Stakeholders in the nation’s health sector have said the recent government interventions at addressing the mass migration of health workers, popularly known as the ‘Japa’ syndrome, are beginning to yield results.
The stakeholders spoke yesterday in Abuja at the induction ceremony of 206 foreign-trained nurses, where they assessed the renewed efforts to retain skilled medical personnel in the country.
The nurses were inducted into the profession after completing a compulsory six-month adaptation programme conducted in 10 Nigerian universities and passing the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) professional examination.
The inductees graduated from 15 institutions across several countries, including Niger Republic (62), Ghana (35), Cameroon (35), India (22), Cyprus (19), the Philippines (nine), Sudan (nine), Egypt (five), Turkiye (two) and Ukraine (one).
As part of the registration process, all successful foreign-trained nurses are required to undergo formal induction, similar to their counterparts trained in Nigeria.
The inductees also took the Oath of Allegiance, pledging to maintain confidentiality and abstain from acts harmful to patients.
The immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said reforms introduced by the Federal Government were gradually reversing the trend of outward migration.
Ganduje expressed optimism that ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration would further strengthen the health sector and encourage professionals to remain in the country.
“To now finish the internship and decide to go back to where they were coming from, after the government has spent some investment on them? I assure you it will be a different story because the reforms undertaken by the present government will turn the tide,” he said.
The former APC national chairman noted that improvements in health service delivery were already influencing the decision of many Nigerians trained abroad to return and practise in their country.
“I think it is a welcome development, because when we have our own children studying abroad and then coming back and joining the service, that is very encouraging,” Ganduje said elatedly.
NMCN’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Al-Hassan Ndagi, said Nigeria was no longer facing a shortage of trained nurses, following the expansion of training capacity and the introduction of new retention measures.
Responding to concerns about Nigerians studying nursing abroad, despite the availability of accredited programmes locally, he acknowledged the concern but said the number involved was relatively small.
“Well, it is a matter of concern because we have a very large number of institutions in Nigeria. But the 206 that you are seeing is just a drop in the ocean of the number of nurses that we train in Nigeria,” Ganduje said.
The APC stalwart said Nigeria produces no fewer than 27,000 nurses per examination cycle, conducted twice yearly, in addition to midwifery graduates.
“In every year, we produce nothing less than 115,000,” he said.
He explained that foreign-trained nurses are required to undergo an adaptation programme to align them with Nigeria’s professional ethics and healthcare delivery system.
“The ethics and other principles of service here in Nigeria are not the same as those of the outside country. We have noticed the difference in them that does not align with our system. That is why we have to remodel them and make them conform to Nigerian society,” he said.
Baring his mind on the retention of nurses in the country, Ndagi said existing policies ensure that newly inducted nurses remain in the country for at least two years.
“They will go for a one-year internship. After that, they will also do another one-year National Youth Service. They will remain in the country for two years,” he said.
To bolster the in-country retention of the nurses, the registrar announced that the Federal Government had approved a central placement system for newly inducted nurses, enabling authorities to deploy them to health facilities nationwide for service and further training.
“While they are rendering the service, they are also acquiring more and more skills,” he said.
Addressing concerns about shortages arising from previous large-scale migration, he said training quotas were expanded to offset losses.
“About three years ago, in a single year, we recorded about 57,000 nurses leaving the country. So, it meant we were training for outsiders,” he said.
Ndagi added that over 250,000 nurses are currently serving in Nigeria, while urging the government to accelerate recruitment to absorb available manpower.
“My call to the government is that more and more nurses should be employed in the service,” he said, noting that Nigerian nurses remain highly regarded internationally.
Ndagi urged the newly inducted nurses to prioritise the interests of Nigerians, particularly those in hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
“I encourage you to be exemplary ambassadors of the nursing profession. Demonstrate humility, discipline and respect in your interactions with the public. Let kindness and compassion guide your care for all patients,” he said.
He emphasised strict adherence to professional ethics and cautioned against unprofessional conduct, including on social media, “Please note that you are now solely responsible for your nursing actions,” he said.
Ndagi also advised the nurses to embrace lifelong learning, pursue further training and contribute positively to the image of the profession.
Other speakers at the event advised the inductees, who will proceed on a one-year internship followed by the National Youth Service, to take their training seriously, uphold confidentiality and adapt to the evolving needs of patients.
The event also featured the presentation of awards to outstanding inductees and the institution that produced the overall best inductee, Cynthia Okwor.
Recent government interventions aimed at addressing the mass migration of health workers, popularly known as the ‘Japa’ syndrome, are beginning to yield results, health sector stakeholders said on Thursday, amid renewed efforts to retain skilled medical personnel in the country.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of 206 foreign-trained nurses in Abuja, the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, said reforms introduced by the Federal Government were gradually reversing the trend of outward migration.
The nurses were inducted into the profession after completing a compulsory six-month adaptation programme conducted in 10 Nigerian universities and passing the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) professional examination.
The inductees graduated from 15 institutions across several countries, including the Niger Republic (62), Ghana (35), Cameroon (35), India (22), Cyprus (19), the Philippines (9), Sudan (9), Egypt (5), Turkey (2), and Ukraine (1).
As part of the registration process, all successful foreign-trained nurses are required to undergo formal induction, similar to their counterparts trained in Nigeria.
The inductees also took the Oath of Allegiance, pledging to maintain confidentiality and abstain from acts harmful to patients.
Ganduje expressed optimism that ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration would further strengthen the health sector and encourage professionals to remain in the country.
“To now finish the internship and decide to go back to where they were coming from after the government has spent some investment on them? I assure you it will be a different story because the reforms undertaken by the present government will turn the tide,” he said.
According to him, improvements in health service delivery were already influencing the decision of many Nigerians trained abroad to return and practise locally.
