The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has urged Nigerian youths to remain committed to the nation and fight for its transformation, instead of succumbing to the culture of “japa”—a colloquial term for emigrating in search of greener pastures.
Ajaero made the call during his speech at the 3rd Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the National Youth Council of the NLC held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Labour leader lamented the economic challenges facing the country, citing the soaring cost of living, with a 50kg bag of rice now selling for N105,000, transport costs to Port Harcourt exceeding N50,000, and access to basic amenities such as housing and healthcare increasingly becoming luxuries.
He called on the youth to channel their energy into resisting the inequalities and exploitation that plague the nation saying, “This is not a time for lamentation; it is a time for determination. No one will build our nation for us. Running away is not an option; there is no promised land elsewhere. It is here, on our soil, that the battles must be fought and won.
“You are not just the future of Nigeria, you are the future of the trade union movement. That future, comrades, does not exist on its own. It must be built, shaped, and fortified by your resilience, your courage, and your vision. If you fail in this responsibility, others with no allegiance to workers or their welfare will hijack that future and shape it in their own image, for their own gain,” he added.