The Japa Dream: Between Escape and Reality

The Japa Dream: Between Escape and Reality

Image Credit: Pixabey

Joy Olu-Ajayi 

In today’s Nigerian universities, few words spark as much energy and conversation as “Japa.” The Yoruba word which in the English language means “to run away,” has now become a lifestyle, a hope, and for many students, the main life plan. It is no longer just about running; it is about leaving Nigeria for good and escaping spontaneous exorbitant school fees, poor electricity, insecurity, and an uncertain future. For a lot of students, Japa is not just an option. It is the plan A, B, C, D, E down to Y. 

The dream looks simple: graduate, find a scholarship, job, or visa abroad, pack your bags, leave the country for good and start a brand new life and it is rather important to say that social media has made this dream even more attractive. TikTok is full of videos of young Nigerians arriving at airports in the United Kingdom, Mexico or Canada, smiling and posting “Finally Japa’d.” Instagram shows shiny pictures of snow, clean roads, and bright apartments and for students who study under dim rechargeable lamps and live in crowded hostels, these pictures look like heaven: proof that a better life is possible however, far away from Nigeria. 

But why has the Japa dream caught the heart of so many young people? The answer lies in hope for a better future. For many students, Nigeria feels like a trap and a deep pit. Nigerians would jokingly say, “Who dig this pit for me?” Courses that should take four years often stretch into six because of constant strikes. Graduates finish school but meet a shrinking job market. Even with good grades, many end up underpaid or unemployed and have to settle for anything to keep the body and soul together. For these students, Japa represents escape; a place where effort is being rewarded as it should be.

It is not just about money either. Japa is also about dignity. Many young people feel unvalued in Nigeria. Their ideas are ignored, their talents overlooked and their energy wasted. But abroad, they see friends and relatives doing well, getting quality education, and enjoying steady healthcare. To them, Japa means finally being seen, respected, and allowed to grow. For instance; it is a common belief that nurses, teachers etc, are well respected and are treated more humane abroad than in Nigeria and this has made the people in these sectors try to move out of this country in a bid for the respect that they actually deserve. 

Still, the Japa dream has another side, one that Instagram or other social media platforms do not show. Life abroad is not always smooth as it is often portrayed. Students who Japa often find themselves juggling tough studies with long hours of survival jobs. They deal with loneliness in cold cities, the sting of racism, or the ache of missing home. And then there is the cost: high rent, expensive food, and bills that swallow salaries. Many discover that the “greener pasture” is not always as green as it looked from Nigeria. Perhaps a song from Adekunle Gold can be used to depict this. “The grass is greener on the other side/That's what I thought before I took the ride/I realised the mountain I've been climbing is nothing but sand.” These lines are the songs that Nigerians that “japa” sing after settling down and discovering that it's what they ordered versus what they got. 

But even with these challenges, students back home still hold on to the dream. Their thinking is simple: “Even if it is hard abroad, at least the system works. If I put in effort, I will see results.” This belief fuels the rush for IELTS exams, scholarship searches, and the endless queues at embassies.

However, this brings us to a big question: what happens to Nigeria if everyone Japas? When doctors, engineers, IT experts, and lecturers all leave, who will build the country? Already, hospitals lack staff because many doctors have gone abroad. Universities lose good lecturers. Tech companies keep losing talent. The same broken system that pushes students away becomes even weaker when its best minds leave. It is a cycle that makes things worse over and over again.  

For today’s undergraduates, the Japa dream is both sweet and sad. Sweet, because it shows hope and hunger for a better life. Sad, because it also shows how much the system at home has failed. Blaming students for wanting to leave would be unfair after all, who does not want a better life? But we must also ask: if everyone leaves, what future is left for Nigeria?

Maybe the answer is not to kill the Japa dream but to redefine it. Japa does not only have to mean flying out of the country. It can also mean escaping old ways of thinking, leaving behind laziness, or breaking free from the habit of giving up. For those who stay in Nigeria, Japa could mean creating small “greener pastures” here in schools, hostels and businesses. 

In the end, the Japa dream is more than travel. It is a mirror that shows Nigeria’s problems but also the strength of its youth. For students, Japa is about chasing dignity, opportunity, and hope. And until Nigeria becomes a place where these can grow freely with no obstruction or hindrance, the dream will not die and it will remain strong in the hearts of undergraduates, shining as brightly as the harmattan sun.