"Nigeria Losing its Best Brains": Cleric Laments Japa syndrome, Hardship, Suggests Solution
- Reverend Ben Eragbai has bared his mind on the rising hardship in Nigeria and the rate at which people leave the country for greener pastures abroad
- Speaking at a recent event to mark his 60th birthday, the cleric asked people to reconsider relocating abroad, adding that "there's no place like home"
- Eragbai lamented the worsening situation of things in the country and called on Nigerians to seek divine intervention through prayers
Reverend Ben Eragbai, the general overseer of the Divine Appointment Ministry International in Ajah, Lagos state, has called for concerted efforts from government to address the rising japa syndrome in the country.
The cleric, who spoke at an event to celebrate his 60th birthday, said while the country has faced several challenges in the past, "the situation is worse today".
Source: Original
Japa: Hardship pushing Nigerians abroad - Eragbai
At the event, the cleric raised concerns about the delicate situation of the country, noting that Nigerians are hungry and a lot of them are leaving the country in droves out of desperation.
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Eragbai said the situation has also led to brain drain in critical sectors of the economy.
He said:
"With the situation in Nigeria today, it would be very unfair for me to come in here expecting anything from anybody because of how the country is now. We are still praying that the government will turn around the situation, especially today, where we have lost a lot of our best brains to the Japa Syndrome. You can see the multitude here, many of them can't afford a square meal a day anymore."
"Most nations our compatriots are running to also had issues in the past. There's no place like home. I see people selling land to travel abroad; it's not the best way out, because I believe this nation must surely rise again and its redemption is just around the corner. I believe it has started already."
Economic hardship: Nigeria needs prayers, says Eragbai
Speaking on the way forward, the cleric asked Nigerians not to give up. He also called on the citizens to seek God's intervention in fixing the challenges confronting the country.
He added:
"We believe it's going to get better. People always say Nigeria is bad but Nigeria has never been good. Let's face the reality. We heard the likes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Ras Kimono singing. They all sang against injustice, hunger and starvation. The situation is worse today. The only thing we can do is for everyone to pray for this nation and also believe God will positively turn things around one day.
He further enjoined Nigerians to show more empathy towards each other as they grapple with harsh economic realities.
Also speaking at the event, Fayoade Adegoke, the Lagos state commissioner of police, called on the church to remain vigilant in its role as the moral compass for citizens.
"They (the church) have a lot of roles to play, to encourage people to imbibe the life of Christ. If the church has a bigger influence on society, society will be much better," he said.
The commissioner described Eragbai, a friend of over 20 years, as "an unusual man of God who takes Christianity to the streets and converts a lot of 'Area boys' to law-abiding citizens."
Japa: Nigerians sell properties to fund relocation
Legit.ng previously reported how some Nigerians took to social media to sell their properties to fund their japa plans.
Some of them sought buyers for their cars, furniture items, home/electric appliances and others.
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Source: Legit.ng
