Photo: The Punch
My people, when I tell you that over 21,000 of our brothers and sisters are still waiting for Canada to decide their fate as asylum seekers, you go understand say something serious dey happen for this our country. According to recent reports, Canada don approve asylum for 3,463 Nigerians in 2025 alone, but the real gist na the thousands still dey queue, hoping to find better life outside Naija.
E be like say every day, plane full of Nigerians dey take off from Murtala Muhammed Airport, not for vacation or business trip, but because dem dey run away from something. The question wey dey pain me be this: wetin dey make our people dey abandon their fatherland in droves?
The Real Reasons Why Our People Dey Run
Abeg, make we no dey form for ourselves. The truth bitter pass pepper soup wey no get enough spice. Our people no dey just wake up one morning decide say dem wan go freeze for Canada winter. Na serious wahala dey push dem out.
First na the insecurity matter wey don turn Nigeria to something else entirely. From Boko Haram for the North to kidnappers for every corner of the country, our people no fit sleep with two eyes close again. You go hear story of how bandits go just enter your village, collect everybody including the village head, and demand ransom wey even Bill Gates go think twice before paying.
Then we get the economic palaver wey don make naira weak like person wey no eat for three days. With inflation wey dey dance skelewu for our heads, ordinary bread don cost like designer bag. Young graduates dey hustle for years without seeing any meaningful job, while those wey get work dey receive salary wey no fit buy ordinary fuel to go work.
Canada Don Become the New Promised Land
For Nigerians wey don tire of hoping for better tomorrow, Canada don become like Moses' promised land. And to be honest, who fit blame dem? The country get better healthcare system, stable electricity (imagine that!), and government wey actually dey work for their citizens.
The 3,463 successful asylum cases na just tip of the iceberg. Each number represent one Nigerian family wey don find peace and opportunity wey dem no fit find for home. But the 21,573 pending cases? Chai! That one show say the exodus never stop at all.
These pending cases mean say thousands of our people dey wait for months, sometimes years, hoping say Canada go accept their plea for protection. Some of dem get genuine fear for their safety, others dey run from economic hardship wey don make life unbearable.
What This Mean for Nigeria
Honestly, this brain drain and talent flight na serious matter wey we need to address with seriousness. The people wey dey run away no be only the poor masses o. Na doctors, engineers, IT experts, teachers, and other professionals wey Nigeria need desperately.
When our best minds dey pack their bags and head for exit door, wetin remain for us? We go continue to import professionals from other countries to fill positions wey our own people fit handle if the environment been conducive.
The irony be say some of these asylum seekers na the same people wey would have contributed to building the Nigeria of our dreams if things been different. Instead, dem dey go build other people's country while their homeland dey struggle with leadership crisis and basic infrastructure.
The Hard Truth Wey We Need to Face
Make we no just dey point fingers at government alone (though them get their own share of blame). As citizens, we need to ask ourselves: wetin we dey do to make Nigeria better? Are we part of the solution or part of the problem?
But then again, you no fit ask person wey dey hungry to think about patriotism. When your children no get good school, when hospital no get basic equipment, when kidnappers dey roam freely, and when your vote no dey count, the temptation to japa go strong die.
The 21,573 pending asylum cases for Canada na wake-up call. E mean say every month, hundreds of Nigerians dey knock Canada door, begging for protection from their own country. That one na serious indictment on our leadership and the state of our nation.
Way Forward
If we serious about stopping this massive exodus, we need to tackle the root causes. Security must be paramount – nobody wan live where dem no safe. Economic opportunities must be created, and corruption wey dey eat the system must be fought with all seriousness.
Until we fix these fundamental issues, the queue of Nigerians waiting for Canada's mercy go continue to grow. And who fit blame dem? Everybody deserve to live with dignity and hope for better future, even if e mean finding that future for another man's land.
The truth be say until Nigeria begin work for Nigerians, our people go continue to seek greener pastures elsewhere. And honestly, can you blame them?
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