Analyzing the Factors Fuelling Brain Drain and the Quest for Prosperity Abroad

By Osaro Matthew

Slavery, a social practice of owning human beings as property, mainly for forced labour. The intrusion of Europe into Africa to colonize Africa, concocted an evil, demonic, satanic, and derogatory practice called the slave trade. The slave trade which began in the 15th century and ended in the 19th century, saw Africa being stripped of its human resources.
Nigeria, the most populous African country was not exempted from this evil practice and its effects, as it had its fair share of slavery from the 15th century even till the 20th century. Unfortunately, in this 21st century, Nigeria still experiences slavery but in a different form. Today, Nigerians have decided to make themselves what is termed “Voluntary Slaves.”

In October 2022, the president of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Uche Rowland, announced that at least 5,600 medical doctors had migrated to the UK alone in the last eight years, keeping the doctor-patient ratio over five times worse than WHO recommendation. A world bank report found that 50 percent of Nigerian youths want to leave the country. According to the Academic Staff Union of Universities in February 2022, it was recorded that about 70 percent of young lecturers had left Nigeria for opportunities in other countries.

This mass migration of professionals, intellectuals, and average Nigerians, is due to the failed institutions set up by the colonial masters, the high rate of poverty and unemployment, poor leadership, and a prostrate economy. Having prior knowledge of the racial, and human rights abuse they might face in a foreign land, an average Nigerian will still say, “I prefer to be a slave abroad than to suffer in my homeland”. These are words that are detrimental but are a true reflection of how far we have developed politically and economically since independence.

Hopefully, in years to come, Nigerians wanting to be voluntary slaves will only be read in history books and not be imagined. For this to be possible, Nigeria needs to elect good and competent leaders, which is yet to be seen.

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