Japa: Lack of patriotism or need for better life?

It is disheartening to see the rate at which brilliant and resourceful Nigerians are eager to leave the country. This has raised concern about whether many Nigerians are leaving as a result of their lack of patriotism or their desire to live in a place where they can avoid gambling on their life and well-being. […]

It is disheartening to see the rate at which brilliant and resourceful Nigerians are eager to leave the country. This has raised concern about whether many Nigerians are leaving as a result of their lack of patriotism or their desire to live in a place where they can avoid gambling on their life and well-being.

Nigeria has been battling with different kinds of problems right from independence till this moment and its citizens have been the ones bearing the brunt of these anomalies. Now, many Nigerians are tired of the irregularities in the nation and their exposure to other developed countries has further justified their need to travel to saner climes to enjoy a decent livelihood.

It is quite apparent that many Nigerians are faced with different problems ranging from insecurity to poor health sector, poor educational system and poor economic conditions. These have consequently dampened the hopes of the few people that still believe in the progress of Nigeria as a nation.

The educational sector is on the verge of collapse given the lack of concern displayed by political officeholders. The decline in the education sector has made academics leave Nigeria for other countries that have better educational systems. The incessant strikes as well as poor funding of tertiary institutions are enough reasons for a promising lecturer to leave this country and this is not proof of unpatriotism but a clear sign of how deteriorated the system is for an average lecturer to cope with.

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Also, young graduates who should be using their creativity for the advancement of this country prefer to seek scholarships to European and American universities as they believe opportunities are largely available in these countries compared to Nigeria. According to a report by Culture Intelligence from RED; 89. 87% of young Nigerians prefer to study abroad; this data shows the level at which many young Nigerians are largely eager to migrate to countries that guarantee them quality education and better career prospects.

However, the health sector is not free from this trend as many healthcare professionals are trooping out massively. Although many of these healthcare workers were trained in Nigeria and it is absolutely reasonable for them to serve their fathers’ land, this is impossible in a country where medical equipment and infrastructure are hardly upgraded and healthcare funding represents less than 6% of the national budget. This is not a question of patriotism but a crystal need for an opportunity to grow.

Furthermore, the deterioration in the security level of the nation is a big issue. Many Nigerians are now at the mercy of kidnappers, herdsmen, armed robbers and Boko Haram. Institutions that are saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the security of the citizens also have some of their members carrying out unlawful killings.  Sadly, there’s no strong institution to checkmate these prejudicial killings.

As against the belief of many people, the people leaving Nigeria are not only the middle class and poor alike. Many of the Nigerian migrants were not poor before leaving the country; some were employed or in school at the time of their departure. The economic crisis,  political instability, educational inefficiencies, poor health facilities, and lack of infrastructure that endanger creativity and insecurity are the major reasons the high number of Nigerians are migrating. For many Nigerians, it is a matter of increasing their opportunities for growth and enjoying a decent livelihood.

According to a report published in 2021 by the Africa Poll Institute, seven out of 10 Nigerians are willing to leave the country, this is true given the fact that visa processing centres around the country are becoming flooded. The net migration rate for Nigeria in 2022 is -0.280 per population according to Macrotrends with Nigerians having the highest number of African migrants to Europe and U.S. The figure is increasing daily because of the lack of opportunity in Nigeria.

Besides, Nigerians are not unpatriotic. The likes of Tobi Amusan, Ngozie Okonjo Iweala, Chimamanda Adichie and Anthony Joshua are making Nigeria proud. However, we would have many other Nigerians doing exploits if things could get better. For many Nigerians, it is not a matter of unpatriotism; it is the idea to be useful.

In the world of today, talent is not enough. Geography plays a significant role in one’s destiny. The young boy who plays football in the street of Lagos has a limited chance of becoming a professional footballer compared to a young boy who lives in Europe so does the dream of a young lady to become a renowned scientist in the suburb of Enugu State is less feasible to that of a young lady who grew in the United States. The extent of an individual’s growth and success is geographically circumscribed.

In order to counter this fast-growing emigration, Nigeria has to be restructured; the educational sector has to be revitalised thereby increasing the hope of an average lecturer and a brilliant student.

The health sector has to be given utmost concern; there have to be sound economic policies that facilitate economic growth as well as adequate infrastructures that promote creativity, better livelihood and adequate security.

Timothy Oyegoke wrote via [email protected]