Post by Emmanuel Chekwube Mukolu (@PowerHouse86)
Building a Nation Worth Staying For.
If Nigeria had worked as it should, how many of its citizens would be compelled to leave home in search of opportunities abroad? The recurring attacks on Nigerians in South Africa expose a deeper problem, the inability of the Nigerian state, over many years, to create an environment where its citizens can live and prosper with dignity.
No foreign country owes Nigerians a better life than Nigeria itself. The foremost responsibility of any government is to protect the lives and welfare of its people. When that responsibility is neglected, migration becomes less a choice than a necessity.
South Africa should primarily be a destination for tourism, education, investment, and cultural exchange, not an escape from economic hardship. While xenophobia can never be justified, the repeated attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals remind us that African solidarity must be demonstrated through action, not merely proclaimed in speeches.
The irony is striking. Nigeria stood firmly against apartheid and was one of the strongest supporters of South Africa's liberation until democracy was restored in 1994. From government support to the famous Mandela Tax paid by Nigerian students, the country made remarkable sacrifices in pursuit of justice for South Africans.
Today, however, many Nigerians are vulnerable abroad, not only because of hostility in some host communities but also because their homeland has failed to inspire confidence in its institutions and economy. A nation blessed with immense human and natural resources should not produce generations whose greatest aspiration is simply to leave.
Nigeria will not be transformed by slogans or wishful thinking. It will be rebuilt through visionary leadership, accountable institutions, economic opportunity, quality education, security, and respect for the rule of law.
The government must therefore act on two fronts: build a Nigeria where citizens can flourish at home and vigorously protect Nigerians wherever they reside through effective diplomacy and responsive consular services. The dignity of every Nigerian should be defended without compromise.
Nigerians should not have to stand before church congregations to testify that they have secured visas to leave their homeland. The greatest testimony should be the opportunity to build meaningful lives in Nigeria. The day our young people celebrate success at home with the same joy they currently associate with relocation, we will know that genuine progress has begun. Until then, the timeless wisdom in the late Sound Sultan's "Ajo Ọdabi Ilé; there is truly no place like home; will remain both our aspiration and our national challenge.
Emmanuel Chekwube Mukolu
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