Japa sydrome: FCT Diaspora Desk sensitises Abuja youth, women, vulnerable groups

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Administration Diaspora Desk Office has organised a forum, where hundreds of youth, women and vulnerable groups drawn from across the six Area Council of Abuja, were drilled on the dangers of irregular migration to foreign countries otherwise known as ‘japa’ sydrome.
It was observed that stakeholders during the sensitisation/enlightenment programme with the theme: Japa sydrome: Pains and Gains, organised for the teeming participants and integrated returnees, took turns to encourage the target groups to be always weary of the trend, in the best interest of themselves and the society in general.
In her remarks, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while noting that no one can stop migration illegal or legal as there will always be such challenges, said people should always weigh the option and the consequences, to know which one is better for them.
Dabiri-Erewa, who said there are pains and gains and pains of Japa syndrome, which has always been there, commended the FCTA for putting the programme together, while expressing hope that at the end of it, there would be recommendations that the the Commission would be able to work on and implement.
She said: “ The most important thing is that we have to collectively as a people and government play our roles to ensure that we will shine and be the best in the world, and we will get the recognition that we deserved.
“We need to encourage the young ones in particular to do the same thing. There are frustrations, and no doubt about it, but please note that idea is that there is also opportunities that we are not seeing, and let us as a people and government open our eyes to those opportunities, and show the younger ones that maybe there is something that you can do rather than japa especially in an irregular and terrible way, so that can be better persons”.
Similarly, in his keynote presentaion, Ambassador Joe Keshi attributed the Japa syndrome to the unconducive situation of virtually every stratal of the society, in spite of the resources of the country.
According to him, “ when we preach against the trend, we mus try and balance it, and we must hold those responsible, who over the last couple of years have not made the country conducive enough for people to make ends meet without much stress.
“But if we don’t address the internal contradictions of the country, people will continue to jappa, no matter what you say to them. But we can hope that leadership of the at every level particularly the states to begin to create the environment that ensures that people can wake up in the morning, and be confident about what to do to fend for themselves”.
Also speaking, representative of the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdulrazak Leramo, who is the Director of Administration and Finance, FCT Education Secretariat, said the FCTA is paying attention to the trend, because when migration it is done illegally, it portends grave dangers to the illegal migrants ranging from abuse, exploitation, kidnapping, phycological disorders to even death as well as the effect it has on the depletion of human resources required for nation building.
Adesola however, implored all the youth and other relevant groups to be rightly guided in making well informed decisions on migration (Japa).
He added that the FCT Administration is open and welcomes useful collaboration with enterprising diasporans and other partners for the growth and development of the FCT, given its vast potentials for investments and wealth creation.
Earlier in her welcome address, FCT-Diaspora Focal Point Officer, Sarah David Areo, reiterated that her office provides opportunities to handle Diaspora matters in relation to indigene/indigent members of the FCT, in line with the vision and mission of NiDCOM.
She noted that the office work in line with existing guidelines to positively engage Nigerian teeming youth and women to check the dangerous trend of illegal migration to foreign countries where they face very unhealthy living conditions and become very vulnerable to diverse dangers.
According to her, FCT is a place with the dire need of these potentials, abilities and energy most especially at this critical period in the nation’s history.
Not left out, Sarkin Gabas of Abaji, Alh. Kamal Adamu Shuaibu, who represented the Chairman FCT Council of Chiefs, and Ona of Abaji, Dr. Baba Yunusa, noted that the youth must be made to understand no matter where they go in the world, nowhere is sweet as home, outside of which they would always be visitors.
He advised them to stay back home, and ensure that the right thing is done, and people we come to Nigeria to live and do business , as the country has all it takes to be the be viable, more than any part of the world.
He adds: “ we have to look inwards, and believe in the nation and ourselves, and if we can this, we can get to places”.