“I think it is a welcome development because when we have our own children studying abroad and then coming back and joining the service, that is very encouraging,”
NMCN Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, AlHassan Ndagi, said Nigeria was no longer facing a shortage of trained nurses, following the expansion of training capacity and the introduction of new retention measures.
Responding to concerns about Nigerians studying nursing abroad despite the availability of accredited programmes locally, he acknowledged the concern but said the number involved was relatively small.
“Well, it is a matter of concern because we have a very large number of institutions in Nigeria. But the 206 that you are seeing is just a drop into the ocean of the number of nurses that we train in Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria produces no fewer than 27,000 nurses per examination cycle, conducted twice yearly, in addition to midwifery graduates.
“In every year, we produce nothing less than 115,000,” he said.
He explained that foreign-trained nurses are required to undergo an adaptation programme to align them with Nigeria’s professional ethics and healthcare delivery system.
“The ethics and other principles of service here in Nigeria are not the same as those of the outside country. We have noticed the difference in them that does not align with our system. That is why we have to remodel them and make them conform to Nigerian society,” he said.
On retention, Ndagi said existing policies ensure that newly inducted nurses remain in the country for at least two years.
“They will go for a one-year internship. After that, they will also do another one-year National Youth Service. They will remain in the country for two years,” he said.
To bolster the in-country retention of the nurses, the Registrar disclosed that the Federal Government had approved central placement for newly inducted nurses, enabling authorities to deploy them to health facilities nationwide for service and further training.
“While they are rendering the service, they are also acquiring more and more skills,” he said.
Addressing concerns about shortages arising from previous large-scale migration, he said training quotas were expanded to offset losses.
“About three years ago, in a single year, we recorded about 57,000 nurses leaving the country. So it meant we were training for outsiders,” he said.
The Registrar added that over 250,000 nurses are currently serving in Nigeria, while urging the government to accelerate recruitment to absorb available manpower.
“My call to the government is that more and more nurses should be employed in the service,” he said, noting that Nigerian nurses remain highly regarded internationally.
Ndagi urged the newly inducted nurses to prioritise the interests of Nigerians, particularly those in hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
“I encourage you to be exemplary ambassadors of the nursing profession. Demonstrate humility, discipline, and respect in your interactions with the public. Let kindness and compassion guide your care for all patients,” he said.
He emphasised strict adherence to professional ethics and cautioned against unprofessional conduct, including on social media, “Please note that you are now solely responsible for your nursing actions,” he said.
Ndagi also advised the nurses to embrace lifelong learning, pursue further training, and contribute positively to the image of the profession.
Other speakers at the event advised the inductees, who will proceed on a one-year internship followed by the National Youth Service, to take their training seriously, uphold confidentiality, and adapt to the evolving needs of patients.
The event also featured the presentation of awards to outstanding inductees and the institution that produced the overall best inductee, Cynthia Okwor.
The Ondo State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), has announced “automatic employment” for 32 outstanding graduates of the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing to unveil activities for the university’s 14th convocation ceremony.
Ige described the initiative as part of efforts to curb the growing brain drain in Nigeria’s academic sector.
He explained that the beneficiaries – all first-class graduates – would be offered appointments as Graduate Fellows or Graduate Assistants, provided they are willing to return after completing their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
“We have a policy on campus that first-class students are appointed as Graduate Fellows or Graduate Assistants. We normally give them employment if they are interested in coming back after their NYSC,” he said.
According to him, the widespread “Japa syndrome” is now taking a toll on universities nationwide, as lecturers leave the country in search of better remuneration.
“A PhD holder in Nigeria – as Lecturer II or Lecturer I – earns a maximum of about N250,000 monthly. But if that same person gets an opportunity abroad, they receive nothing less than N5 million,” he lamented.
The VC noted that the 5,799 graduating students have been equipped with essential academic and entrepreneurial skills needed to contribute meaningfully to national and global development.
However, Prof. Ige decried the inadequate funding of AAUA, saying the constraint continues to fuel agitation among academic staff and worsen the exodus of university personnel.
“Funding in AAUA is inadequate, and that is why the issue of strike by ASUU came up. What was coming in as subvention was grossly inadequate to meet the university’s needs,” he added.
He emphasised that adequate funding is key to strengthening Nigerian universities and aligning them with global standards.
The VC revealed the breakdown of the graduating students, revealing that 5,251 of the 5,799 are undergraduates, 526 are postgraduate students, and 22 will receive diploma certificates.
“32 bagged First Class honours, 1,444 earned Second Class Upper Division, 3,177 obtained Second Class Lower Division, 582 made Third Class, and 16 will graduate with Pass.”
As part of the convocation ceremony, Prof Ige said a convocation lecture titled “Strengthening the Academic Tradition in the Nigerian University System” would be delivered by Professor Idowu Olayinka, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.
Prof. Ige, whose five-year tenure as Vice-Chancellor ends in a few months, said his only regret was his inability to build new student hostels due to a lack of TETFund intervention.
“My target was to build as many halls of residence for students using the TETFund template, but unfortunately, when I came in, TETFund had stopped intervention in our university,” he said.
He, however, highlighted notable academic advancements during his administration, including the introduction of programmes in cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, and other digital – skills – driven disciplines.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cassona Global Imaging Limited, John Chigbu, has attributed the seemingly intractable medical tourism among Nigerians to poor access to quality healthcare caused by a lack of advanced medical equipment, limited funding, and inadequate infrastructure.
Given this, Chigbu emphasised that the time has come for well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to support the government in creating a robust healthcare system that reduces the need for medical tourism, which drains the economy and undermines the nation’s health sector.
Chigbu, a United States returnee after 40 years abroad, urged Nigerians in the diaspora to return home and help promote affordable access to healthcare, which would also encourage younger Nigerians abroad to contribute their quota to national development.
He made this call in Abuja on Thursday during the launch of his Cassona Global Imaging Limited, held in partnership with the U.S. Embassy, where he stressed the need to reverse the trend of outbound medical tourism and urged stakeholders to help position the country as a destination for healthcare excellence.
