Living in a time like this is such a huge task. I think of my life as a forceful union of “wahala” and “catching cruise”. It is the way of living over here. After all, “problem no dey finish”. Yesterday, I received a call from an unknown number. The caller was Tochukwu, my long time friend from Ihiala, Anambra. He sounded quite relaxed. After the exchange of pleasantries, he told me that he was calling from Dubai. I almost said congratulations as though he had just won a major lottery ticket. “Nna, try hustle small make you come over”.
To be honest, I rarely toywith the idea of leaving my mother land. For me, Nigeria is a place I readily call home irrespective. In fact, having heard about how some persons end up dying all in a bid to cross the oceans into the European bosom? I totally shelved the idea of leaving. But tonight, “e be like say japá is a way to battle ” sapá”. For clarity sakes, Sapá denotes lack while japá refers to the act of migrating. Both words are of Yoruba coinage.
Why do people migrate? In all, I think that the summing reason is to search for greener pasture. For many Nigerians, any place away from home is considered green without minding… Many years ago, I was always found boasting to my friends that I was going to make it here in Nigeria. I truly believed that my society was sane enough to water my dreams but in truth, it was an illusion because utopianism exist no where. But then, one would have expected something quite relative. By relativism, I am saying that the leaders of our land would listen to the youth, better our lives and do the People’s bidding.I guess I had a kid mindset.
Here I am, stuck with twentieth century challenges such as epileptic power supply, herders farmers war, ancient constitution and some more weirder issues such as bad roads. In truth, we never asked to be born. For me, I realize that Nigeria can be more than it is at the moment. I dare say that we’ve been blessed beyond our equals but for some known reasons, we disabuse our already given promised Land. I do not exist in isolation. My predicament is one amongst many others. But I am a Nigerian, a people that bare so much pain and still try to enjoy it. When we no longer can, we Japá.
Do you blame the youth for the many mass Exodus? not really, I blame us instead. I blame us for shielding wrong. For only fighting because our own kinsman isn’t in power. What if your brother was Dangote, will we be so mad at his monopolistic nature of business? Maybe yes and maybe no. But for me, I have come into the conclusion that the war is against sapá and japá seems to be an answer. Until we make our home livable, outside there will always be revered as a greener pasture.
About my dreams of making it big over here, I still hold them up in high believe. The labor of our heroes past shouldn’t truly be in vain
– Olayinka Kayode Kingsley
olayinkakayodekingsley@gmail.com
