LAST week, the issue at discourse here was headlined African leaders and the renewed scramble for Africa. While our leaders seem to be our problem, it must also be pointed out that a people deserve the kind of leaders they get. The way things are going, I fear that by the end of this century, the African, and particularly the Nigerian, would have re-written the template of his/her experience on the global stage, and I fear again, mostly in the negative.

The advanced economies of the world, as previously noted, are holding summits for African development in their countries — none of which has held in Africa. Even China, which is trying to make a big show of being a good friend of African nations also hosts the China-Africa summit in Beijing. Last month, as noted, it was the turn of Japan, which hosted TICAD-9, or the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama.

One of the developments from that conference was the announcement that the government of Japan will now designate certain towns in different prefectures (states/regions) of Japan for different African countries, as announced by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA.

For Nigeria, the city of Kisarazu was designated as the official home town for Nigerians willing to live and work in Japan, as part of its strategic efforts to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and enhance workforce productivity.

Under the arrangement, the Japanese Government will create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who wish to reside and work in Kisarazu. Nigerian artisans and other blue-collar workers who are ready to up-skill will also benefit from the special visa dispensation. Justifying this, we were reminded that Kisarazu has long-standing ties with Nigeria, having hosted Team Nigeria during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, when the athletes held their pre-games training camp and acclimatisation exercises there before moving to the Olympic Village.

Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires and Acting Ambassador to Japan, Mrs. Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, alongside Mr. Yoshikuni Watanabe, Mayor of Kisarazu, jointly received the certificate of designation from the Japanese Government.

Nigeria is not the only country offered this rare diplomatic Trojan horse. The Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, also announced the designation of Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture as the home town for Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture as the home town for Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture as the home town for Mozambique. Looks good, ain’t it? Compared with what America’s Trump is trying to do by exporting hardened criminals of diverse nationalities to willing African countries, the Japanese government is smelling like a bishop just out of a perfumes factory.

But, let’s ponder these. Is it really in our interest that another country, even if a formidable economic powerhouse like Japan, is designating some of its towns as home to specific African countries? As said above, a special visa category will be created for “highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who wish to reside and work in Kisarazu.” Will this really play in our favour as a country? Both in the short and long term?

For youths, it is a golden opportunity to “ja pa,” an attractive counterpoise to Western countries like the UK and US that are tightening visa rules and doing all they can administratively to discourage immigration to their countries from Nigeria.

But with this Greek gift, this Trojan horse, how will African countries taking up the offer fare? Especially Nigeria? Here we are, facing one of the largest exodus from the country in modern times. Our brightest and best, especially professionals are leaving the country in droves for greener pastures. Trying to persuade a young man or woman to stay back in Nigeria and “weather it out” is a task that is looking like asking River Niger to flow back to Futa Jallon Highlands. 

From where I’m sitting, what this offer from Japan amounts to is an official brain drain policy that will see greater exodus of our skilled and semi-skilled population to Japan. And believe it or not, when these people, mostly youths go, do not expect them back. After living in a country where infrastructure works and the state takes care of its people, it is difficult to expect somebody to abandon all that structured comfort for the organised chaos that life and living in Nigeria currently is.

Imagine living in Yokohama for five years and then returning home to power failure and “I pass my neighbour,” brutality by uniformed security men during stop and search operations, banditry, kidnapping, cultism and other ills. I’m not saying there are no crimes in other places, but our refusal to confront our shortcomings head-on and devise solutions has been the major problem. And the issues of justice that make it easier to live elsewhere that is not here?

When will we solve that? The issue here really is that African leaders, particularly the leaders of Nigeria, have failed and have continued in failing their peoples. The gargantuan resources available to Nigerian leaders say that the country should have become an el-dorado for her peoples if the leaders love them and do what is right for them. Which is why a country like Japan can try filling the void through the offer made at TICAD-9. Shouldn’t our leaders be ashamed of themselves? TGIF.