Chigbu noted that the state of Nigeria’s health sector should concern every well-meaning citizen, revealing that this was the key factor that motivated his return after 40 years abroad.
“We need to reverse this trend. We need medical tourism to come into Nigeria, not the other way around. We need to make quality healthcare accessible to all, not just those who can afford it.”
Stressing that the company’s mission is to make quality healthcare accessible to all Nigerians, he added, “Cassona Global Imaging plans to set up diagnostic centres and hospitals in Nigeria, equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment.
“The company will also provide training for healthcare professionals, ensuring that they are proficient in using the equipment.
“We’re not just building hospitals; we’re building a healthcare ecosystem. We’ll provide training, maintenance, and support to ensure that our equipment is always working.
“We need to build capacity in Nigeria. We need to train our people to take care of our healthcare needs. That’s why we’re recruiting Nigerian engineers and healthcare professionals to work with us.
“With Cassona Global Imaging’s innovative approach, Nigeria’s healthcare sector is poised for a significant transformation, making quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for all”.
Highlighting the company’s commitment to localising Nigeria’s healthcare system by recruiting and training Nigerian professionals, Chigu said. “We need to build capacity in Nigeria. We need to train our people to take care of our healthcare needs. That’s why we’re recruiting Nigerian engineers and healthcare professionals to work with us.
“With Cassona Global Imaging’s innovative approach, Nigeria’s healthcare sector is poised for a significant transformation, making quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for all”
In his remarks, Blake Murray, Foreign Commercial Service Officer for the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, described the partnership as a powerful catalyst for modernizing Nigeria’s healthcare system, emphasizing that strategic collaborations between U.S. companies and Nigerian institutions can enhance patient outcomes, lower costs, expand access to care, and strengthen disease prevention and control.
“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to deepening bilateral trade relations between the two countries. Last year, two-way trade between the United States and Nigeria hit a record $13bn. Our shared goal is to promote two-way investment and deepen commercial ties between our nations.
“The U.S. Department of Commerce and Nigeria’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment are set to launch the United States-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership next month in Abuja, prioritising collaboration in agriculture, digital economy, and infrastructure, including healthcare infrastructure.”
“This partnership is expected to unlock new opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and technological advancement in Nigeria.
“By working together, the U.S. and Nigeria can address pressing healthcare challenges and improve the lives of millions of Nigerians.”
Blake noted that Cassona Global Imaging’s investment reflects the growing interest of U.S. companies in Nigeria’s healthcare sector and highlights the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships that can foster progress and shared prosperity in both nations.
The governments of Katsina, Niger, and Abia States expressed interest in partnering with Cassona Global Imaging Limited to leverage its expertise in improving healthcare outcomes for their citizens, while a national commercial bank announced its board’s decision to finance all of Cassona’s projects across the country.
As Nigeria commemorates the 2025 International Workers’ Day, medical doctors in Lagos have raised the alarm over the deteriorating state of the country’s healthcare system, warning that it is on the brink of collapse due to worsening working conditions and mass emigration of professionals.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) expressed grave concern over the continued exodus of doctors abroad—a trend widely referred to as the “Japa syndrome.”
Dr. Saheed urged the government to urgently address the root causes driving this brain drain, warning that any reform policies that overlook the issue are bound to fail.
“Any government policy that doesn’t first resolve the issue of the Japa syndrome is a waste of time. Such a policy will not work without the driving force of human resources,” he stated.
He added that doctors are not making demands out of convenience, but are facing harsh economic realities that have rendered their earnings insufficient for daily living.
“We are not just demanding salary increases for the sake of it. The economic conditions have worsened, and our take-home pay can no longer take us home,” Dr. Saheed said.
The NMA outlined a series of urgent demands, including the payment of outstanding salary arrears—particularly the skipping and CONMESS arrears promised since 2024—improved remuneration, and inflation-adjusted professional and call-duty allowances that should be non-taxable.
The association also called for comprehensive welfare reforms, such as access to affordable housing, car loans, and other support structures aimed at retaining medical professionals in Nigeria.
Dr. Saheed explained why many doctors are leaving Nigeria: “A doctor who is overworked, underpaid, and has no chance of owning a car or house in Nigeria will naturally look for opportunities elsewhere. It’s not unpatriotic, it’s survival,” he said.
He added that reforms must go beyond salary, calling for a better working environment with proper equipment, training, research grants, and inclusive health policies that promote respect and empathy.
“Health sector development must be comprehensive. We need tools, training, and trust,” he said.
The doctors are demanding structural reforms to improve the morale and stability of the health workforce. Key among their demands is an increase in the retirement age for healthcare workers, aligning with global standards to retain experienced professionals.
They are also pushing for the harmonisation of salaries for doctors across all public institutions, including teaching hospitals, polytechnics, and universities, under the CONMESS salary structure, to ensure fairness and reduce inequality in the system.
Additionally, the doctors want an immediate end to the casualisation of medical professionals through locum appointments, which they argue undermines job security and professional dignity.
They also called for the withdrawal of the newly introduced consultant pharmacist cadre in clinical settings, insisting that it has created confusion, professional tension, and adds no real value to patient care.
“The consultant pharmacy cadre brings no additional clinical value and only complicates patient care. This must be urgently reversed,” the statement read.
On a positive note, the group confirmed that unauthorised deductions from April 2025 salaries in Lagos have been reversed after they engaged the authorities.
However, they reminded the Federal Government that promises must be kept, especially the long-awaited payment of CONMESS arrears.
In their final plea, Dr. Saheed said: “Nigerian doctors are not asking for luxury, just dignity, fairness, and the tools to do their jobs. If these issues are not addressed, the brain drain will continue, and the health system will collapse further. There is still time to act, but that time is fast running out.”
