In 1999, two stowaway teenagers from Guinea, Koita Yaguine and Tounkara Fode embarked on a deadly trip to ‘Europe or die’ in order to escape terror leaders at home. Unfortunately for these teenagers, they died a cruel death in the landing gear of Sabena Airlines Airbus before the plane landed in Belgium.

In a letter that was found in their pocket, it reads “To the Excellencies and officials of Europe: We suffer enormously in Africa. Help us. We have problems in Africa. We lack rights as children. We have war and illness, we lack food. . . . We want to study, and ask you to help us to study so that we can be like you, in Africa schools”.

Had it been those teenagers made it alive, they would not had regretted their actions given the state of the continent.

Paul Collier captures it better when he says, “development is about giving hope to ordinary people that their children will live in a society that has caught up with the rest of the world. Take that hope away and the smart people will use their energies not to develop their society but to escape from it.”

Many African youths are physically living in Africa , but their minds are in far away Europe. Their fatherland is not ‘fathering’ their future; their beloved motherland is now murdering their dreams. Many are no longer at ease with the land they called homeland.

They have lost the passion, they have lost the hope in the continent.

There was a time “Barsa Wa Bala”, a wolof language, meaning “Barcelona or die” was in vogue in Senegal. The Senegalese youths believed it was better to die on the journey to Europe than under hopeless and unfavorable conditions at home.

Today, in Nigeria “japa” meaning to leave one’s home country in search of greener pasture in foreign land, is on the gyrating lips of many young Nigerians. People sell their property; they left their parents to loneliness and longing and family to “japa”. The race is to the Northern hemisphere . The energy is to secure a seat on the next flight going to Europe. Their savings are targeted to getting a visa. Some sold their property to Japa. Their prayers and fasting geared towards their visa application. They are investing half of their body features on securing a visa to Europe. It is now a blessing and a call to celebration to land at an airport in Europe.

What is worse: most of the continent leavers are skillful and energetic youths. For a continent that needs its resourceful and energetic youths to be a prosperous continent losing these youths without addressing the underlying problems is saddening. These youths have exhausted their endurance. They do not see their dreams becoming a reality.

Africa is a young continent. Of course young people will seek opportunities in better lands. This is no surprise. Asians do the same. There is no reason why we should act different.

I wasn't against japa. Migration is as old as man. But if the best among us in term of skills are japaing for greener pasture, there is fire on the mountain.

eepeepook:
Africa is a young continent. Of course young people will seek opportunities in better lands. This is no surprise. Asians do the same. There is no reason why we should act different.

Lasbaba:
I wasn't against japa. Migration is as old as man. But if the best among us in term of skills are japaing for greener pasture, there is fire on the mountain.

The best in skills here are more sought abroad. Pastures really are greener that way. Average folks can also improve from being in an enabling environment. It happened to a lot of students who went abroad for studies.

Why pikin does days dey go neighbor house to watch movie or cartoon?

Because dere parent couldn't provide them TV in dia own home...

The Nigeria Youth will always run away or japa from Nigeria until the government make home comfortable place to live and start a family...

Insecurities
Lack of electricity
Bad roads
Lack of jobs
Inflation
Lack of basic amenities...

If they decide not to tackle all these issues... Nigerians will keep running away

JAPA THINGS

If you can Japa, oga/madam pls Japa and go for the money, then you can come back here to invest. I support Japa with my full chest because the government no dey give us any valid hope for sticking around.
But abeg before you Japa, learn a lucrative skill so that you won't go there to be washing plates upandan (even though such minial job pays). Try to learn truck driving, plumbing, weaving/braiding of hair or programming.
With either of these skills, obodoyibo go sweet you. For me sha, I will always advise you to go for tech and thank me later when you leave.
What do I even know sef aside enlightening my fellow men nationwide.


Oga if you no meet your wife as a virgin, oga go for DNA test oooooo because boreholes aka non-virgins can't be trusted

Oh God bless my business for me to Japa

Noted.

You Nigerians should take your bad attitude and stay over.
We don't want low life mentality abroad.. darkness has finished you guys.

As at 4:44 pm FEB 29TH, 2024, the members population of this forum stands at 3,135,676 nairalanders.

Given the terrible fire blazing in this mountain called Nigeria it's wise, acceptable, and highly brilliant that we sponsor each other to afford the great escape before the blistering eruption of the whole system.

A mere token of 1k from the 3M people abound here would go around to make Japa affordable for erstwhile hopeless japarians.

I'll not go first Nah

And I'd not go last either.

However, after Mr righteousness opens the door of this great escape, closely followed by false prophet, slawmorri, I'd be the number 4th person to be sponsored. And before you say Jack Robinson about the whole number of us would have, should have, or could have gone away from this corntree.


Nice idea huh? 😜😜😜😉😉

Alright

Ok

Sorry ooo

Sometimes I want to stay. Sometimes I want to fly away. Confusion no be here

Everybody mind don fly tey tey
Na only body remain.

We must build a future for ourselves
It’s not in the interest of others for Africa to have full control of its minerals and their value chain

If all of us choose to do the right thing in Africa, things will definitely be better...

If we can call expatriates to help us build bridges, roads and schs and also hire expatriates as managers of our companies, we travel abroad to get best healthcare and schs.... Why can't we hire them to run our government... It's very clear that we ain't getting it right.... Even if we split d country, what's d assurance that we'll get it right

Nigeria is too hard

Vv

Lalami3232:
If you can Japa, oga/madam pls Japa and go for the money, then you can come back here to invest. I support Japa with my full chest because the government no dey give us any valid hope for sticking around.
But abeg before you Japa, learn a lucrative skill so that you won't go there to be washing plates upandan (even though such minial job pays). Try to learn truck driving, plumbing, weaving/braiding of hair or programming.
With either of these skills, obodoyibo go sweet you. For me sha, I will always advise you to go for tech and thank me later when you leave.
What do I even know sef aside enlightening my fellow men nationwide.


Oga if you no meet your wife as a virgin, oga go for DNA test oooooo because boreholes aka non-virgins can't be trusted

Why you come spoil this your very good post with that yeye last line? Eh this man?!!

But you have said the truth sha. ONce you have a good skill, overseas will sweet you, and the best skill is Tech. In 2 years (sometimes less) you don dey collect over £50,000 p/a salary easily.

Wild wild west

I heard the president has japa.

People have been japa-ing since the 1960s.

Ok