“Japa” syndrome will favour Nigeria – Peter Obi

Mr. Peter Obi, a member of the Labour Party (LP), has expressed his agreement with Bill Gates’s statement regarding Nigeria’s “japa” syndrome.

Obi acknowledged that he concurs with Gates’s perspective that the recent trend of Nigerian professionals leaving the country in search of better opportunities is ultimately beneficial for Nigeria. Through his verified Twitter account on Thursday, Obi emphasized that he has long maintained the belief that “Our brain drain today will be our brain gain tomorrow.”

The former governor of Anambra State highlighted that while the departure of Nigerians may seem like a loss at present, their knowledge and resources will play a crucial role in shaping a new Nigeria. He further emphasized that if the nation begins to prioritize good governance and implement the right policies, Nigeria will reap the benefits, drawing examples from the experiences of China, India, Ireland, and other developing countries.

He wrote, “I read and agree with Bill Gates’s recent comment on the “japa” syndrome, where, according to reports, he stated that the recent surge of Nigerian professionals leaving the country for greener pastures is good and healthy for our country.

“I have always preached and maintained this same position on the “japa wave”. For years now, and throughout my campaign in the last Presidential election, especially during my tours from Canada, the USA, Germany, the UK, and other countries, I maintained that “Our brain drain today will be our brain gain tomorrow.” Nigerians leaving the country may look like a loss today, but when we start doing the right things and taking the governance of our nation more seriously, the knowledge and resources from them will be critical in the building of the New Nigeria, as it happened in China, India, Ireland and other developing countries.

“Today, India prides itself as one of the countries with the biggest tech talents in the world, having produced some of the world’s top engineers and computer scientists. Many top global tech companies are headed by CEOs of Indian origin. So India’s success in the tech industry can partly be attributed to its ability to harness the knowledge and resources of Indians in the diaspora for their national growth.”

“Nigeria will grow and develop on all fronts when we build the New Nigeria that prioritises investment in education, health, and support for small businesses, guarantees respect for the rule of law, security of lives and properties, and unity of the nation.

“Then our diasporan Nigerians around the world will return home with their global training, skills and resources, to immeasurably contribute to building a New and better Nigeria. We will not give up on our dreams for the New Nigeria.”