Founder of HalHad International and HalHad Foundation, Halimat Sadiya Hadi, has urged Nigerian leaders at all levels to create an enabling environment as a way of reducing ‘japa syndrome’.
In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, she noted that seeking better opportunities abroad is not a crime.
She, however, believes that with an enabling environment where Nigerians feel safe, valued, and can thrive in their own country, the trend would reduce.
Hadi called for a synergy between the government and the private sector in providing jobs, security, and economic stability to curb mass migration.
The statement reads in part: “Leaving the country in search of greener pastures is never the best solution. A lot of Nigerians are stranded over there.
“Some are too ashamed to return home after realising that it’s not always what it seems like.
“Yes, we need to do more as leaders. We need to raise the standard of living in our country. The poor can barely afford one square meal a day. Things are actually falling apart, and we need to do better.
“But leaving the country isn’t the solution. We need to join hands to rebuild our nation. We only have one, and her name is NIGERIA!
“While seeking better opportunities abroad is not a crime, I believe we need to create an enabling environment where Nigerians feel safe, valued, and can thrive in their own country.
“The government and private sector must work together to provide jobs, security, and economic stability to curb this mass migration, and I honestly believe that Nigeria will be great again. If we keep running from it, how do we build a greater nation?”
She urged young Nigerians to be politically conscious, participate in community development, and hold their leaders accountable.
“My advice is simple: get involved, be informed, and be proactive. Politics affects every aspect of our lives, and young people must take an active role in shaping the future.
“Educate yourself on governance, participate in community development, and hold leaders accountable.
“The future belongs to those who take action today. If you want to see change, you must be part of the process.”
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called on the federal government to shift focus from expanding nursing education to addressing the systemic issues driving the mass emigration of nurses, popularly known as the Japa syndrome.
The association expressed concern over persistent challenges, noting that as of February 2025, nearly 15,500 nurses had left the country in the previous year.
It emphasised that increasing nursing student intake without employment plans and structural reforms may worsen the problem.
The union highlighted several structural issues that need government attention, including the creation of a conducive working environment, equipping health facilities, improving welfare through better remuneration, implementing the Scheme of Service, and centralizing nurse internships, among others.
Speaking on Thursday at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association, in Abuja, the President, Comrade Haruna Mamman, highlighted the deteriorating shortage of manpower in the sector, calling for the need to engage national and sub-national governments and stakeholders to boost employment and morale among nurses.
Raising concerns over the persistence of quackery in healthcare, he implored State Nursing and Midwifery Councils (NMCs) to be reactivated and empowered in collaboration with stakeholders.
In response to the Federal government’s measures to curb the mass migration of health professionals, such as increased student admissions in tertiary institutions, the establishment of centers of excellence, and the upgrading of Primary Health Centers, NANNM General Secretary Thomas Shettima said simply increasing the production of health personnel is not the solution.
“When people are trained but not employed, they remain in society with medical knowledge, often forced to practice unofficially to survive. This poses a danger to public health,” he said.
Shettima attributed the ongoing exodus to poor working conditions, unreviewed allowances, and an overall lack of investment in the profession.
“Many of our allowances haven’t been reviewed in over 30 years. Professionals leave not out of choice, but necessity,” he said.
Rather than establishing more nursing schools, NANNM urged government engagement with relevant professional bodies to address core issues.
“Opening 1,000 schools of nursing in every state won’t stop the exodus. Improving the healthcare system and working conditions will,” he said.
According to him, the continued delay in implementing the nurses’ Scheme of Service that was approved by the National Council of Establishment since 2016 remains a deeply contentious and unresolved issue.
“It’s one of the key issues we are actively discussing with the Minister of Health and the Head of Civil Service,” Shetima added.
The association stressed the need to urgently address upward review and payment of professional core allowances, address the non-implementation of an industrial court judgment and the centralization of internship placements for newly graduated nurses.
The association also cautioned that the unchecked expansion of nursing schools could undermine training quality and professional standards.
Samuel Adeyemi, Chairman of the Oyo State Council of NANNM, emphasized that persistent inequality and injustice within the health sector continue to erode morale, serving as a major driving force behind the growing emigration of nurses seeking better working conditions abroad.
He noted that among all health professionals, nurses remain the only group without a distinct salary structure, with many critical allowances either denied or grossly inadequate.
He added that the issue of the retirement age for nurses also appears to receive little attention from the government.
“As nurses, we have been battered for too long. We care for lives even when the government fails us. Our shift duty allowance has remained unchanged for 40 years.
“We get 1.7% of our basic salary for call duty, while pharmacists get 2% and doctors 4%. That inequality is glaring.”
The harsh working conditions under which we operate is unimaginable. It is no longer strange to see nurses often working without essential tools or equipment.
“We improvise with plastic where metal is required. We boil instruments when sterilizers are unavailable. It’s demoralizing,” he said.
He cited the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of neglect, noting, “Thousands of nurses died because we lacked protective gear. Still, we were on the front lines.
“Inadequate hazard allowances and poorly managed rural postings are fueling dissatisfaction. We’re sent to remote areas with no support or allowances. Some die in silence,” he added.
On education, Adeyemi warned against proliferation without regulation. “Too many schools chasing too few resources will lead to inflation, not improvement. We need quality, not just numbers.”
Regarding structural inequality within the health system, Adeyemi urged the authorities not to turn a deaf ear to the issue, saying, “We studied in the same universities as doctors and took the same courses. Yet doctors dominate policy-making positions while nurses are sidelined.
“Nigerian nurses are not merely asking for better pay, we are demanding respect, equitable treatment, and reforms that will allow them to serve the country effectively.
“We are passionate about our work,” said Adeyemi. “But the government must do the needful.”
Comrade Joseph Ijaida, National Auditor 2 of NANNM, urged the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to maintain consistency in its policies, stressing that frequent changes and policy reversals are discouraging to practitioners.
