A Catholic priest, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Joseph Okojie, has predicted that Nigeria may soon become a country with more citizens in diaspora than those living in the country if the issue of poor governance was not addressed urgently.
Fr. Okojie, who is the director of Liturgy/Moderator of Pastoral Affairs of Seminary of All Saints, Uhiele, Edo State, made the prediction while delivering the 5th Josemaria Escrivas Foundation Lecture titled “Migration and Good Governance:The Quest for an Enduring Solution”, in Ekpoma, Edo State.
The clergyman identified good governance as a remedy to the current worrisome trend of emigrations, popularly referred as “Japa”, pointing out that bad governance was a central factor that pushed people to migrate out of the country.
He lamented that the government over the years had failed to provide good governance due to corruption and greed of political office holders, resulting in poverty, insecurity, unemployment, and hopelessness.
“Bad governance is a central factor. If bad governance is tackled and effectively curtailed in Nigeria the rate of emigrating Nigerians will be reduced,” he stated
He recommended adequate funding of education, provision of regular electricity supply, infrastructural development, and training of young Nigerians in modern technological methods of agriculture as ways of encouraging the citizens to stay back in the country.
The chairman, Board of Trustees of Josemaria Escriva Foundation (JOSEF), Prof. Matthew Izibili, said the foundation’s Annual Lecture was one its ways of fulfilling its cherished responsibility of creating awareness on issues for the overall wellbeing of the society.
He remarked that the 5th edition of the lecture was special, as it aimed to address the minds of participants on very existential issues in the society, adding that the role of good governance could never be underemphasized.
The Chief Responsibility Officer of the foundation, Comrade Dr. Jude Obasanmi, explained that the annual lecture was an opportunity to discuss issues affecting community, reflect on the foundation’s activities, as well as a medium to seek support, collaboration and partnership.
He enumerated some of the foundation’s interventions in 2022/2023 to include training of 110 teachers, empowerment of youths, campaign against drugs and substance use, among others.
The former Secretary to Esan West Local Government, Mr. Henry Irene, who represented the member representing Esan West Local Government Constituency at the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamawu, said everything must be done to address the harsh economic condition of the country to discourage incessant migration.
The event, chaired by the Head of Local Government Administration in Igueben, Engr. Emmanuel Ibhadode, featured a discussion segment which was moderated by the Programme Officer of Uromi JDPCI, Dr. Michael Iyoriobhe, as well as a short drama on the danger of illegal migration.
