It's 'Japa' season for young people in Nigeria

The question "Why are young Nigerians are leaving the country?" is almost rhetorical.

For weeks now, it has been like the rapture is happening in Nigeria as young Nigerians are moving out of the country in droves.

People tagged leaving Nigeria and relocating as 'Japa'

Most young people break the news on Twitter (ironically an app banned by the government) using the popular meme from TV Series, 'King of Boys', showing Sola Sobowale raising her glasses at the table saying, “Welcome to a new dispensation” and a screenshot of a deleted VPN app.

A good number of the people leaving the country are going to the United Kingdom and Canada. It has been like a mass exodus and we expect more to come.

Most of us are aware of coworkers, friends and family members who have left the country or who are actively planning to leave.

Some people on Twitter raised objections about those leaving the country chiding them to stay back but others countered it by saying that they needed to go to a country that worked because Nigeria isn’t working.

Few people have pointed to the Lekki massacre as the turning point because the country no longer felt safe for young people; for others especially migrating doctors, doctors have been on strike for months without being paid.

Many people have lost loved ones to the bad state of health care but security seems to be the biggest issue on people’s minds.

Recently, National Youth Service Corps corps members took a picture of a page of their orientation pamphlets that stated what they should do in case they are kidnapped.

For others, it is a chance to earn money commensurate to their skills and expertise. All these and more might have created desperation in the heart of many youths to seek greener pastures and a saner environment.

To leave Nigeria and relocate to another country, a lot of money will be spent and it is not feasible for most people no matter how much they desire it but the fact remains that to 'japa' is desired by many of them.