society
JAPA: 10 Sets Of People Who Shouldn’t Travel To The UK
JAPA: 10 Sets Of People Who Shouldn’t Travel To The UK
The JAPA syndrome is like an epidemic and it is very contagious. Over the years, I have seen people who don’t need to relocate do it. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Even when it is, the species of grass might choke or purge you if you feed on it. The UK and Canada are facing similar challenges. They have been stretched thin by a high migration rate.
Below is a list of people who don’t need to JAPA even if it is for free:
(1) Big earners (N2 million and above):
If your monthly salary is in the range of N2 million and above, it might be in your best interest to stay back in Nigeria, except if you are coming with an employment letter with commensurate pay with your local earnings. As of today, the blue-collar jobs that constitute the saving grace of migrants have become scarce. The white collar jobs have also become harder to get due to the high influx of people to the UK.
(2) Corrupt politicians:
If you are a serious contender and not a pretender in politics in Nigeria, you have no business in the UK. You can travel there for tourism purposes anyway. We all know politics in Nigeria is the most lucrative business around. Despite the cash crunch, the members of the House of Representatives still took delivery of 360 brand new exotic cars costing between N160 – N200 million purportedly. Only an established footballer or a mega music star can live like that in the UK. For a footballer, you have to be constantly banging week in and week out like Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
(3) Popular pastors:
If you have a growing religious ministry as a pastor and your position is putting quality meals on your table either directly or indirectly, you should stay back in Nigeria. Culturally, people in the UK don’t give. It is like a taboo to give out money without a concrete reason. They are largely irreligious and no scripture in the Bible can convince them to do so.
(4) Yahoo Boys:
If you are part of the Easy Money Gang, the UK isn’t for you. You are advised to remain in Nigeria where you can play ‘catch and release’ with highly corrupt law enforcement agents. The UK is arguably the most surveilled country in the world. It is a place where action and consequences strictly go hand in hand. If you get caught doing internet fraud, you will head to jail faster than you made it into the country.
(5) Music Artistes:
If you are making reasonable money from the entertainment industry as a musician, Nigeria is the right place for you. Since relocating to the UK might give your public profile a boost, your account balance might compete with a mustard seed in terms of size. If music was easy here, Naira Marley would have remained in Peckham, London where has was a kingpin.
(6) Business Owners:
If you are an employer of labor and you have a decent staff strength, you don’t need the UK to better your life. All you need is patience and concerted efforts to expand your network. Your business might grow and become a force to be reckoned with in the league of businesses in Nigeria. On the contrary, if you are struggling to pay a monthly salary of N20,000 or N30,000, people leave Nigeria immediately and stop being a part of the Nigerian problem.
(7) Runs Girls:
If you clandestinely work in the informal ‘hospitability and pleasure industry’, and the job has earned you a car that is uploadable on social media, continue the ‘good work’. There is a saying that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Making money with the honeypot is extremely difficult in the UK. Men would rather stay faithful to their wives than pay a nominal leg to a lady for just some minutes or pleasure. You will also face competition from other women who passionately give it out for free. You might have to wait for ages for a footballer to come your way before you can experience the Indian Summer.
(8 )Age range: 50 and above:
In my honest opinion, I think relocation suits the youth more compared to the elderly. As an older person, you can only be shielded from economic uncertainties if an unscrupulous politician hides billions of Naira in your bank accounts. If you are in your 50s, life in the UK could frustrate you except you get an executive job. Working your way up as a student, family man, and part-time carer or warehouse staff will be overwhelming for you. I will not be shocked if you wake up one day and decide to run into a moving train or jump out of the window of a high-rise building in a bid to end it all.
(9) Father Abraham:
If you are the father of all nations like Abraham in the Bible, I mean you have many children – the UK might be the wrong destination for you. This is not unconnected to the fact that you would require domestic and family support in catering for them. For domestic support, it is not easily affordable. For family support, it is hard because everyone is busy. A colleague of mine has massive grey hair at such a sound age. I found this very mind-boggling. He recently confided in me that he came to the UK with six biological children of his. Trust me, those hairs will soon start to fall off.
(10) Civil Service Director/Bank Manager:
I will explain this on a personal note. I have met some former Nigerian bank managers hustling in the UK. Their reasons for relocating have never convinced me enough. Most say they did it for the future of their kids, others say it was due to the level of insecurity in Nigeria. In my view, leaving for the UK as a top management staff in the private or public sectors isn’t worth it. Your mental health would suffer significantly due to adaptability issues.
