The Lucky Ones
by Jídé Salawu
“Japa” is a Yoruba word that translates to “flee” or “escape” a precarious situation. But there is a specific context for the use of this word in modern Nigerian parlance.
In 2020, Nigeria witnessed the nationwide #EndSARS protests that led to the brutalization and state-sponsored killings of dozens of Nigerian youths in Lagos. The aftermath of this event led to an exodus of young people, who had seen the futility of their hopes for political change, so that today “Japa” has become a diasporic buzzword connected to the lack of faith in the Nigerian state and the country. The failure of the government to protect fundamental human rights is complete; the country has become a hardened police state where peacefully demonstrating puts your life in danger and can make you guilty of “treason.” This migratory wave was thus inevitable. It includes students and people in search of work, as well as political exiles who have had to flee for their lives.
On X/Twitter the other day I noticed a post with the headline, “Japa blessings.” It gave me the impression of a Nigeria whose future is on a knife-edge. The poster spoke of the CAD 50,000 grant their sister had received in order to pursue her studies in Canada. This post celebrates the vast-sounding sum of money, but does not address the topic of the loans that students must repay upon completion of their programs. This contributes to the long tradition of grand narratives of diasporic success, consolidating the green-pasture mythology that drives the desires and fantasies of many Nigerians back home.
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