“Japa” is a Yoruba word used in Nigerian slang to describe escaping the desperate situation the country is in right now. This has prompted a significant brain drain, with many of the country’s professionals seeking a better life abroad. According to the Nigeria Immigration Service, 3.6m Nigerians have left in the country in the past two years seeking better opportunities.
In what could possibly be the soundtrack for the phenomenon, Afrobeats star Mayorkun has dropped a track addressing the trend called Reason 2 Japa. Mayorkun, government name: Adewale Mayowa Emmanuel, presumably doesn’t need to “japa” due to his success in the music scene after blowing up with his debut album in 2018 titled The Mayor of Lagos, which included the banger: Mama.
In the his new track, Mayorkun says: “The government make everything tire me I dey reason to japa”. He continues: “Dem say tomorrow go better, I don start to dey doubt am”. The chorus includes: “Give me one reason why I no go japa”.
The people running the country continue to provide a multitude of reasons why japa seems to be the only option for many young Nigerians. Even the president, Bola Tinubu, is currently in France for what he called a “working visit”. Many speculate he’s there for health reasons. In January Tinubu’s opponent in the 2023 (s)election, Peter Obi, said the president had spent 180 of his first 580 days in office abroad.
