Emigration is the act of leaving one’s residential country with the intent of permanently settling elsewhere, i.e., another country. Emigration is been considered when an individual or a group of persons seeks for a greener pasture due to uncertainties surrounding a present situation.
In Nigeria, leaving the country to permanently settle down in another country is becoming something of normalcy. Nigerians even refer to it as “Relocation” and has given it a common name, “JAPA”.
Will we then say that Nigeria has no benefit(s) for residing in it? People emigrate from Nigeria due to some certain but crucial reasons such as; insecurity, financial imbalance, seeking for both educational and professional opportunities which has already been deemed limited here in the country. Though, some or most of these reasons might also be personal or particular about the individual.
Emigration is not a bad or illegal act when due process is followed to paper. People move from one country to another on daily basis or let’s even say, around the clock. The high number of emigrants in Nigeria is what is been considered here, which is not really too good for the intellectual and economical growth of our nation Nigeria. As it is generally often said that, when two or more persons complains about a particular attribute you’re always involved with, you should definitely check-out yourself and make amends on that particular thing been talked about.
Humans are programmed to always want to associate themselves with the best part of life, and in the quest for this, will want to associate themselves or be a member of a progressive and beneficial group, union or a country. There are some enticing and crucial benefits of being a citizen of a country, for instance, reduced tax rates, access to free education and healthcare services, among others. A person can become a citizen of a country by several means, for example, a person can be a citizen of a country by birth, marriage, naturalization, conferment or even by economical investment.
Pathetically, the Nigerian “japa” situation is expanding. A recent survey from the Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey revealed that seven out of 10 Nigerians are willing to relocate to other countries for various reasons, with a good number of them recording success. Today, there is still the increasing rate of an emerging urge to leave Nigeria by the old and the young. Now, the current net Nigeria migration rate is -0.273 per 1000 population, indicating that more people are emigrating from the country. It’s depressing that Nigeria is currently sinking deep in brain drain, and it probably needs a call for emergency.
One major and important aspect that has sparkles the high rate of emigration in Nigeria is the fall or depreciation of our currency (Naira) day after day. It is so difficult to point out a certain period that our Naira has appreciated. If we check through the stock market at intervals over the years, we would become dumbfounded to the discovery that Naira depreciates almost daily which has also made some less valuable currencies around the world to leap-frog ours. Naira is mostly and generally compared to Dollar. As at today, $1 is approximately over ₦800, this difference is overwhelming. For instance, Nigerian Singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, recently bought himself a 2023 Maybach S680 Virgil Abloh which is worth $600,000 in Nigeria, this is just less than a million Dollar but when compared or converted to the Nigerian Naira, It’s a whooping sum of ₦447,000,000, i.e., close to half a billion Naira. This is unfair of our economy.
Also, we have seen Nigerians get enrolled in schools abroad – USA, UK etc. – and taking their educational platforms by storm, coming on top at almost all levels, even with a great margin. Most Nigerian students studying abroad, especially in Canada and the United States, gets a lot of scholarships even at first trial. This points out that Nigerians are specifically really blessed and intelligent. How would it have been if all these achievements are gotten from our educational system in Nigeria by Nigerians? Some Nigerians are not specifically happy to have achieved that much on the American soil, it would have been on their father’s land. Many Nigerians don’t have the freedom to express their feelings in those countries due to the fact that it’s not their fatherland and are many times bullied, criticized and even de-valued especially in the United States of America (USA) all because we are blacks (Africans).
During the early days of the on-going Russia-Ukraine war, many Nigerian students studying in Ukraine were made to forfeit their different levels of study so as to start afresh somewhere else even after evacuating them from Ukraine due to the crisis, some even had to take a break off school due to the mental and psychological stress the war experience has caused them. All these wouldn’t have been experienced by those Nigerian students in Ukraine had it been that our nation, Nigeria has a good, standard and structural educational system because, some of those Nigerian students in Ukraine and even across the world went into those countries to study due to the low, unappreciative and corrupt policies and structures in the Nigerian educational system.
Let us just go on a visit to the American Embassy for example, during their working hours, we will be flabbergasted by the great multitude of individuals seeking for their different types of visas so as to travel to the United States or even relocate. Though, some go there for business, treatment etc. Many visa applicants will always re-apply for it again even after one or more failed visa interview(s). What to point out is that the citizens of Nigeria are tired of the mismanagement of its economy and resources. This has pushed any Nigerians to their elastic limit and even some to their breaking point, ranging from lack of the basic social amenities to even the recent subsidy removal which has got many to speak out their utmost minds.
Most Nigerians who have traveled or relocated abroad still has to re-invest their money here in Nigeria because, they only get value for the money they have earned in those countries here in Nigeria. Most of the Nigerians outside the country send money to their families or friends here in Nigeria so as to help them get some valuable assets in place e.g., house building projects, establishment of a private business etc.
The “Big” question which we are yet to get answers to is, Why is Nigeria and her government not creating those things in Nigeria, like those things we travel to the UK and USA to get? We must have the mentality of making Nigeria united again – one Nigeria in peace and unity.
There are some ways we can get out of this mess.
The Way Forward.
Firstly, our economic balance is something of paramount importance and must solely be treated as such. With my little years in existence till now, I haven’t seen or experience the prices of commodities in Nigeria go down or even remain fixed for a longer period.
For instance, about 10 years ago during former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s reign, a bag of rice was sold in Nigeria for ₦8,000 but as at today, a bag of Rice is been sold for ₦50,000 or more. Whoops! That is over six times its price 10 years ago. The government of Nigeria should critically look into how to bring down the prices of commodities. This can only be achieved by setting some crucial policies that will boost the economy of the nation.
Another way is through a heavy investment in agriculture and food security. Investment in agriculture comes along with it some beneficial projects to the common society, e.g., good roads. We can’t invest in agriculture and be successful when farms and food stores are inaccessible by good roads.
Secondly, the number-one citizen of the country, the President, must put some measures in place to tackle corruption in the nation, which is really eating-up our economical system. We should point this out first that, corruption doesn’t start or end with the people in power. Corruption literally starts from the family.
For instance, that Director of a company that embezzles today definitely came from a family within the society and he’s also setting one himself through his off-springs. Remember, “A Tiger will always give birth to a Tiger (cub)”, So also will a corrupt father who is a leader within the society also give birth to corrupt children. Everyone within the society should cherish honesty and integrity as they cherish their lives. By so doing, we will enjoy a better Nigeria together in harmony.
In conclusion, leaving the country or emigration is really detrimental to our intellectual and economical growth, especially our image and position in the world today, don’t forget, we are the Giant of Africa. There is a great difference between a present billionaire and a former billionaire – the former has a great value right now while the latter has lost his value and position. As it is always been said in our pidgin language here in Nigeria that, “I get am before, no be property”, Nigerians and its government should wake up and stand to the task of making Nigeria great and proud again, which will sustain our forever class of been the Giant of Africa. With these, emigration in Nigeria will greatly be reduced.
Emigration may even be beneficial to the home country in the long run if citizens return fortified with skills, experience and hard currency to invest and drive development. But to attract these human assets, the home country must be conducive and the government must be deliberate and visionary about its plans and policies for Nigerians in the Diaspora.
– Joshua Oluwaseyi Opeyemi
A 300L Student, Mass Communication Department, Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU) Anyigba, Kogi State.
