“When purpose is undefined, abuse is inevitable” – Unknown.
“When value is not discovered, loss and waste are inevitable” – Adeolu Akinyemi
Have you ever wondered if your life would have been better if you were born in another country? Have you ever thought that your currently hidden talents would have gotten the sunlight of better publicity and discovery if you were born in America? Have you heard some of your classmates talk about their exploits in other countries and you’ve wondered, how much better your own story might have been? These questions, these thoughts are some of the powerful ones taking talent consistently out of our country. Our commarades are being taken away from Nigeria to serve the progress of other nations. Why? Simply because we have not discovered the value of our people and helped to position or support them. Brain drain is happening in every sector of our country, in the academics as well as the sports.
Recently, we were approached by an athlete here in Nigeria. This lady held our National high jumping record, also represented us at the All African Games, and won. She however was stuck, as she had no willing sponsors for the world indoor games and the Olympics. She had already been approached by some other countries to sponsor her for some of these events. All she needed to do was simply naturalize as a citizen of their country.
We tried to speak to a few companies in order to get her sponsorship, some where willing but the bureaucracy involved was sufficient to receive the sponsorship only after the events had been concluded. The New Nigeria Club decided to braze up to this responsibility, and sponsor this athlete to the World Indoors. This was not talent at it’s infant stage, this was already developed talent that had won our nation some glory already. 3 weeks after, we got a mail from her, that she had broken the National World Indoors record. She is the proud citizen of a New Nigeria. A Nigeria that values the talents of it’s people.
Everyday, Nigerian ‘s in large numbers, buy one way tickets out of Nigeria. Some of these people are very talented Nigerians – in the academia, in sports, in entertainment, in medicine, e.t.c. Our Nation is losing talent, good people who could be significant in it’s development. If the discovered talents are not spared, what can we say about the talented young fellows whose talents don’t yet have limelight?
I am not a fan of consistently complaining about things outside my circle of control or influence. I believe in shutting up about what I cannot change, and voicing out about things that I can indeed change. I believe brain drain is a malaise we can support the government in curing. I believe the solution lies in the collaboration of well meaning agencies and individuals. I believe the solution lies in seeing the problems and asking, how can I be a part of solution. At times I wonder if there are really rich people in this country? If there are rich people, why are some of these issues not fixed? Believe it or not, money can solve most problems.
In our own little way, we of New Nigeria Club have decided to partner with the government and private sector, to seek for talented Nigerians, and give them the opportunities they deserve rather than losing them to other countries. Our greatest resource as a country is the strength of that substance that occupies the space between our ears, we need to preserve it. In doing all these however, we will also stumble on those Nigerians with talent, but whose main aim of wanting to leave the country is selfish and personal. To all those, we wish good riddance. If developing our Nation does not appeal to you, if bringing home glory to your nation of birth does not catch your fancy, then away with you. We have sworn to see the change that is about to hit our nation, to be a part of the change in historical ways, or to die trying.
God bless the New Nigeria.
17 thoughts on “Brain Drain”
this can not be a true information..there is nothing like a national world indoor record…its either a national record or a worls record and please get your facts right..Also the world indoor championships comes up in march 2008..in valencia so its not yet here..how on earth did u sponsor her when its in the future..please lets clarify this so yourt story is not deception.
Hi Deolu,
this is indeed a wake-up call to all lest we end up importing/assimilating finished products whose raw materials were home grown right at our backyards.
Funny! we are already doing this at the moment.
But come to think of it, who is really to blame if not the Government and poor/visionless leadership. They stiffle initiatives and discourage innovations but end up accepting the same thing they reject when it is brought back to them packaged in foreign nationality.
It is this attitude of thier’s that gives multi-nationals operating in the country to impetus to treat host communities with untmost disdain/disregard.
I read in a comment somewhere advising Tuface to leave Naija cos of the incessant robbery attacks at him. Well if he does, would u blame him? I’m not his fan but Just making a point though.
We just dont know how to celebrate and encourage our own.
Thank God the NNC is now blazing the trail…for others to follow.
good post. buttresses what Niyi Adesanya was sharing at the NNC meeting on sunday. Hope the ones who have the real interest of this nation at heart will stay and those who have gone will be courageous and patriotic enough to come back. To those who do not have the interest of Nigeria at heart, hope u repent, if u don`t, shame on u. New Nigeria isn`t just a possibility, it`s a reality. I`ve made up mind to ‘change Nigeria or die trying’. Posterity, and not prosperity, will judge us all.
Couldn’t have been put better… great piece.
@ Runner,
We sponsored her. She is currently doing a lot of indoor competitions in different countries ahead of the world indoors (i guess what you’ll call hits), and she’s broken our National World Indoors Record already. I’m not into athletics, but at I’m learning.
I hope that’s clear enough.
Thanks
This is a proof that NNC can be multidimensional.The possibilities are infinite! BRAVO!
BRO, the truth is that our society isn’t taking care of its own.Imagine a footballer flying from his club that pays him like 30kpound a week with his own money to play for his motherland who will pay him $2k or 5k only to go back without being paid and with injuries and yet no one cares to even give him a call.
lets make naija great again
Well said!
Funny enough, i always loved being born and bred here in Naija. I guess its just the spirit of a “true born naija”.
Onward we move to the New Nigeria we see!
http://www.folayemianifowoshe.wordpress.com
Thanks Deolu for this update, i’m happy to know that great concept are beeing born by NNC. Greater things are yet, UP NNC, UP NEW NIGERIA.
OK,
well this is one fine piece, and i beleive that we cant start something good without some people seeing the impossibilities. but we must march on so that the New Nigeria can blossom . I am down absolutely
NNC is definitely going places for real
I cant hesitate to join b4 the sixth month.
Bros i need to contact u to discuss sth I have 4 this great country.
It is called broadband entrepreneurship system.
We need to talk sir…………..
Hey bro, i will like to get to talk with you one on one on some serious issues that are vital to our nation.
That brain drain will continue seems inevitable. The question I keep asking is what will it take for Nigerians to collectively tackle their problems as people a step at a time. I very much agree with your posit that somethings you need not meddle with and need not have a head on frontal attack on as it will only derail from your purpose but the matmar Ghandi example of change by a subtle and genteel manner can really work. I hear a lot of complaints on this or that but I believe we need more of people with a vision for a brighter to all but make it happen. Its never impossible!
may God bless you sir and all the facilitators of the new Nigeria club. Nigeria must succeed.
as far as the world is concerned, Nigeria have the best minds you could ever think of. visit our schools and street corners today and see how endowed we are in terms of intellect and broad band reasoning. Nigerians have proven their worth different international communities, form academics to discovery and other forms of human capital development. the painful part of it is that we are not supportive of our own people. we take pride and glory in the successes of other nationals, forgetting our own. i see no reason why a country like Nigeria cannot support people that have proven themselves dependable and trustworthy. Thank God for a world like NNC, that have deemed it fit to show their support and believe in a New Nigeria. i believe that as long as God lives, we shall break new grounds.
like i said before, there is no doubt about the fact that the best minds reside in this country. the only challenge is that a representative fraction of Nigerian youths do not channel the wealth of their knowledge to productive ventures. lets join hands together and make Nigeria great and support our own…”MADE IN NIGERIA”
Nigeria has lost a lot of her citizens who could have brought fame, glory and honour to her because of the nonchallant attitude of people in power but i am not here to point accusing finger at anyone but to ensure that we do not lose more.
as a people, we are smart, intelligent and blessed to avoid brain drain, we do not only rely on the government alone, it is a joint responsibiliy of us all.