On a positive note, those who achieve success abroad contribute significantly to a substantial inflow of remittances. In the previous year, they sent back an estimated $20 billion, in addition to the $148 billion over the preceding seven years, surpassing the amount of foreign direct investment received.
In the short term, the desire to emigrate is so intense that governments are unable to prevent it. According to the Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey, a staggering 73% of Nigerians expressed the intention to leave in 2021, marking a substantial increase of 41 percentage points compared to the previous survey in 2019.
Given the widespread corruption, prevalent physical insecurity, a high annual inflation rate of 23%, and a significant 63% of adult Nigerians classified as “multidimensionally poor,” it comes as no surprise that the japa syndrome is more pervasive than ever before.
Prince Segun Sowunmi, a prominent figure within the People’s Democratic Party, has raised allegations against President Bola Tinubu, suggesting that Tinubu has favored individuals from his own ethnic group with the most desirable government appointments.
Sowunmi has criticized Tinubu for granting the South-East region only five slots in his ministerial appointments, while the South-West received 10 slots. These allegations were made by Sowunmi, who is originally from Ogun State, during a recent interview on Channels TV, conducted on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Sowunmi expressed his discomfort with the current trend of appointments, which he believes disproportionately benefits the Yoruba ethnic group. He highlighted key government positions that seem to have gone to the Yoruba community, such as those in Customs, Police, Army, CBN, IRS, Taxation, and Appropriation, and questioned whether they should be solely focused on Yoruba individuals.
He emphasized that it’s essential for the Yoruba community to reject any perceived imbalances in Tinubu’s appointments, even if they appear to benefit the Yoruba people. Sowunmi urged his fellow Yorubas not to embrace a narrow view that insists on Yoruba people receiving all significant appointments in the country.
Sowunmi also specifically criticized the difference in ministerial slots between the South-East and South-West, reinforcing his point about an alleged unequal distribution of appointments within the government.