For instance, he cited a 2017 circular that mandated all nursing schools transition to university-based programs by December 2023
“In 2017, the NMCN issued a circular requiring nursing schools to transition to a collegiate system by 2023 or face halting student admissions.
“However, another circular in 2023 allowed schools to continue admitting students, undermining the original directive.
“This inconsistency hampers our push for a unified point of entry where all nurses graduate with a Bachelor of Nursing degree and enter the civil service at grade level 10.
“We seek to streamline the system and urge the NMCN to uphold its policies. As an association, we are ready to support this effort,” he noted.
Says there’s no such thing as irredeemable marriage
Marriage counsellor and thespian, Bisi Adewale, spoke with Online Editor SUNDAY OGUNTOLA on the impact of Japa syndrome on marriages and how to make the institution work. Excerpts:
Many couples are living apart on account of migration. Is that something you recommend?
Migration has been a natural phenomenon all over the world from the days of the Bible. Even Abraham migrated. People have always moved when there is famine. When there is war, you see people moving. But lately, it has become more pronounced, maybe because of the nation’s economy or the mentality of the people.
So the issue of japa has been there, but it has become something of an epidemic in Nigeria now. And it is affecting marriage and families. It affects families in several ways. The first one is what I call the proceed spouses syndrome. The Proceed Spouses Syndrome is a situation whereby only one of them Japa. The husband is in UK, France, US, Germany or somewhere, and the wife is here in Nigeria or the other way round. And that can be for many years.
I counselled a woman some time ago. She said the last time she saw her husband was seven years ago. The husband is in France. I met another woman, who said the husband was in the UK. So I began to talk to the man. The day I landed in the UK, the man stopped picking my calls. I understand the reason for that, because when you have been somewhere for nine or 10 years, you must have started a new family. The wife is still here now. It has been around 13 years. He even stopped picking calls. He stopped calling the woman. And I think they have two children. The children have never seen their father as adults. They were little when he left.
There’s another woman who was trusting God. They were together for two years, then the husband travelled. He is still there now, almost 50 without a child, and the husband is nowhere to be found. So, she was asking, ‘Am I a Miss or a Mrs?’ I said that is a big question, and it was not for me to answer.
So, staying apart encourages infidelity. It encourages rumours, crisis and conflicts. It encourages raising children in a delinquent way. You turn a wife into a baby mama. Or should I call it single mother that they didn’t plan or bargain for? It is also affecting the upbringing of the children and by extension the society. And the problem we are starting now, we may not really appreciate it until the next five, 10 years.
But when Christians migrate, they are supposed not to have anything to do with anyone else while trusting their spouses to join them…
It is expected that when a Christian migrates, he or she should abstain. They should be faithful while apart. But we need to quickly remember that the Bible says it is not good for a man to be alone. In fact, one of the reasons God said we should get married is to avoid sexual sins.
So now when you are away from your wife, from your husband for one, two, three, four years, it will be very difficult to stay faithful. It will be very, very difficult.
I was in a church in France. Some guys that were coming to me, I asked if they could vouch they had never slept with anybody else since they arrived. Many of them said Pastor, please let leave that side. Some were crying while others who were sincere confessed. They said when they realise that there is no woman beside you, some women would deliberately come and get at you.
So, Christians are expected to be faithful. But faithfulness is not something you can do by strength. It is something you need to do with carefulness, by boundary. Even we that are with our wives, we are still running away from girls, let alone people who would not see their wives. They are not animals; they are humans. That is why it is never encouraging for you to be far from your spouse. I always tell people that a great marriage is one in which both husband and wife are in the same country, in the same city, in the same house, in the same room, on the same bed, under the same duvet. That’s what marriage is all about. Anything short of that is something else. We call it damage, because it will damage that marriage.
Even people that are in Abuja and their wife is in Lagos, it leads to a lot of infidelity. And these are the people that come back home every fortnight, some people every weekend, talk less of somebody that they may not see each other in the next six years. So there is no Christian that will be able to sustain you when you disobey the order of God. If they will migrate, they should migrate together.
But some people will say they didn’t plan to stay for that long. They just thought they’ll go for six months or one year and ask their spouses to join them.
If you are truthful to yourself, you will discover that it is not one plus one. You know what it means to get a visa. If you are really truthful to yourself, it is not like you are migrating from Lagos to Ibadan. And you now say I want to be at Ibadan to look for a house, settle down and bring my wife.
I have a particular pastor years ago even before the japa syndrome. He went for about 17 years. The wife couldn’t join him. He is back now in Ibadan. The wife came to our office, shouted, prayed, did a lot of things. Eventually he came back home after 17 years of separation.
So, when people say they didn’t plan it that way, they should plan it very well and go together from day one. Otherwise, they may scatter that marriage and destroy their homes. So, I say if you must japa, please japa together.
Is it realistic considering the economic difficulties and strain? Is it out of place for someone to go and the other joins later?
It depends on the value you place on your family life. It depends on the value you place on your future, your family life and your children. If you place great value upon them, I can see a lot of people that decided to stay for one, two, three years and refuse to go until they can get enough resources to go together. Those are wise people.
I remember a man came to my office. He is in the UK, the wife is in Lagos here. He came around and said, ‘Pastor, they told me the escapade of my wife. How can I stop her from sleeping around?’ I said take her with you. Even a woman that is with you, if she wants to sleep around, she will sleep around. Talk less when she is not with you at all. You will come every December and you think that woman will not sleep with somebody else?
I ministered for a pastor in the UK years ago. We were in his house. When I stepped out of his house, in the opposite flat, there were two white women there. They were in pants. They lay down on the lawn in the front of their house. They said they were sunbathing. And they were like almost 95 per cent naked. My pastor friend now said can you see them? I said yes. He said that is why it is difficult to stay in this town without your spouse; that many of our people staying here without their spouses and claim they are spiritually strong, these are the people that destroy them.
