Nigeria is often referred to as the “Giant of Africa”, owing to it’s large population and economy. With approximately 184million population, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the world. The country is viewed as a multinational state, as it is in habited by over 500 ethnic groups of which the three largest are the Hause, Igbo and Yoruba; these ethnic groups speak over 500 different languages and are identified with wide variety of culture. Nigeria is endowed with many natural resources such as oil and gas, coal, gold, limestone, zinc, iron ore, ignite, rubber, salt etc.

Despite the richness of God’s blessings upon this country, Nigeria has continued suffer from corrupt leadership and unpatriotic followers. The leadership of this country is nothing to write home about, they don’t care about the welfare of the people they are leading, and they only make policies that benefit them and their family. This has led to many youths living the country at all cost even if it means walking through desert and boarders or travelling by sea just to enter Europe or any other country.

Common reasons why Nigerian youths travel abroad:
1. To seek greener pasture. Poverty is a key factor for youths travelling abroad. Many youths believe that life is easier abroad, that money grows on trees and they just need to go there and plug it. But that’s a wrong absorption, because nothing in life is free. And by the time they get there and they discovered that life is not also easy there, some of them go into prostitution, drug, crime etc.
2. Lack of good employment and business opportunities. Many youths are frustrated because they can’t find any decent job to do and those that want to go into genuine business lack capital for startup.
3. Bad leadership. Mismanagement, waste, corruption and greed of our leaders over the years have affected the economy badly. Our leaders mostly make policies that favor their selfish interest while the poor masses suffer.
4. Most youth don’t believe in Nigeria. Bad economy, lack of social amenities, high level of unemployment and lack of necessary infrastructure has made Nigerians especially the youths to lose hope in this country. The economy instead of getting better seems to be going from bad to worse.
5. Lack of patriotism. Many Nigerians both the leaders and the led has no love or devotion for this country. Many people only complain about what’s wrong in this country but they are not doing anything to contribute their own quota to the development of this country.
6. Many youths are cowards. Only cowards run away from their problem. Nigeria’s problem is everybody’s problem. If all of us should run away, who then will make this country better?
7. They don’t believe in themselves.[/b] Many youths actually believe that their blessings are in their location or environment, but that’s a wrong assumption. Your blessing is determined by you and your greatness is within you. In as much as I will not dispute the role of conducive environment in achieving success, I believe God already created us great. We just need to discover our individual purposes and potentials, pursue it, only then will we find greatness.

It is true that our leaders has failed us in this country but I think even the led have not done much to make Nigeria better. I think instead of running away, we should all see what we can do in our little corners to help build this country. I think it is also time for the youths to rise up and begin to hold our leaders accountable for their decisions and actions.

Abroad is great and beautiful because some people paid the price to make it what it is today, it is our collective responsibility as Nigerian’s to make Nigeria great and beautiful.
READ MORE @teenagerssolid..com.ng

Sk