On Tuesday, November 16, 2021, Another batch of 95 Nigerians, who were stranded in Libya, arrived in Nigeria under the Assisted Voluntary Programme, According to Vanguard Newspaper.
The returnees arrived in the country with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 08:18p.m on an Al Buraq Airline with number UZ189/16/5A- DMG-MJI AD15:50.
The figure of Nigerians in Libya represents less than 0.1 per cent of nationals that have left, in proper terms, japa from Nigeria; a land flowing with milk and honey.
The trend of Nigerians leaving the country, especially the younger generation is an aberration, especially when the pedigree of Nigeria as the giant of Africa is considered. But to the ruling class, this trend is a welcome development as there would be lesser youths to protest against the government of the day.
October 20, 2020, a day that saw men of the Nigerian Army shoot at unarmed, peaceful protesters, gave many Nigerians enough reason to escape the country, as there was a general belief that Nigerians lives do not matter. Nigeria, according to several youths, is no safe haven and a killer of dreams a younger generation of Nigerians touted to be the leaders of tomorrow. These Nigerians left the country because they could be the next set of persons to be harassed, maimed, extorted or killed by policemen who have lost touch with their duties as officers of the law.
Apart from the event of October 20, 2020, and a close repeat in 2021, the obnoxious government policies have made life a lot more difficult for the average Nigerian youth who has chosen to live a crime-free life.
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In February, 2020, Nigerians woke up to the news that the Central Bank of Nigeria had placed a ban on crypto trading while in June, 2021, the Muhammadu Buhari-led civilian government placed a ban on the operation of micro-blogging platform, Twitter, in Nigeria. The CBN has also grounded the activities of fintechs including Risevest, Bamboo, Trove and Chaka for 180 days. These developments show those who run the country have a poor understanding of the global economic shift to an ICT-led economy.
The unemployment rate in the country experienced a drop as youths could trade crypto while Twitter served as an avenue for people offering various kinds of services to meet their prospective clients. But without a second thought, the government rendered these people jobless, further raising the figure as the country with the highest youth unemployment rate.
Meanwhile, the international communities are monitoring the development in Nigeria and are making it easier for Nigerian youths to japa by offering scholarships of various kinds. Here, the untapped potentials of Nigerian youths are harnessed by these countries as they have a working and know what they are doing.
The merit of these young Nigerians leaving the country is that they are able to achieve their goals and are able to lead the kind of life they have always dreamt of. The demerit, however, is that Nigeria is losing, to the western world, a chunk of brainy, young individuals whose skills are needed to improve the current state of the country.
In the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and many other countries, Nigerians are doing great in the health sector. Just recently, Saudi Arabia launched a scheme to recruit Nigerian doctors; a testimony that Nigerian doctors are among the best in the world. This happened at a time when the Nigerian doctors embarked on a strike over non-payment of salaries by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Simply put, the Nigerian society has been rigged in favour of the minority, whose contribution to the growth of the country is nil. But here, we have a set of young, talented Nigerians leaving the country because past and current governments have failed and are still failing the majority that voted them into power. And until there is an intervention and a change in the state of the country, many Nigerian youths will continue to japa and leave the country in complete ruin. But then, this is actually what the public office holders want- youth emigration.
