Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Idowu Olayinka, has called on government to make policy that will make life bearable in the country in order to reduce the number of Nigerians migrating abroad.
According to the Nation, Prof. Olayinka made the call at the 65th anniversary of the UI Alumni Association, Lagos State Branch, while speaking on the theme, ‘Nigerian Japa syndrome: Quo Vadis?’.
He urged the government to diversify the economy through the development of critical solid minerals, ensuring food security, tackling security issues, repositioning the underperforming public higher education sector, reducing the emigration of health professionals, among others to tackle the urge to flee Nigeria.
He said, “The effect of Japa on brain drain and loss of skilled manpower cannot be over-emphasised as it has the tendency to drive an active segment of the population out of the country, and this is reflected in the Exodus of highly trained professionals like doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, bankers, and many others.
“The last time Nigeria recorded a positive net migration rate with more people entering the country than leaving was from 1974 to 1980. This period coincided with the oil boom years when the country derived humongous resources from petroleum.”
Olayinka observed that given the country’s current socio-economic realities, only little can be done to prevent the emigration of many skilled Nigerians to other countries.
He added, “The onus is on the policymakers to implement measures that would make life more bearable for the majority of the population who would remain in the country; to do otherwise would be a recipe for a massive social crisis.
“There’s a need to diversify the economy through the development of critical solid minerals, ensuring food security, tackling security issues, repositioning the underperforming public higher education sector, reducing the emigration of health professionals and stemming health tourism, tackling corruption and promoting good governance to minimise the urge for Nigerians to flee.”
The Group Chairman/CEO, International Energy Services Ltd, Prof Diran Fawibe, however, noted that japa should not be seen as a negative thing.
“Although japa might be affecting different sectors, it should not be seen as a negative thing because it is not only Nigerians that japa. It means that people go and some will come back. In USA, Americans do japa, British, China and Indians do japa.
“Although, in our own case, the number of people that left the country within a short period was totally unusual but we have to look at the fundamental issues that made this issue to be so sudden and unusual in Nigeria.
Technocrat, Kayode Otitoju, who was Chairman of the planning committee, pointed out that the theme was selected because it was a topical issue in Nigeria.
“It affects almost every section in Nigeria where an employee is thinking of how to go abroad. Students also want to go abroad to studey. But the Latin word ‘Quo Vadis’ which means ‘Going Forward?’, in this context, shows it is a fundamental human right to move from point A to B, and only little can be done to prevent the emigration of many skilled Nigerians to other countries.”
