A nation is made up of people within the state with similar interests in terms of language, education, religion and the like. For any nation to progress economically there needs to be labour mobility, most especially the inward mobility of experts, in different fields of human endeavours. Using Nigeria as a case study, the word ‘japa’ has been a major trend that typifies the situation whereby citizens of Nigeria travel out of the country in a bid to escape economic hardship.
The right way the Nigerian government can address the outward mobility of labour is to create a better working environment for its citizens. Some foreign businesses in Nigeria folded up in 2023. Although President Bola Tinubu embarked on a foreign trip to Dubai to attract foreign investors into the nation’s economy, the cause of the shutdown of some international companies in Nigeria is the most deserving of attention. The naira devaluation is one of the issues exacerbating economic hardship. For the naira to gain more value, Nigerians need to start patronising locally-made products and services.
We need to start practising what is right. It is only the right action that can lead us to the greatest height as a nation. The right action is the uplift of the right principles. For an aeroplane to fly it must abide by the principle of aerodynamics. Any government willing to make a state devoid of insecurity and oppression in the land needs to uphold development by providing an environment conducive to productivity and security.
In a democratic government like Nigeria, the dividend of democracy needs to be distributed to the people. Right now, the majority of Nigerians are not benefitting from the government. Only some selected few are. The economy of any nation affects the prosperity of its citizens. However, religion has become a relief for us as a nation; we believe in a supernatural God to intervene in our affairs. But we quickly forget that for us to experience greater productivity and better outcomes, we must practise what God has instructed us to do: work and tend our land.
Nations that progress are not praying nations but industrious nations. Does prayer feed hunger? If you are hungry you eat, you don’t start praying for God to satisfy your hunger for you to be fed. A social media influencer, Reno Omokri, once said that religion serves as a vehicle for salvation, while work serves as a vehicle for prosperity.
No nation grows beyond its human capital. For us to experience growth and development we must invest heavily in the periodic training of our labour force. Nigeria has a potential for robust human capital but sadly, we lack proper equipment for the execution of tasks. We need to embrace technology in our production processes. Once the production process is equipped with proper technological tools, the nation is bound to experience rapid development.
Also, the quality of education needs to be improved by the government. Health care needs huge investments for proper operation. Our highways must be safe and those terrorising the nation need to be arrested and prosecuted. This can happen if security agencies are well-equipped. Let’s not forget that talent discovery brings specialisation into the labour force, which leads to enhanced productivity. If the government ensures that these challenges are taken care of, there will be an economic boost.
