The biting and harsh reality of the Nigerian economy has made migration very attractive. Right from the time of military rule, professionals and non-professionals alike have been fleeing the country that touts itself as the “Giant of Africa” in droves, in order to have a semblance of a decent life for themselves and their families.

Countries like the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom remain on top of the list of the destination of these fortune-seekers. Travel agents, both scrupulous and unscrupulous, have a field day fleecing these desperate travellers of their hard-earned money which, in some instances, can set up viable businesses in the country. I am not canvassing against travelling as it is an individual decision, which is best made by a rational mind.

The United States is the most attractive because it’s the world’s most powerful and prosperous nation. Nigerians are prepared to do anything to enter Uncle Sam, as it is fondly called. Previously, if you get a two-year visa, you submit your passport for renewal in the Drop-box when it expires. In most cases, the visa renewal is as good as granted. It was with a huge shock that Nigerians woke up to the news that the United States Embassy had decided to stop the Drop-box system, in favour of an oral interview.

Getting the visa in the first place in most cases is akin to an elephant passing through the eye of a needle. When it is eventually issued, the joy of not facing the consular officer in an interview for renewal is better imagined. Some even throw parties after a successful visa interview.

This news is extremely bad and a black day for many intending first-time goers or returnees. The dream of many berthing at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy International Airport has been blown into smithereens, as the consular officers will definitely reduce the number of visas that they grant.

The officers are no simpletons – they know many of the interviewees are economic asylum-seekers, as the economy gets worse by the day. They are aware of the fact that many Nigerians have devised smart ways to escape the repression from their home country and have crammed ways to make their visa application look extremely convincing. Nigerians will do anything legitimate or otherwise to ‘port’ from the most populous nation in sub-Saharan Africa, to anywhere. It is so bad that there are visa denials now even from far-flung nations like Vietnam and Thailand, which have daunting economic and political challenges. Our fellow countrymen don’t mind being economic migrants in these countries, even though they are on the bottom of the global economic index.

The lure of the United States and the fact that it is a country that works, despite its gun proliferation and expensive healthcare challenge, makes it extremely attractive to lots of Nigerians. In some cases, many Nigerians with good jobs are known to have resigned their plum positions to start from the bottom of the ladder in the US. Nigerians just want their residences to read New York, California, Texas, Washington DC, etc. They are sick and tired of the failed state and banana republic that their dear country with so much promise has tragically fallen into.

Nigeria has neither regard nor respect for all shades of professionals. From medical doctors to nurses and other health-care workers; engineers, lawyers and journalists, it simply doesn’t give a damn about their welfare, which explains why many professionals who have mounting bills to pay flee the country to climes where they are well appreciated and the US is among the countries that greatly appreciates talents and hard work which is why it’s a magnet for many Nigerian professionals.

The examples of Nigerians making waves in the US abound: Phillip Emeagwali couldn’t have developed the super computer that processes billions of calculations in seconds if he had remained in Nigeria. Emeka Echeruo who was said to have sold his company – Hopstop, for an undisclosed sum, some analysts posit he did so for a princely $1 billion to Apple –couldn’t have achieved that feat if he had not left the shores of this country. Bayo Ogunlesi couldn’t have acquired Gatwick international airport through Global Infrastructure Partners if he hadn’t been privileged to relocate to United States. He came back to Nigeria briefly during the Second Republic, but the coup made him return to the US. He wouldn’t have been able to acquire two airports if not for his fortuitous move to America. I can go on and on with numerous examples of Nigerians making waves in that country, which is aptly called God’s own country, because of the numerous opportunities that abound therein. How many nations can an arts student switch effortlessly to the sciences without much hassle? How many universities can you study the arts and the sciences at the same time and obtain degrees in both of them at the same time? This is the beauty of the US, which many Nigerians do not want to miss for anything in the world. The versatility and flexibility of the system makes it extremely attractive for professionals and non-professionals alike.

The choice of relocating should be a personal one. I disagree with the 1984 public service advert which tried to discourage Nigerians from relocating abroad. No government should interfere with this inalienable right. However, the onus rests on the government to make the conditions back home attractive enough to discourage Nigerians from resorting to desperate measures to wanting to relocate at all costs. The cost of living and inflation should be driven down so that consular officers don’t assume the place of God in the lives of the interviewees. Nigerians ought to walk to the embassy with their heads held up high, because of the quality of life obtained from living in a fast-developing country and not like some frightened scared cats who want to leave the country via any means.

Malaysians and Singaporeans aren’t desperate to leave their countries. It is a shame that we were once at the same level in the heady days of the 1960s. Rather than reminisce of the good old days, which are nothing short of faded memories, the government should work out modalities of how we can get the nation out of the doldrums, so our passports could have some semblance of prestige in the comity of nations.

The time to act is now!

•Ademiluyi writes from Lagos.

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