Follow Us on Google
…Tasks president-elect to fulfill electoral promises
From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Bishop, Diocese of Ijebu South-West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Dr. Babatunde Ogunbanwo, has called on governments at all levels in the country to urgently put in place mechanisms to reverse the trend of ‘japa syndrome’ before it is too late.
Ogunbanwo, who lamented the high rate at which the youths and critical professionals are leaving the shores of the country to seek greener pastures abroad, said the country would suffer the eventual consequences, if the migration is not stemmed by the authorities.
The Bishop made the call in his charge at the First Session of the Fifth Synod of the Diocese of Ijebu South-West, held at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Aiyepe-Ijebu, at the weekend.
Ogunbanwo said: “The rate at which our youths are leaving the country, owing to frustration and lack of fulfilment is alarming. The ‘japa syndrome’ is unfortunately becoming most popular, but then most worrisome is the inability of the government to respond adequately to this.
“These youths go out in search of employment which they do not get at home, and a better standard of living that is lacking here.
“We call on our government at all levels to urgently put in place mechanisms for redressing the trend before it is too late; and before the country becomes impoverished of professionals that can contribute meaningfully to the human capital development of our nation.
“We appeal to various governments to create jobs for the young people, not necessarily the so-called white-collar jobs, but other jobs including menial, which they joyfully engage in outside the country.
The government may also need to improve the standard of living here; make electricity to work, make water to run and give every citizen equal opportunities to grow. Our youths will stay back.”
The cleric, however, called on the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to fulfill all his electoral promises to Nigerians as he takes over governance on May 29, saying that every Nigerian looks forward to the renewed hope he promised.
He said: “One can see that our country under successive administrations have witnessed untold hardships, but presently, our national life has gone from being a failed state to a nation that is sleeping, dormant, lethargic and almost dead.
“Virtually everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. Many things have fallen apart, and the centre cannot hold anymore. Our nation is really at the brink of collapse and like it happened in 2015, when the expectation of Nigerians was that the new leadership of the country would bring the needed change to us. Many people had thought that most of the challenges confronting our country such as insecurity, insurgency, unemployment, poor health care system, among others would soon become a thing of the past.”
