In an effort to stop more young men from leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad, Richard Osanaiye, the Lead Pastor of the Glorious Liberty Church (GLC) Global, has challenged the Federal Government to create jobs or empower youths to start businesses.
Young men would continue to “japa” from Nigeria if the government did not provide such opportunities, according to Osanaiye.
The term “Japa,” which means to emigrate and is derived from the Yoruba language, is now widely used by young people in Nigeria, particularly those who want to leave the nation.
The young clergyman revealed to reporters at the church in Abeokuta, Ogun State, that economic survival continues to be the primary driver behind youth migration out of the nation while driving others to engage in criminal activity.
He spoke outside of the church’s conference called “Gathering of the Eagles 2022,” which drew over 2,000 young people who were given entrepreneurial skills.
Osanaiye argued that other issues would also be resolved if the unemployment problem was resolved.
In fact, the lack of employment is the reason why young people are “japaing,” he claimed. I impart to my followers the knowledge that a man’s first priority is his ability to maintain his economic existence. You see people stealing because they can’t support their families and themselves. Human trafficking, kidnapping, and other crimes also stem from this.
“Other issues will be resolved if unemployment problems can be addressed. Therefore, providing people with jobs, giving them the tools to find jobs, or enabling them to start their own businesses is one of the only ways to address the “Japa” issue.
When asked if he supported Nigerian youths moving abroad, he replied, “I don’t advise youths to “japa.” I urge young people to reach their full potential. My background as a man of God has taught me that your decisions, not your surroundings, are what limit you.
If God did not want you to be in Nigeria, He should have had you created in the US, the UK, or somewhere else, because He knows He created you to be there. Although I’m not saying that people who have left the country shouldn’t, I do think that they did so because they felt that there weren’t enough opportunities available to them. However, we have created opportunities for ourselves and are developing structures and values for ourselves in such a way that the people who have since left will one day realise that we have a better life than they do.
