How the exodus of Nigerians has helped Western countries

John Boyega is one of the by-products of the mass movement of the 80s and 90s.

Born to Nigerian parents in 1992, the young British-Nigerian is one of the most promising young talents in Hollywood. He made history as the first black lead in the franchise Star Wars.

Then there is UK Grime star Skepta. His real name is Joseph Junior Adenuga. Skepta who is at the forefront of Grime’s resurgence on a global scale regularly shows off his Nigerian roots. He even visits his parents who retired and moved to Nigeria years ago.

How can we forget Wale? He is arguably the biggest example of how the brain drain and mass exodus of many years ago have benefited other countries.

The Maybach Music rapper is one of America’s top Hip-Hop stars and a child of Nigerian migrants.

There are so many Nigerian Brits and Nigerian Americans out there. A quick glance at the rising forces in Hollywood will reveal film starlets with Nigerian first names or surnames.

There are millions of Nigerian adults overseas whose parents left the country to secure a better future for their kids. At the time they left, Nigeria was hardly a stable country with military coups and terrible economic policies.

The failure of our leaders has helped Western countries to groom a crop of young people with Nigerian roots who are ready to take on the world.

Imagine if the parents of these stars never left the country. Imagine a Skepta, Wale, Jidenna or John Boyega born and bred in Nigeria.

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The exodus was a loss to Nigeria and this generation. The worst thing is that this exodus has not stopped.

Nigerian doctors are leaving the country in hordes as the health sector is on the brink of total collapse.

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Most black doctors in America are Nigerian. Sadly most of them will never come home because of the situation here.

As long as our leaders do not stop the rot, the best of Nigerian minds will leave for greener pastures.

Unlike the slave trade era when we were chained and put into boats to work in American plantations, Nigerians are willingly leaving the country of their birth to set up roots somewhere else.