Can you iimagine seeing that every morning you before you go to work? If they just walk up to you one day, which many of them do… Many of them don’t value any morals; they just believe that having sex with anybody is like drinking water. That is how many of our men hang in the hands of these strange women.
We are talking about the value on the family now. The thing is when you make the money, our own teaching about family life, when you make the money, it’s about you and your family. It’s about the future.
We’ve seen a lot of people that went there. I know a particular man who was there. We were neighbours before. He was there and made all the money. The wife got to know that he was sleeping around and doing all manner of things. By the time he got back home, he was old. He had bought houses in Lagos and everything. Then the wife turned against him. It was serious. He was over 80 when he came back. He was coming to my house to beg for food and water. At times, he would say ah, they didn’t give me water. Because they would shut down the water at the back, knowing that he could not climb the tank. They would not cook for him. The wife and the daughter left in the house dealt with him.
When I talked to the younger brother, he said the mistake was from the man because he abandoned the family for a long time. Eventually, the wife joined him but couldn’t even fit in. She discovered he had girlfriends and baby mamas everywhere. The man had a lot of child support money to pay to so many. So the wife returned to Nigeria to take care of her children. And the man stayed for another almost 20 years.
Eventually, he got old. He couldn’t stay alone again, so he came back to Nigeria and the whole family turned against him. He lived a miserable life before he eventually died.
When he died, I approached the family for the burial arrangements. They asked who we were arranging burial for. He died, we have removed him from LUTH and took him to Matori to bury him. Just like that; just the way you would do to a chicken.
We said okay, we are neighbours, what can we do? Maybe, we can have at least a wake. Because at a stage, the man was the chairman of our landlords’ association. At least we should honour him. They said we will give you the frontage of our house free of charge. We will not collect money. But we won’t attend.
So we should always think of old age. We should only think of the future. We should only think of the time we are going to have billions and even one plate of rice will be like a mountain before us. That is why every decision we want to take now, think of the old age, think of the future.
I always tell people to add 30 years to their ages. You will always behave better if you do. If you are 50 now, add 30 years, you will be 80. If you are 40 now, you will be 70. Many of the things you value now, will be valueless then.
As much as King David loved women, a time came that they gave him the best woman in Israel and the man couldn’t do anything. We will all get to that level. That woman that wants all the trinkets, all the bags, all the shoes, the time is coming you have all the shoes, you have all the bags and there would be no event to attend.
Many of the jobs we are pursuing now, even if we have 100,000 degrees, they won’t take us in 2055. They won’t take us. Many of the things that you are seeing that are glistering now, technology must have changed. The best of all our cars will look like the old cars of those days.
Some say parenting is the toughest job on earth. Do you agree?
I don’t always agree with that. The reason why people normally say parenting is the toughest job is because people were never trained for it. For example, I’m a trained accountant. If you say I should come and work as a journalist, it will be the toughest job. You are a journalist, if I say you should come and work as an engineer, it will be the toughest job. That is some of the things we are saying. They will say parenting is the toughest job, marriage is the toughest relationship. Why? Nobody is taught to do it.
The job somebody is doing the person will use about 35 years to pursue the certificates. About 25 years to pursue the certificates and work for 35 years before retirement. But for parenting, we have so many people who are raising children who have never read one book about it. They have never attended any training. They have never listened to anybody to train them. That is why the thing looks so difficult, so tedious.
So, every job looks tedious until you have the skills to do it. If they give you and I N100 million or N200 million and they give us all the materials to build this house where we are seated, in 20, 30 years, you and I will never succeed on doing something like this. Despite all the resources, despite all the money, ordinary wall, we may not succeed in building, because we don’t have the skills to do so.
So when somebody now asks us, is building a house the toughest job in the world? We’ll say yes, because we were never trained to do it. But when you are well trained, you will discover that parenting has principles, styles and modes. When the parent is well equipped, we’ll be ready.
For example, when your child is four years old, what that child will do is quite different from when that child is 14 years old. When you look at the child and say, at the age of four, you just say, oh, Juliet, go and put on your slippers and follow me. Juliet, at the age of four, will run after you and say, ‘Daddy, I want to follow you.’ The same Juliet at the age of 14, when you say put on your clothes and follow me, will say ‘Daddy where are we going to? Now you say are you talking to me like that? I’m your dad. She will say, ‘Daddy where are we going to?’
And when you say okay we are going to a certain place, she will ask what are we doing there? Why must I follow you? What’s my role there? Then you will think the girl is stubborn, the girl is difficult. But the girl is not stubborn or difficult. She is just being a teenager.
So, parenting is not difficult. It is only difficult for the unskillful. Acquiring skills simply means you attend training or read books. Thank God for modern day, if you go on many of these websites, even YouTube, if you consume the right YouTube content, you are going to learn so much about parenting. But books are the best.
And we have a lot of organisations who are giving very good training to parents who are ready. But how many parents will say I want to let go N100,000 to learn about parenting? Everybody seems to know it and everybody seems to be making mistakes. That is why we need to become intentional in our parental works.
So what’s your view on people who say spare the rod and spoil the child? What does the rod mean and how do you use the rod according to the Bible?
There are two things to the issue of the rod and the child. Now, the Bible says train up a child in the way he should go. It also says we should correct our child when there’s hope. That is to say the bible supports the rod – discipline. But the Bible says rod of discipline because foolishness abide in the heart of the child. But the kind of rod we use in Africa is not rod of discipline. It’s rod of affliction.
When you hit the head of the girl or the boy with a heavy rod, you are afflicting. Some will use blades to cut the child. Some will hit the head of a child. Some will kick the child and he will land on the floor, and they will sit on the child and begin to say I’m the one that gave birth to you; I can kill you. Those are not the rod of discipline or correction. That is the rod of affliction.
And there are two ways to it. The first one is the African way, which leads to child abuse. Where you kick your child the way you like. The second one is the European and American style. The first one is child abuse, the second one is child indulgence, whereby you dare not touch, you dare not correct or the child will call the police. So, the European side is not the best; it is not balanced. The African side is also not balanced. But the Bible standard is balanced.