On a closing note, before you Japa, get your facts right. Don’t do it because people are doing it. What nourishes Emeka’s body might incapacitate his brother, Nnamdi. Don’t join the long list of attention-seeking Nigerians who hastily relocate and later open the Book of Lamentations on YouTube, just to vent their frustration.
Osahon George Osayimwen is a passionate writer and Psychologist based in England.
Epe Premier Club Meets Obasa Ahead of Baba Bamu’s Immortalisation
The leadership of the prestigious Epe Premier Club on Wednesday, January 28, paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, as part of preparations for the Club’s inaugural immortalisation ceremony in honour of their founding fathers.
Led by Hon. Abiodun Mustainu Tobun, the delegation briefed Speaker Obasa on the Club’s resolve to inaugurate a new era of recognising and immortalising iconic figures who contributed significantly to the socio-political and cultural development of Epe Division while they are still alive. He explained that the Club had unanimously selected Alhaji Akanni Seriki Bamu—a respected member of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and political leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Epe Division—as the first honouree.
Hon. Tobun emphasised that Baba Bamu embodies leadership, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the growth of Epe, describing him as a mentor and pillar whose contributions have shaped the region’s political trajectory.
Responding, Speaker Obasa commended the Epe Premier Club for its foresight in institutionalising a programme to honour the legacies of distinguished individuals. He applauded the choice of Alhaji Seriki Bamu, noting that his impact, political maturity, and statesmanship continue to resonate across Lagos State.
Obasa expressed gratitude for the invitation and assured the delegation of his support and presence at the celebration, stressing the importance of recognising leaders who have given immensely to community and state development.
The courtesy visit also provided a platform for broader conversations on civic engagement, community empowerment, and collaborations aimed at further advancing Epe Division.
The immortalisation ceremony for Alhaji Akanni Seriki Bamu will take place in the coming weeks and is expected to draw dignitaries, community stakeholders, and residents in large numbers.
society
Africa Gospel Film Project Launched to Train a New Generation of Christian Filmmakers Across Africa
Africa Gospel Film Project Launched to Train a New Generation of Christian Filmmakers Across Africa
Abuja, Nigeria – January 2026 — Gospel Cinema International has officially announced the launch of the Africa Gospel Film Project (AGFP), a bold, multi-year capacity-building and film production initiative designed to equip African Christian filmmakers with professional skills, spiritual depth, and global distribution pathways.
Africa is home to over 600 million Christians, yet African faith-based films remain significantly underrepresented in global catalogues. AGFP was created to address this gap by training filmmakers, producing premium-quality faith-based content, and strategically connecting Africa’s Christian film ecosystem to the global market.
The project will launch its first phase with a 6-Day Immersive Filmmaking & Spiritual Formation Program, scheduled to hold April 13–18, 2026, in Nigeria, followed by the production of an 8-episode faith-based series later in the year.
“Film is one of the most powerful tools shaping culture and belief today,” said Bright Wonder Obasi, president of Gospel Cinema International. “Africa Gospel Film Project is not just about making films—it is about shaping storytellers who understand both excellence and spiritual responsibility.”
AGFP will focus on:
Professional training in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing, producing, and acting
Deep spiritual formation and mentorship
Collaborative production and international distribution pathways.
Gospel Cinema International is a faith-driven film development organization committed to training, producing, and distributing impactful Christian films that shape culture and inspire faith globally.
Applications and partnership discussions are now open.
For applications and information:
visit www.gospelcinemaint.com
Email [email protected]
Follow @gosplecinemtrybe across social media for updates.
2027: Group Urges Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi to Contest Niger Governorship
A group known as the Niger Progressives & Prosperity Promoters (NPPP) has issued a strong public appeal urging Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, to contest the 2027 governorship election in Niger State.
In a statement dated January 27, 2026, signed by Dr. Ibrahim K. Mohammed as convener, the group criticized the current administration under Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for what it described as excessive international travels, unfulfilled agreements, and lack of tangible development in areas like water supply, jobs, agriculture, security, and infrastructure, despite the state’s abundant resources.
The statement described Malagi—a former governorship aspirant in 2023, media entrepreneur, and federal minister—as the ideal candidate, highlighting his calm, strategic, results-oriented leadership style, national experience, and ability to deliver without theatrics or corruption.
It emphasized that the call transcends party lines and urged youths, elders, professionals, farmers, and community leaders to rally behind competence for Niger State’s progress, describing the moment as a critical crossroads where delay risks further decline.
Full Press Statement:
Enough Is Enough: A Clarion Call on Mohammed Idris Malagi to Step Forward in 2027.
There comes a moment in the life of a people when patience expires and silence becomes betrayal. Niger State has reached that moment.
