I was born here, I schooled here, and I am still here in Nigeria, and for a lot of people and me, Nigeria has failed us, and people are left with 3 options: work for someone and collect little wages, create a small business, but still suffer from a broken system where economics, security, and government policies are not your friend, the third option is the JAPA (migration) option. The third is the common one among Nigerians. This leads to a topic: To Japa or Not Japa
Some people argue that as a country, we demand the barest minimum, which is true. We demand less from our government, but we do not even have access to this minimum. The average Nigerian asks for access to electricity, affordable healthcare, security, and the dignity of rights, but this isn't true for the Nigeria of today. I am in the health sector, so I can tell you for free that health care isn't cheap in Nigeria, just as it is not in any other part of the world, but unlike Nigeria, they have insurance that can cover several illnesses.
Yesterday, I was going to a town in Oyo state where a few local governments had just been attacked by gunmen two days ago, and all I could think of was my safety. I was scared all through the journey for my safety. I read all the Psalms I knew and prayed like I was praying for an entire country. I got back home and was grateful for surviving when I wasn't going to Afghanistan or any country at war. When I think of this, JAPA (immigration) comes to mind.
The employment debate then comes up, and I begin to wonder the type of country we live in. This is because there are a lot of unemployed youths in the country. In the past, people always said that when you studied a professional course, you would surely get a job, but that is not the case anymore. People who study professional career courses in school do not even get jobs. But then, when people migrate to other countries, especially Western ones, they often end up working blue-collar jobs for lower pay. While you might assume it is better to get a blue-collar job in a foreign country than stay unemployed here, the money to process a visa, flight ticket, and other necessities is enough to start life properly here.
With these different thoughts and more, I wake up every day just thinking of what the day would bring and what would happen tomorrow. While I always hope for a better today and a fulfilling tomorrow, I still always have my fears, and I am sure this is the reality of many Nigerians. At the end, we keep pushing till the very end.
#ecency #nigeria #migration #japa #employment #healthcare #socioeconomic #nigeria-politics #youth #immigration #personal-reflection
