The world is in the throes of a migration fever with Nigeria at the epicentre of this migrant surge. The desire to emigrate in Nigeria has become so prevalent across all social classes in Nigeria that it is now nationally termed the ‘Japa’ syndrome. ‘Japa’ is derived from the Yoruba language and it means ‘to flee’, usually from an unpleasant situation. Nigerians have a knack for making light of even the most hellish circumstances (Nigerians were once crowned the happiest people on earth). Thus, the military dictator Ibrahim Babangida who annulled a national election which threw the entire country into a decade long chaos was nicknamed Maradona, after the late renowned Argentine footballer for the skilful but sublime way he extricated himself out of his political troubles. The Japa fever intensified towards the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration; a direct consequence of that administration’s crass handling of the country’s economy.
Nearly every sector of the Nigerian economy is afflicted by the Japa syndrome. The magnitude of the current brain drain has even terrified Nigeria’s usually lethargic political elite. Specifically, the ire of the country’s political class was kindled as a result of the massive emigration of the country’s health care workers. However, the political elite have sought to explain away this development by highlighting the ‘beneficial’ aspects of migration. Thus, according to Peter Obi, Japa facilitates the specialised training of Nigerian professionals. Meanwhile a former minister adopted braggadocio by noting that the country had enough supply of health workers.
In the educational system, the impact of the Japa fever is equally severe. However, in this instance, Japa is mainly elite driven. For example graduation from foreign universities has become something of a status symbol as the elite now make it a point of duty to announce in the media the graduation of this or that ward from this or that foreign university in this or that western country. Socially, Japa syndrome has led simultaneously to the increased failure of marriages due to long separation and rising incidences of uxoricide among Nigerian émigré couples overseas. However, the Japa syndrome has its own idiosyncratic dimensions as some Nigerians simply emigrate to satisfy the desire of living abroad, a holdover of the country’s colonial past. Thus, the late musician Fela Kuti conceptualised this proclivity as ‘colo-mentality’.
In recent times the Japa frenzy has cooled. The decrease in migration rates appears to be the result of restrictive migration policies instituted by western countries and to a lesser extent the further unravelling of the Nigerian economy. Consequent upon this, Nigerians who are unable to Japa have sought to exploit as best could, any low hanging fruit of a depressed economy. To be sure, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the average Nigerian is an epitome of industry. This accolade is an attribute Nigerians are proud of. Consequently, the usual Nigerian reaction to international snub is: ‘Who cares. You are the looser. We will simply take our talents elsewhere’.
Nigerian slang
Japa is a Yoruba word that is used as slang in Nigeria to describe the act of leaving a situation quickly and in an urgent manner. It is often used to describe leaving the country to find better working conditions. The term is commonly used in a casual or playful way and has become part of Nigerian youth culture
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