Nigeria Is Your Home, Tinubu Tells Young Citizens
President Bola Tinubu on Friday appealed directly to Nigerian youths to remain in the country and contribute to its development, telling them that Nigeria’s future belonged to those who stayed to solve its problems rather than those who chose to leave.
In his Democracy Day address, his fourth since assuming office in May 2023, the President said, “To our young people: Nigeria is your home and your future. Build here, code here, work here, and vote here. Every great nation was built by those who stayed to solve problems, not by those who abandoned ship.”
The appeal comes against the backdrop of sustained “japa” emigration trends that have seen large numbers of young, skilled Nigerians, particularly in technology, healthcare and academia, relocate abroad in search of better economic prospects. Thousands of young Nigerian professionals leave the country yearly for greener pastures, a phenomenon popularly called japa.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s democratic dividend must now translate into tangible economic outcomes for its citizens, particularly the youth. “Democracy must be felt in the pocket,” he said, pointing to initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the National Agricultural Development Fund’s deployment of 10,000 tractors over five years, and the certification of over 1,000 SMEs for export as part of efforts to expand domestic opportunity.
The President framed the appeal within a wider account of his administration’s reforms. He said that three years ago the country’s public finances were under severe strain, investment was discouraged, and economic uncertainty threatened the future, adding that the government chose to act by embracing reforms to advance Nigeria’s economic freedom. He maintained that the measures had since restored stability and credibility to economic management.
He said the generation now coming of age carried a distinct historical responsibility. “Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence. The generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity,” he stated.
The President also tied the day’s significance to the security situation. He said terror-related deaths were down by 81 percent since 2015, that over 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised in the past year, and that more than 124,000 fighters and dependents had laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor. He further noted that the administration had declared a security emergency and approved the recruitment of more than 50,000 new police officers alongside thousands of military recruits.
Marking the 27th anniversary of the June 12, 1993 election, Tinubu cast the day as a symbol of national resilience. “June 12, 1993, revealed the possibility of a true Nigerian nation,” he said, adding that the heroes of June 12 secured political freedom while the present challenge was to secure economic freedom.