The whole world lives in the euphoria of looking for greener pastures, preferred and well-paid jobs, education and health care services, but we tend to forget that human beings like us made those things we are pursuing to happen in their country, yet we engage in dangerous,

disastrous journeys and adventures, all in an effort to change the environment.

.What stops us from changing our own environment for better to the type we desire?

Japa, like I said, in my first article titled, ‘The Benefits and Disadvantages of Japa’ to confirm my position as not an antagonist but a protagonist of Regular Japa and not Irregular Japa, mindful of the reality surrounding the status of the Japas.

When and where you Japa, the following are likely to be your experience (s) : you either profit or lose, you either add value or be devalued, you are either given a treat or ill-treated, you make it or lose it, you are either welcome or not.

These are the experiences of the Japa. They are forced to learn foreign languages or must learn a local language common to the Japa country, yet at home we will refuse to learn another local language different from our tribes, making individuals tribalistic.

But Japa has forced our citizens to learn Chinese, Russia, Arab, Latin, French, Swahili among other languages to fit into the new society they found themselves, At home during the one year mandatory National Service (NYSC),many will refuse to learn the local language in the state they are posted. This calls for a rethink and needs to deepen our sense of patriotism, nationalism and love for the country.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic is all encompassing and it says, “We the people” where everyone chooses to be tribal, it cannot  be,  we people, for the nation to attain great and lofty height, Japa must be a last or no resort, to keep us together, a country you love so dearly, you cannot leave for another desert, abuse, talk ill about, or relegate to nothing. Japa as it is ,is a syndrome and tide that must be curtailed to avoid unnecessary brain drain, drifting and outflow of our very good hands, brains, talented and gifted citizens trooping to other countries to build their economy, health sector, educational sector, administration, military while we have deficit at home and nature abhor vacuum.

As much as Japa is on its own, a show of shame, it must be managed by experts. Educating, enlightening, and dissemination of proper information to the prospective Japas to know that , there is no place like home. You cannot become a first class citizen outside your country. Those countries still give preferences to their citizens first before others.

As much as Japa has dividends, turnovers and profits accrued as a result of remittances, skill acquisition, technology transfer and better educational and medical and health settings, until there is a return home to contribute quota and improve on services, it is of no use, unless there is return to the home front.

Government on its part should do everything to improve on goods and services within, facilities and infrastructural decays must be remedied, strikes, protests and everything that leads to them must be avoided. Leaders must be compassionate and sensitive, rather than be dictatorial rulers and lords.

They should lead with the fear of God and respect the oath they took before they assumed office. Government officials must respect the sanctity of their offices and the oaths they took. This will go a long way to stop or reduce Japa.

• James Sunday is Comptroller of Immigration Service Rivers State Command.