PRESS
RELEASE:
MURIC
CAUTIONS YOUTH AGAINST ‘JAPA’ SYNDROME
The Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC) has cautioned Nigerian youths against mass exodus to
other countries, now known as ‘japa’ syndrome. The group affirms that Nigeria
is better in many ways than those countries which seem to attract the youth. It
also warns Nigerians to stop condemning their country.
The advice
was contained in a statement issued by the director of the Islamic human rights
organisation, Professor Ishaq Akintola on Wednesday, 11th January,
2023.
The statement
reads :
“We are greatly
disturbed by what is now called the ‘japa’ syndrome. This is a phenomenon that
signifies mass exodus of skilled men and women, particularly youth, from
Nigeria to Europe and America for greener pastures. This practice is harmful to
our country. It is escapist and cowardly.
“Often times
running away from your country ends up taking you from the frying pan into the
fire. For instance, life in Britain, France and America is no longer all milk
and honey it used to be. Recent assessment of economic conditions have proved
this.
“A carton of Indomie which
cost £6.99 by January 2022 skyrocketed to £14.99 in late December. A carton of
onion which was only £10.99 in January 2022 jumped up to £14.99 in December. Gas
bill that was a mere £45 in September became £118 in December while electricity
bill climbed from £90 to £176.
“The political and economic turmoil which Britain went through
around the same period speaks volumes about worsening conditions in advanced
countries. It found Britain having five prime ministers in six years. David
Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak turned No. 10
Downing Street to the revolving door of a supermarket.
“Liz Truss spent just six weeks in office and she is the fourth
prime minister to resign since the Brexit vote in 2016. It is left to be seen
whether or not 43 year old Rishi Sunak’s magic wand will save Britain.
“But the same Britain is now planning a law to criminalise strikes
in sensitive sectors like rail transport, health and education. If this happens
in Nigeria they will call it dictatorship. But it is happening right now in one
of the advanced democracies of the world.
“Nigerians should
stop thinking low of their country. We may not have everything we need, no
country does. But we have moved a great deal away from our pre-independence
position and we have not done too badly.
“From only one university (university of Ibadan) at independence
in 1960 to 170 universities today. We had no single polytechnic at independence
but today we have 105 polytechnics and 100 colleges of education.
“The British left us at independence with just 200 medical
doctors in the whole country but today even the University of Lagos alone
produces 250 medical doctors annually. Overall we produce 12,000 doctors per
annum. We had no single indigenous pilot in 1960 but now we can even boast of female
pilots flying planes for international airlines in other countries.
“Though we had only one television station and one radio station
at independence, we now have more than 200 functional television stations. Our
radio stations are countless as even university campuses now set up their own
radio stations. Nigeria now has five satellites in space. We do renal surgery,
organ transplant, car manufacturing, etc.
“Britain, America, France, etc, were not
always as developed as you find them today. They had their Dark Age which was
thousands of years ago. It was patriotic and hardworking individuals in their
countries who started working on discoveries to improve living conditions.
“That was how Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce invented the
first camera in 1816. The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, brought the
aeroplane on December 17, 1903. Carl Benz unveiled the first motor car on January
29, 1886. Richard Trevithick invented the train steam locomotive in Britain
in 1804. The list is endless. Life was tough at the time. It was tough for those
inventors too but they held on and worked harder. They did not leave their
countries.
“Instead of emulating these hardworking and
visionary men, many of our youth have adopted the easiest and, unknown to them,
a dangerous way out. They prefer to join the ‘japa’ syndrome. It is not only
cowardly, it is also escapist. The worst are those who embark on dangerous
journeys across the desert and over the boiling Mediterranean Sea in rickety
old boats.
“We cannot expect
Nigeria to change by hating it or by abandoning it. We can also criticise our
leaders but it must be with decorum. But to speak of Nigeria in a derogatory
manner is unacceptable. It make us look like ingrates. Nobody can have two
fatherlands in the true sense of it. The task to make Nigeria great is a
collective one, not just the sole responsibility of our leaders.
“Why do we always hang all faults at the doors of the leaders? Are
we not the ones who break traffic rules? Must our leaders come to the bus stops
to arrange us in queues? Is it our leaders who ride in buses and carelessly
throw empty cans on the roads? Are they the ones who leave their lanes in
traffic and cause total gridlock? Is it our leaders who hire mercenaries to impersonate
our children in examination halls? Who is into Yahoo Yahoo business? Is it our
leaders?
“We must stop condemning Nigeria. It is not radicalism. The ideal
radicalism must be spiced with rationalism. Any radical group that takes
irrational steps is misled. Such a group must retrace its steps.
“Don’t hate your
country. You only ridicule yourself in the eyes of others when you do so. You
are also part of Nigeria because you are a Nigerian. The question will still be
asked, ‘What effort did you make to improve it?’ Instead of settling down and
joining those who are building the country, you decide to migrate to another
country which you consider better but which was built by the patriotic people
of that country. Why couldn’t you also join the patriotic people of your
country who are trying to build it?
“The
citizens of those countries which Nigerian youth crave and to which they ‘japa’
laboured to build their countries. They made sacrifices and devoted time to
build what their countries have become today. We must also labour to build our
own country to the taste of our dream.
“We charge the few Nigerians who are presently doing their best
to continue doing so. Silas Adekunle created the world’s first intelligent
gaming robot. Fela Akinse invented the first modular shoes from plastic
recycling wastes, Jessica Mathews invented a soccer ball that can be used as a portable
power generator. Innoson company now makes cars.
“MURIC will
continue to promote hardwork, patriotism, morality, probity, accountability and
good governance. We will not desist from fighting corruption, negativity, greed
and laziness.”
“Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC)
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