‘Japa’ good for Nigeria, says Peter Obi

‘Japa’ good for Nigeria, says Peter Obi

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said the current ‘japa’ syndrome in Nigeria is “good and healthy for the country.”

‘Japa’ is a Nigerian slang for emigration.

Mr Obi disclosed this in a post via his verified Twitter handle on Thursday.

The LP candidate was reacting to a report where the Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, was quoted as supporting the recent surge of Nigerian professionals leaving the country to seek better living in other countries, especially in Europe and America.

“I have always preached and maintained this same position on the ‘japa wave,’” Mr Obi said in support of the mass emigration of Nigerian youths.

The LP candidate said, during his campaigns, he stressed that “our brain drain today will be our brain gain tomorrow.”

“Nigerians leaving the country may look like a loss today, but when we start doing the right things and taking the governance of our nation more seriously, the knowledge and resources from them will be critical in the building of the new Nigeria, as it happened in China, India, Ireland and other developing countries,” he said.

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Mr Obi argued that India’s tech industry success was partly due to utilising resources from Indians abroad.

He said Nigeria would grow and develop on all fronts only when the country prioritises investment in education and health and supports small businesses, and guarantees respect for the rule of law and the security of lives and properties.

“Then our diasporan Nigerians around the world will return home with their global training, skills and resources to immeasurably contribute to building a New and better Nigeria,” Mr Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, said.

“We will not give up on our dreams for the new Nigeria.”

More Nigerians willing to ‘japa’
There has been growing concern over the mass emigration of Nigerians to other countries in search of greener pastures, with recent reports showing Nigeria has been losing a high number of health workers to foreign countries like the UK and the US.

Last November, the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Abiodun Otegbayo, disclosed that 600 doctors resigned in one year.

At least 15 high-calibre personnel resign weekly, added Mr Otegbayo, a professor.

About 10,296 Nigerian doctors are practising in the UK alone, according to the Nigerian Medical Association.

A 2022 African Polling Institute survey indicated that 69 per cent of Nigerians would relocate out of the country with their families if given a chance.

In 2019, only 39 per cent were willing to emigrate, according to the same poll.

A study put the 2023 Nigeria migration rate at -0.273 per 1000 population, which indicates that more people are emigrating from the country.