On a recent kenkey-buying mission with Hafsha, I met an ex-pat, Italian presumably, who seemed fascinated about my Rubik cube solving prowess. As our conversation neared its end, he couldn't help but recommend that I leave the country for a year at least. That way, he opined, I'd have better use of my skills and knowledge. This advice, though in good faith, adds to the numerous others I've had in the past few years.
It's easy to see why people with presumed potential are quickly advised to leave the country. What better way is there for them to prepare for a better future than find themselves placed in a better-suited environment? One designed to nurture and groom their potential?
But while bits of advice like these tend to benefit the individuals on the receiving end, they can be disastrous for developing nations like mine.
A mentee in high school recently shared how much effort she is putting into school because she HAS to Japa. Sad right? But It doesn't end there. Other friends from the university are also constantly fantasising about how ready they're to help their nation develop, but with a caveat - from outside the country.
“Japa” is a Yoruba word meaning "to run away.” It has become a famous term to describe the mass immigration of Africans to foreign countries in search of greener pastures.
These sentiments, unfortunately, are engraved in the hearts of lots of Ghanaian and Nigerian youth today, giving the impression that not "Japaing" is equivalent to having what I want to describe as a dim future.
But to address this, let's talk about Jacob and Esau for a bit.
The Bible talks about how one day, Esau returned from hunting extremely famished and in dire need of food. Consequentially, Jacob was cooking a pot of lentil stew when Esau arrived. Seeing Esau's desperate condition, Jacob saw an opportunity and made a proposition to him.
In exchange for a bowl of stew, Jacob asked Esau to relinquish his right to inherit the privileges and responsibilities associated with being the firstborn. It's a similar proposal, dare I say, to "You have so much potential, you're better off where I'm from".
Esau, overwhelmed by hunger and immediate gratification, considered his present need more important than his birthright. He impulsively agreed to Jacob's offer and sold his birthright without fully understanding the consequences of his actions.
The birthright in ancient times held immense importance, much more than we appreciate today. As the firstborn, Esau was entitled to a double portion of his father's inheritance, a position of leadership within the family, and a special blessing from their father Isaac.
How Jacob would get the blessing is a separate matter on its own but there's more to a birthright than meets the eye. You do not sell it for anything. Esau did and lived to regret it deeply.
No matter how hungry you may be. No matter how challenging your situation seems, do not sell what God has given to you as a rightful blessing. Your citizenship is your birthright. It's not worthless. Your heritage is not worthless. Your faith is not. Do not throw them away. They might look worthless today that you're starving but hold on to it, or you, like Esau, may need to weep for a blessing tomorrow.
Throughout humanity's existence, in times of chaos and uncertainty emerges opportunity. The continent is at the cusp of a great transformation and so while we wait for it, we have to build capacity and prepare. We have to be ready, and open to seeing and seizing any moment that would come our way. Waiting to prepare when the moment arrives means we will be too late.
And so we choose to have hope and hold on while we prepare - even though it hurts. We choose to see impossibility in the eye, yet go ahead. We choose to be naive optimists. That even though we have 0 idea what's going to happen in the future, we will persist (with smiles of glee).
In the end, that is what this is all about. It's a fight. A fight for our birthright. True, it may seem like we're on the losing end, with our hands tied and hopes shattered. But we will fight.
I'm not saying don't Japa. I'm saying that even if you absolutely have to, leave your umbilical cord behind. Because you will need it someday. The times are changing and stars are aligning. A big shift is approaching.
And when all is said and done, I hope to come back and drop the entire chess board into the faces of all doubters, exclaiming checkmate! Because why not? But if it doesn't go well (which is very unlikely), we hope it will be said before all men that we had nothing, but HOPE against all hope.
In God we trust! ❤️
