunities in Nigeria – Mark Ogbe, businessman; Makurdi
It is a worrisome trend. Even within our Benue communities, I have discovered that some youths are going to other states to farm and do menial jobs when we have vast agricultural land in the state. Unfortunately, what those at home make is not worthwhile, while those out there keep coming to display their big phones and pose themselves as being rich and continue to recruit others.
It is also good to tell ourselves the truth that our country is not making it easy for the youths. Even though there are opportunities for the youth in the country, majority of them don’t know how they can access those opportunities, acquire skills in government programmes and make life better for themselves back home here. So we need to enlighten the youths more on these available opportunities.
Govt should provide jobs, make working condition attractive – Okorie Kalu, Public analyst; Umuahia
We all know why Japa syndrome persists in Nigeria even among professionals. For the professionals, work conditions in the country are nothing to write home about, hence their quest to travel out of the country for greener pastures. Again, for many school leavers, there are no jobs at all to do. Many have to look outside Nigeria to look for something to do to make ends meet.
To get this problem solved, governments at all levels should not only provide jobs for the teeming youths, but should also make work conditions attractive so that our professionals will remain in the country.
Govt should tackle economic hardship – Amara Israel, communication expert; Umuahia
There is hardship and hunger in the country as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira. There is no amount of money one will have that will be enough to buy the smallest of household needs, hence people, especially the youths, are leaving the country to other countries with stronger currencies.
For the Japa syndrome to be stopped, the government should put measures in place to tackle the economic hardship in the country so that people will get their needs without much stress.
Govt should pay attention to production – Sunny Zorvah, activist, Port Harcourt
The Tinubu administration can no longer claim it is new in power, and that it’s the reason it’s struggling to address the realities of the challenges in governance. For me, the economic hardship experienced today is responsible for the increasing Japa trend by young Nigerians. The cost of living is high; the cost of foodstuffs and petroleum products is still very high.
The government is not paying attention and incentive to the production of agricultural produce. The government is also playing politics with security of lives and property, particularly, in the communities and border areas. No meaningful employment for the teeming youth’s population, no improvement in power supply to boost productivity. And most government economic policies are not realisable or implementable. Why will the youths not Japa?
We need good governance – Emmanuel Nwabrije, politician; Port Harcourt
The only way out is good government with good governance in place. When we talk of a good government, we are talking about rightful people in place. In the last two years, more Nigerians have died out of hunger. We don’t have institutions working in this country. We don’t have good leadership. If Nigeria must grow, if we must get out of this quagmire that we have now, a radical decision by all and sundry must take place. Nothing is moving in this country. Without a future for the citizens, the youths will continue to Japa.
Govt should come up with well-paying jobs – Austine Enabulele, ex-leader, Edo CSO; Benin
In Nigeria today, it’s hard to separate patriotic citizens from unpatriotic citizens, especially amongst the young Nigerians. The reasons are clear and simple. The governments from the local councils to federal have failed in their responsibilities to the people.
So, to discourage the spirit of Japa that has enveloped almost all Nigerians, especially the young ones, the government should encourage people with well-paying jobs, soft loans to encourage genuine entrepreneurs, affordable stable electricity because all businesses today need light to run, reduce the cost of fuel to encourage movement of both goods and services. Create a genuine profitable avenue for off takers of agricultural produce to encourage farmers, bursary for students in schools, encourage technical innovations and talents that can help us in producing our own country products as against too much import. If there are public and private companies that pay well, and can create a better livelihood for people, nobody will think of living the country.
And above all, the government has to be sincere to the people in all her dealings by actions not just in words.
We should address bad leadership – Ogbidi Emmanuel, NGO president; Benin
The issue of bad leadership should be critically addressed. In Nigeria, we have leaders without foresight and lack of ability to plan, but with great appetite to amass wealth and resources to quench their insatiable desires.
Secondly, having gotten the leadership aspect right, we must now build a system that works and institutions that are stronger than individuals in this country. Our citizens, young people, doctors, engineers, etc are particularly irritated by our system in Nigeria.
Nothing seems to be working – from civil service, infrastructure, government agencies, records, information, database etc. None works freely but highly distorted and influenced to favour a selected few individuals in a country where all citizens are supposed to enjoy equal rights and privileges.
We should enthrone responsible leadership – Sunday Oibe, Norther CAN scribe; Kaduna
This is an avoidable harm brought upon ourselves by those we tolerated as rulers over us. The youths have lost hope because their hope has been dashed. The more they leave, the darker the hope of getting this country out of the woods. How can Nigeria be so insensitive to the danger of losing her work force to other countries? Who has done this to us? The solution is to have responsible people in places of authority that can provide leadership. There is a disconnect between the youth and those ruling us. Leadership has always been the problem of this country and it still remains an issue till tomorrow.
Right people should be in power – Rev Emmanuel Olorunmagba, cleric; Kaduna
The number of Nigerian youths leaving the country in search of greener pastures in the western nations is very alarming. This portends grave danger to what the future holds for Nigeria.
The youths are the future of this country and if our youths will start migrating from Nigeria, then what does the future hold for the nation? This mass movement out of the country referred to as Japa is grossly due to the level of poverty, the dwindling economy, as well as the unfavourable business environment. Nigeria is a country highly endowed with both human and natural resources. But the major problem of this country is mismanagement of our highly endowed resources. Hence, the economy of the country continues to nosedive and our nation is now rated among the so poor nations of the world. Therefore, the only way to curb this menace is by having the right people in power, who will manage our economy properly and ensure good governance, targeting economy recovery and stabilization and to create an enabling environment for businesses especially, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to thrive.
FG should revive economy – James Akam, journalist; Yenagoa
The government can’t stop it totally, but it can still do a little about the Japa syndrome because our parents told us when they were young that Nigeria was better than what we are experiencing now, yet people still travelled either for pleasure, business or visit. Only few people moved abroad for permanent stay.
The failure of government is the major reason people are leaving in their numbers, lack of unemployment, insecurity, and low income for professionals like doctors, nurses, lawyers, poor power supply, food security etc. The government needs to put things in place so that the citizenry can have confidence in the government and forget about migration.