You wrote a book some years ago, Fight for That Marriage. In the light of what we see these days, to what extent should people fight for their marriage?
I think I’ve been hearing that question for some time now, especially in the case of this lady that was killed in Abuja, Osinachi. I will say the way to fight for marriage is not the way people are thinking about it. Fighting for your marriage starts even before you choose a life partner. When we decide to wait for the right time, to be mentored, to be led, to be corrected, you are already fighting for your marriage.
When you are in the marriage, you are faithful to your wife or to your spouse. You have effective communication. You spend time together. You honour your spouse. You are fighting for your marriage. And when there is misunderstanding, you decide to seek professional help. Maybe marriage clinic. Because most of the time nowadays, marriage counselling is not even working. So what we do nowadays is marriage clinic. So, when you support the development of your marriage, when you apologise, when you forgive, you are fighting for your marriage. When you know what to say but you don’t say it, when you cherish your relationship more than your ego, and because of that you decided to call for reconciliation, you are fighting for your marriage.
But fighting for your marriage does not mean that when you’re in an abusive relationship, you don’t talk, you don’t say anything, you die there. No. That is not how to fight for your marriage. Because I usually tell women that L comes before W. Life comes before wife. Your life comes before wife. But you know that when you are truly fighting for your marriage, your marriage will not get to the state of beating each other.
There is a trail to violence, chain of violence in marriage. It normally starts from irritation. If you don’t address it, irritation will turn into offence. Offence will turn into conflict. If you don’t resolve the conflict, conflict will turn into bitterness. Bitterness will turn into resentment and resentment will turn into violence.
When you are at the level of bitterness and resentment, only very few things can lead to violence. For example, I see toilet rolls on the table, then I begin to say lots of awful things. The issue is not with the toilet roll on the table but the bitterness that has piled up for many years. And some people can be like that for 5, 10, 20 years before they burst out. So, people that fight for their marriages always sit to talk about their issues.
We normally have chains of reconciliation. You move from forgiveness to reconciliation, from reconciliation to normalisation, from normalisation, you go to repeat. That’s marriage.
In every marriage, there will be forgiveness, reconciliation, normalisation, repeat. Because there’s no way you can be together with somebody and you will not offend each other. You will, no matter whom you ask. That is why when some pastor preach that we have never had the first misunderstanding, I say in my marriage I have misunderstanding. Those pastors can be Angel Gabriel that got married to Angel Michael. So I can’t speak for them.
We teach conflict management in marriage. It’s not conflict cancellation but management. You have to manage it till you breathe your last. Because why do we fight in marriage? We fight ecause we are different. Why do we fight in marriage? We fight because we are humans. Why do we fight in marriage? We fight because we are close.
So, when people want to get married, one of the strongest keys they must develop is conflict management skill. And they should come out of illusion where they think that we are compatible. Many people got married based on that illusion; that I’m getting married to my soul mate. Nobody is your soulmate. But you can find soulmate by creating one. But you didn’t marry a soul mate. That you are just physically compatible, mentally compatible, spiritually compatible, socially compatible, vocationally compatible; the Bible does not talk about compatibility. The Bible talks about agreement. Can two walk together except they agree? And marriage is just a union of two people that are agreeable people. So, fighting for your marriage is a very good thing. We keep on fighting.”
Some marriages have deteriorated so badly that divorce becomes the best for all parties. At what point should divorce become the best option?
I am a marriage clinician. It is like you are talking to a medical doctor. Can you imagine sitting down before your doctor and you now say, ‘Doctor, when is death the best option in the medical life?’
The doctor will say there is no time even when the doctor knows that somebody will die, they will still manage as long as the person is still breathing. That’s my attitude to marriage. And there’s something I always say that there’s no marriage that is irredeemable in the workshop of God. Now, at what stage will a marriage become irredeemable? When people decide not to work on it. Every marriage must work. But most of the time, people cherish their ego more than their marriage. So there is no time I will suggest go and divorce. This year will make it 26 years I’ve been practising. I’ve never had a situation whereby I say oh you people deserve to go and divorce or suggest it. And by the time we begin to work on them, you just discover that it works. Amazing turnaround. We even worked with a couple that had been divorced and separated for 17 years, and two of their children have now grown up. They brought them and we were able to bring them together. They asked themselves why is it that we divorced then? What was wrong with us? And today they are together.
Now, that said, if a marriage will work, we must create an atmosphere that will make it work. Now, what is the atmosphere that makes marriage work? People marry because of love. But when you enter into marriage, love is the least thing you really need. Because love is not enough for marriage.
One of the strongest things that makes marriage work is called intentionality. In fact, I wrote a series of books recently about it. I called it Wonders of Intentional Marriage Volume 1, 2, 3. Because I discovered that number one thing that destroys marriage is not violence. Number one thing that destroys marriage is not infidelity. It’s not violence. People can mention so many things but they won’t mention the real thing that’s number one cause of divorce in marriage. What is it? Carelessness.
Somebody may say, well, how can carelessness be? Okay, somebody that sleeps with somebody’s ex-wife is because he’s careless morally. Somebody that beats his wife, they didn’t just get into the room one day and begin to beat each other. They will start by being careless in their words, careless in their attitude.
The first carelessness is with our intimacy. When you see a boyfriend and girlfriend, they pay attention to each other, they talk to each other and they stay late in the night. But immediately they get married, they become careless in their union. The man is not ready. Can your girlfriend be calling you and you will not pick her call? A girl you are still toasting to marry you, you pick it seven times. Most of the time they flash you, you call back. But the average married man, the wife will be calling, they will not pick. And then when they will pick, they will say ‘don’t waste your credit. I’m coming back home now. I’ll call you back or I’m in the middle of something. So, we’ve lost this.
