Nigerian youths in the diaspora have been urged to acquire relevant skills and return back home to find solutions to challenges facing the country.
This was the focus of a forum on the celebration of young Nigerians contributing their quota to nation building.
The mass emigration of Nigerian youths for greener pastures and foreign countries is a cause of concern for many.
Dissatisfaction with the state of the nation has continued to propel many to move abroad with fear that the situation could further have dire consequences for the socio-economic well-being.
While many continue to make this move, some Nigerians are also returning to the country after their surgeon with relevant skills to create solutions and drive development in their own way.
They want Nigerians abroad to equip themselves with best global practices with the aim to impact the society upon return.
Director of Programmes, British Council, Chikodi Onyemerela speaking to participants at a gathering in Lagos said, the focus is to celebrate young people who have achieved significant milestone in their lives but more so for them to take the lessons learnt, knowledge and skills they have acquired in the United Kingdom to use it to solve local problems in their country.
High point of the event is recognition of young Nigerians who have studied abroad and are back in the country contributing to nation building in their own way.
The first of wave of ‘’Japa’’ (Nigerian slang for emigration) in Nigeria was in the ‘70s/’80s. Faced with an uncertain future owing to military interregnums and a volatile economy, the Nigerian young journeyed to the West — the US and UK — while some left on a limb to Ukraine. Over the years more Nigerians have departed the country in pursuit of their dreams abroad.
Some of these Diaspora Nigerians have distinguished themselves in different human enterprises. And they constitute a financial bulwark for the country, reportedly remitting about $25 billion annually.
In the long run, emigration might even be advantageous to the home country if its inhabitants return strengthened with knowledge, experience, and cash to make investments and promote development. However, the host nation must be welcoming and the government must be thoughtful and ambitious about its plans and policies for Nigerians living abroad in order to attract these human resources.
