A motion seeking to declare the broad emigration of young Nigerians, popularly known as Japa syndrome, a national emergency was roundly rejected by the members of the House of Representatives at plenary yesterday.
The motion caused some rowdiness in the chambers as members said it was against the spirit and letter of the 1999 constitution on freedom of movement.
The lawmakers, however, adopted the prayers of the motion, urging the federal government to convene a national summit with key stakeholders to effectively address the syndrome.
They also asked that a state of emergency be declared because of the factors that predisposed young Nigerians to give up on Nigeria in preference for other nations.
Presenting the motion earlier, the mover, Philip Agbese, noted that available statistics from the Nigerian Economic Summit indicated a mass relocation of young Nigerians abroad.
He said: “The recent reports by the African Polling Institute indicate that 69 percent of young people would opt to relocate abroad if given the chance or if the opportunity presented itself.
“There is a 40 percent increase in the number of young Nigerians leaving the nation, compared to the number captured in 2019, as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs reported that international emigration from Nigeria in 2020 was 1.7 million, which is a substantial increase from 990,000 in 2010.
“The growing statistics of young Nigerians leaving Nigeria and securing permanent residence in the United Kingdom, the USA, and Canada portend a grave danger for our nation in many ways, from economic to intellectual and social aspects.
“The Nigerian population is made up of two-thirds of persons under the age of 30, and a good number of these persons are already afflicted with what today is acceptably referred to as the ‘Japa syndrome’, as estimates indicate a staggering tens of thousands have relocated to the USA, Canada, South Africa, and even Gambia over the last two years.”
The lawmaker also expressed worry that those leaving Nigeria were not just the poor but also the middle class, who possessed skills, as well as bankers, lecturers, health care practitioners, doctors, and nurses, among others.
“If this scenario continues with our able minds, brains, and skilled personnel leaving, Nigeria may fall into a grave crisis in our critical sectors from education to healthcare, thereby making a bad situation worse.
“In line with the renewed hope theme of the President Bola Tinubu administration, the triggers that predispose young Nigerians to find the choice to leave the country attractive, such as uncertainty of the duration of stay in higher institutions, poor living wages, growing unemployment, poor living conditions, insensitive leadership, insecurity, and post-graduation realities, among others, which make young people frustrated, demand a declaration of a state of emergency in order to address the japa syndrome.
“Our young population remains one of our greatest assets, and although the prospects of a growing Nigerian population in the Diaspora could be beneficial in a way, it should not be at the expense of our needed manpower, as it also bothers national pride when our young, bright minds leave the country in droves, conveying the impression that ‘Nigeria is a sinking ship that everyone is rushing to get out of’,’’ Agbese said.
When put to a voice vote by the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, the majority of the lawmakers voted against the motion.