Then we become careless towards each other. So, one thing that makes marriage work is intentionality. If every husband and wife can become intentional in their attitude, every marriage can work. Can you imagine if you go back to the time of dating each other, like the old days. The time you called each other and do extra cool in the MTN of those days. The time you decided to, in fact, as at that period, they didn’t have money to go to the eatery.
Oh, I was in one particular eatry years ago and I saw a guy. He came around, the only thing he could buy was ice cream. And very soon, the girl came. He didn’t even share it. He got the ice cream for the girl. And he dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out pure water for himself. I said, that is a boyfriend, not a husband. A husband will not do that. He is the one that will drink the ice cream.
Another carelessness we normally have, if marriage is having a problem, we carelessly go to the wrong people for help. Who are the people we normally go to? ‘FFF’. Who are the ‘FFF?’ Our friends, our families and our fans on Facebook, our followers on Facebook. Now, when you take your marriage to those kind of people, they will bring their selfishness on the table. They will bring their ignorance on the table. So that is one of the major problems.
The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has urged Nigerian youths to remain committed to the nation and fight for its transformation, instead of succumbing to the culture of “japa”—a colloquial term for emigrating in search of greener pastures.
Ajaero made the call at the 3rd Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the National Youth Council of the NLC held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The NLC president lamented the economic challenges facing the country, citing the soaring cost of living, with a “50kg bag of rice now selling for N105,000, transport costs to Port Harcourt exceeding N50,000, and access to basic amenities such as housing and healthcare increasingly becoming luxuries.”
The labour leader called on the youth to channel their energy into resisting the inequalities and exploitation that plague the nation.
Ajaero said: “This is not a time for lamentation; it is a time for determination. No one will build our nation for us. Running away is not an option; there is no promised land elsewhere. It is here, on our soil, that the battles must be fought and won.
“You are not just the future of Nigeria, you are the future of the trade union movement. That future, comrades, does not exist on its own. It must be built, shaped, and fortified by your resilience, your courage, and your vision. If you fail in this responsibility. Others with no allegiance to workers or their welfare will hijack that future and shape it in their own image, for their own gain.
“They want to force you to ‘japa.’Do not ‘japa.’ If you ‘japa’ the future of the movement will ‘japa’and the whole nation will be imperilled.”
Acknowledging the transformative power of the youth, Ajaero announced plans to establish youth executive councils in every state to deepen their participation in the trade union movement.
He noted that these councils will address youth-specific challenges and foster greater inclusion in shaping policies and driving innovation within the NLC.
Ajaero said: “The youth are being equipped because we recognise that the strength and future of the Nigeria Labour Congress depend on you. We need a union that is resilient, adaptive, and future-proofed against the storms of exploitation and oppression. This is your charge to take the torch and illuminate the path for a stronger, more united trade union movement.”
The federal government has urged the newly inducted foreign-trained medical and dental practitioners to resist the migration pull syndrome for better working conditions abroad, uphold the highest ethical standards, remain committed to patient care, and contribute to revitalizing the Nigerian healthcare system.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of the 622, foreign-trained doctors organized by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, emphasized the significance of the profession, noting that the new doctors are entering a field critical to national development.
622 foreign-trained doctors were inducted on Thursday with 606 Medical doctors and 16 dentists.
The inductees recorded over 70% pass.
Represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, the Minister urged the inductees to approach their work with compassion, integrity, and responsibility, while urging them to resist the migration syndrome
He said: “The political sector for the government and health is moving towards quality care, safe care, and the safety of people because, through the years, the health sector in Nigeria has been inundated with a lot of citizens complaining about the state of our health care system.
“Now we have over 600 of you being doctors today and you are coming into this space that is very critical to our nature of journey.
“Therefore, you are pledging to serve humanity with compassion, integrity and a deep sense of responsibility.
“We now hope that your work will directly impact the lives and well-being of your people. Because the trust that society places on you is immense and you see the responsibility that you must challenge with the utmost seriousness and professionalism.
“Let us not forget that as health care professionals, you are constantly called upon to demonstrate empathy, resilience and adaptability.
“The world of medicine and dentistry is ever-evolving and so too must you evolve, whether it be through innovating new technologies, taking a breath in the latest new technology, or adapting to the needs of a diverse population.
“The future of our planet abroad will serve as a foundation for the lifelong commitment to many alike.
“As we embark on this new chapter, I urge you to approach your profession with the same passion and determination that brought you to this point.
“Furthermore, to advocate for your patients, who are always seeking their health care, remember that every patient you see with a personal report is safe and is in good health.
“Approach each case with the same level of care and commitment, no matter where you are in the world, because we need you too.
“And I must say this, please don’t Japa, let’s do this together and build a better image for the health sector and build our nation”.
Addressing the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare sector, including workforce migration, Prof. Afolabi Lesi, MDCN Chairman, also appealed to the inductees to remain in the country and contribute to national health goals.
“The Federal Government is working diligently to improve conditions for health professionals. Your involvement in national health initiatives, community outreach, and public health campaigns will be vital in addressing the needs of underserved regions,” he said.
Lesi also underscored the importance of teamwork, urging the graduates to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, policymakers, and administrators to foster a positive and efficient healthcare system.
While celebrating the dedication of the graduates, their families, and mentors, Lesi reiterated the MDCN’s commitment to supporting their professional growth.
“The future of healthcare in Nigeria is bright because of your commitment to excellence and service. Let us work together to transform the nation’s healthcare system,” he added.
Fatima Kyari, MDCN Registrar, also stressed the need for professionalism and adherence to ethics, reminding inductees of the council’s strict mechanisms for ensuring accountability, including disciplinary measures for professional misconduct.
She encouraged the practitioners to leverage their diverse training experiences to enrich Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The event underscored the government’s vision for a healthcare system rooted in quality, access, and equity, urging the inductees to play an active role in shaping the sector’s future.