Our state stands at a dangerous crossroads rich in land, water, and people, yet poor in outcomes; blessed with opportunity, yet trapped in underperformance. What we suffer today is not a lack of promises, but a surplus of them. Not a lack of travels, agreements, or signatures, but a tragic absence of results.
For three years, Niger State has been subjected to a governance style that prioritizes junketing over delivery leaders hopping from the USA to the UAE, from Russia to China, Brazil to South Africa, Egypt to Singapore. From Lagos State to Dangote multi billion agreements, signing glossy Memoranda of Understanding that never translate into water in our taps, food on our tables, jobs for our youths, or dignity for our people.
Agreements without impact are not achievements. Frequent flights without measurable outcomes are not leadership. Sophisticated paperwork masking systemic corruption is not governance. Niger State does not need a globe-trotting signatory-in-chief. Niger State needs a governor.
Why the Call Is Now Unavoidable:
This is why the call across Niger State is no longer cautious or quiet. It is bold, collective, and unmistakable:
Mohammed Idris Malagi must hear the cry of the masses, the unpaid pensioners, the poor farmers that have not seen fertilizer for their farms, and the teeming unemployed youths to contest for the Governorship of Niger State in 2027.
This is no longer a suggestion. It is a call to duty. The people are tired of leadership that manages decline instead of driving development. Tired of carefully crafted speeches that produce no schools, no hospitals, no security, no water, and no agricultural value chain. Tired of a system that looks sophisticated on paper but is rotten in practice.
Niger State must break free from this cycle.
What Niger State Needs Now Is Calm, Astute, and Results-Driven Leadership.
Mohammed Idris Malagi represents a fundamentally different leadership model one rooted in calm authority, strategic thinking, and execution, not noise, lousiness or theatrics.
His leadership style is not impulsive or erratic. It is measured, deliberate, and intelligent. He listens, analyzes, decides, and delivers. He does not confuse activity with productivity or visibility with value. He share responsibility and respect views and dialogues.
At the national level, Malagi has demonstrated a deep understanding of how power, policy, and institutions truly function not in theory, but in reality. He has mastered the ability to articulate vision clearly and earn public confidence without intimidation or propaganda.
He has the discipline to operate under intense pressure while maintaining clarity, composure, and direction. With the capacity to move complex systems from decision to implementation, not endless committees, fraudulent entities and excuses. This is executive leadership, this is governor-level competence. Niger State does not need a power monger who monopolizes authority at the expense of good governance. It needs a leader already tested by complexity.
Niger State cannot afford anymore four years of experimental governance. Another cycle of foreign trips with no domestic impact. Another administration that signs agreements while communities remain abandoned. Another sophisticated corruption network dressed up as reform of “New Niger” an agenda of multiple corruption must not be allowed to continue, to be governed by a system that looks modern but delivers poverty.
A Leadership Moment That Cannot Be Deferred is now.
At crossroads, delay equals decline.
Insecurity deepens while opportunities slip away. Public trust erodes while governance becomes increasingly disconnected from lived realities. Incrementalism is no longer an option.
Niger State see in Malagi as the next governor that will be Prepared, not rehearsing; Decisive, not tentative; Calm, not chaotic; Nationally respected, yet deeply rooted in local realities; Bold enough to reform systems, not merely administer decay.
Mohammed Idris Malagi fits this moment not by coincidence, but by competence.
Beyond Party Lines, For Niger State
This clarion call is not anchored on any political party. It is anchored on capacity, courage, and commitment.
Political parties are vehicles. Leadership is the engine.
On whatever platform the people choose, Mohammed Idris Malagi represents a unifying option one capable of bridging zones, generations, faiths, and political divides. This is not about comfort or convention; it is about survival, progress, and dignity.
To Mohammed Idris Malagi: History Is Knocking
History does not knock endlessly. When it does, it demands a response.
This is not about personal ambition. It is about responsibility to a state at risk of prolonged stagnation. The people are watching. The moment is ripe. The call is clear.
Mohammed Idris Malagi, Niger State calls on you to contest for Governor in 2027.
Step forward. Offer your service. Accept the burden of leadership.
The Movement Starts Now
This is a call to youths and elders, professionals and farmers, traders, artisans, traditional rulers, and religious leaders across Niger State:
Rally around competence, not convenience.
Choose results over rhetoric.
Demand leadership, not excuses.
Let it be said that when Niger State stood at a crossroads, its people chose direction over drift, courage over comfort, and leadership over illusion.
2027 must be the year Niger State takes its future back.
And that future must begin with decisive, calm, and competent leadership.
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