Media personality and former reality TV star, Natacha Akide, popularly known as Tacha, has called on Nigerians to reconsider the growing trend of emigration, popularly known as japa, and instead focus on building a better future within the country.
Speaking during an episode of the Outside the Box podcast on Sunday, Tacha encouraged Nigerians to remain in the country and contribute to positive change, rather than seeking greener pastures abroad.
“Nigerians should stay in Nigeria to check this country or to affect the change we want to see,” she said, noting that while other countries provide opportunities, Nigeria has its own unique potential.
“Even though living in London, a lot of the things I did see were like wow… Nigeria is great. The UK is great as well, though, but like Nigeria is great,” she said.
Tacha cautioned against the belief that relocating guarantees success, pointing out that many people underestimate the challenges of starting over in a foreign country.
“I just feel like with the infrastructure and with the working system that they do have there, if Nigeria can, to an extent, uplift certain things here, lots of people would not want to leave because it’s not as easy as people think. People just feel, you know, when I get to the UK, greener pastures,” she said.
She urged Nigerians with stable lives not to abandon their progress in pursuit of uncertain prospects overseas.
“If you have a working business or you have a working job, you have a car, you have your house, it doesn’t make sense for you to sell those properties and say, you know what, I want to go abroad, whether it’s South Africa, whether it’s London, whether it’s Dubai,” she added.
Tacha also highlighted the emotional and social toll of living abroad, including loneliness and reduced social interaction.
“It’s not greener outside Nigeria than we all think it is. Even when you get in there, you still have to walk, like walk to the level you want yourself to be in. So if you’re comfortable here in Nigeria, travelling or like japa really shouldn’t be an option for you because you get lonelier, like there are less friends, lots of people, it’s busy. I love Lagos, Nigeria,” she stated.
