Wale Ojo, a British-Nigerian actor, has criticised the ‘japa’ mentality among Nigerians as embarrassing.
In an interview with ThisDay on Saturday, Ojo discussed his objectives for Nigeria, emphasising his great affection for the country despite spending many years overseas.
“I have many aspirations. It would have been easy for me to stay abroad in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, or even Russia, and I would have been fine there. But I love Nigeria, and I always will,” he stated.
Ojo disclosed his displeasure of the ‘japa’ tendency, in which Nigerians, especially physicians, seek chances abroad.
He noted that Nigerians are praised internationally for their creativity and finds this mindset regrettable and degrading.
He stressed his commitment to being part of the solution to Nigeria’s problems.
“I have a lot of visions for Nigeria. I want to see a country where people don’t feel the need to ‘japa’. When I come home, despite the challenges, I aim to be part of the solution. The government should engage with the creative industry and people like us who have a vision for the country. We don’t just follow the crowd,” Ojo explained.
