Letty was a good girl who became a good wife but the seasons changed and this once-upon-a-time choir leader, like Lot’s wife, looked back and right before the eyes of her Pastor and in the presence of her bewildered husband, is turning into a pillar of salt. The kind of salt no one wants to touch or taste.

It was all the fault of this Japa syndrome. Letty and her husband, Brandon, had decided that Nigeria, the way it was going, was going to ruin their plans for the future. As it was, their future was becoming more and more difficult to see, like a receding apparition. Rent was tough to come up with. Their two children were not attending the kind of school they had planned for them, yet they were owing school fees, term in, term out. Brandon as a civil servant could only hope for a sprinkle of naira notes every three years because that was all his promotion fetched.

The couple added two to three and decided that ‘Japa’ was the only available option. They added their savings to loans and sold as much valuables as they could find buyers for and Brandon was off to ‘the abroad’.

But we all know how ‘Japa’ itself can be like, the difficulties Brandon faced in the United Kingdom was like riding a second-hand Raleigh bicycle uphill a dusty road in the harmattan. One year became three years and Letty found herself really alone. Note that there’s alone and there’s really alone. Really alone is when you are married and sleeping alone, picking all the bills alone and crying alone into your pillows because you don’t want the children to hear you.

It was sad and bad. Brandon didn’t find it easy. Letty soon found out that the Christian walk is difficult when you are wearing shoes designed by lack. In the process of trying to cope, Letty started leaning on another man. Yes, one man who helped pick some of the bills. The guy also made her laugh, called her regularly, picked the children from school and soon, was picking Letty from work too.

Do I need to spell the journey out? You can guess it wasn’t going to end well. It didn’t.

Letty got pregnant and is now confused. She will soon start showing and that will bring with it damning and damaging explanation. How will she explain to her in-laws or children that she got pregnant without her husband? How does a married choir leader explain her pregnancy to her pastor when everyone knows her husband is hustling in United Kingdom. Would she keep this pregnancy or terminate it? Is this the end of her marriage or what? If you were Brandon, would you accept Letty back or with a broken heart just let her and your marriage go? What will be the fate of the children who got caught up in the melee?

If you ask me, I’d say marriage is already a tasking business without you adding the Japa trouble to the mix. Couples who live together year in year out know how much work they have to put in to stay put. Japa is not for everybody and it is not all marriages that are subjected to Japa that will survive it.

For Letty and Brandon, it is not about the marriage breaking or being scarred only. It is also about a baby who didn’t ask to be born into confusion.

READ ALSO: Rescued miners narrate ordeal, seek unpaid wages recovery

So, do you think it is Letty’s fault that this happened? I hear a resounding yes.

‘How could she get pregnant for another man?’

‘How could she open her legs for another man? ‘

‘She’s a married woman for God’s sake!’

‘What kind of Christian wife betrays her vows like that?’

‘No, she has to go.’

‘That marriage is over.’

‘Yes, the church must excommunicate her. ‘

‘She has brought shame on everybody, herself, her family and the church. ‘

Our predictable reactions. If you align with any of those reactions, you must also align with me that Japa isn’t for everybody. You must also agree with the Yoruba adage that states that it is what you leave lying around that the goat eats. Ohun t’a ba fi sile ni enu ewure n to.

Marriage, its joy, future and fulfillment side should not be reduced to naira, dollars or any foreign currency. Think deep. Look far ahead. Consider all the angles and truthfully answer this question: is it a step worth the sacrifice?

In other words, Brandon and Letty should have known that their marriage would become easy prey for predators. Sometimes, a farmland left unused, unattended will soon find itself at the mercy of weeds. At other times, a daring strong man may dare the real owner and vigorously begin cultivating the land.

We must also admit that this side of the Japa syndrome will leave the marriage institution panting. It takes away intimacy and companionship which are at the core of a true union. What Japa couples are not willing to admit is they are now in open marriages. According to Wikipedia,  ‘open marriage is a form of non-monogamy in which the partners of a dyadic marriage agree that each may engage in extramarital sexual or romantic relationships, without this being regarded by them as infidelity, and consider or establish an open relationship despite the implied monogamy of marriage.’

In the case of Japa husbands and wives, there’s no written or discussed agreement of sexual and romantic relationships with other people. It just happens. That evil just creeps in with time, the time created by distance. Putting money above companionship and not considering the long-term effect of japa on marriage is swelling the ranks of divorced men and women.

Look around you and sincerely appraise the lives of couples who have opted for love across the ocean.

I’ll really like to publish personal experiences of those in the living-apart boat. I promise to keep their real names out of print.

However, this does not mean there are no couples who have stayed committed to one another in body and spirit, even with the thousands of kilometers separating them. At least, the wives remain faithful. The men? I can’t vouch for them. They can’t vouch for themselves either. How these couples do the love across the ocean deal successfully is a matter for deep study.

A wife left behind in Nigeria or posted abroad is expected to be faithful. She must be of best behaviour, work hard to send money home to the man she left behind, even. If she dares to go on a date with her colleagues and one of them posts photos or videos, her in-laws and detractors will summon coven meetings to discuss this affront as if it’s a matter of urgent national importance.

Well, as this one-sided society is prescribing closed legs for the women, it pats the man on the back for keeping his fly open.

‘He’s a man now.’

Nonsense. Do women not also have libido? Women need love too. They crave the touch of their husbands. But all I can do is protest, right? It’s their world, according to some unwritten warped law. Men can have side-chicks, even mistresses or Nigerian wife while their wives are hustling or schooling abroad. But a wife must keep her legs close and stay on ice until God knows when. It’s not fair, totally unfair but it is what it is, until God knows when. If I protest from now till I go fully gray, nothing will change.

The summary of today’s homily however is this, if you are not ready for the full consequences of your partner Japa-ing without you, do not do it. Make sure you have all your facts. Hold a honest family meeting where all cards are laid on the table. Will he have girlfriends while she’s away? Will she be able to ‘hold body’ in winter and in summer? Will he wear condom until he joins her? If she must ‘do anything’ can she be discreet? Both parties must be realistic, honest and be ready to forgive all trespasses. Yes, all trespasses because the chances that adultery will show up in marriage when husband and wife live 2,000 km apart is high. Do not just think of the money angle, the improved lifestyle, the regular supply of electricity and generally living where things work. Japa for couple goes beyond the accent and dollar and pounds. It is not a business transaction.

Marriage, its joy, future and fulfillment side should not be reduced to naira, dollars or any foreign currency. Think deep. Look far ahead. Consider all the angles and truthfully answer this question: is it a step worth the sacrifice?

*Egbemode (egbemode3@gmail.com)

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Supporting indigenous software would reduce the pressure on forex by the banks that have developed tastes for acquiring and maintaining offshore core applications from India.

Japa. Four words. Different connotations. For some, it is an escape, an escape from hazy goals, unmet expectations, missed opportunities, and an entrance into the warm embrace of paradise. For others, japa is an opportunity to see the world. Be free. Be more. For some, it is a mirage: an elusive smoke, hazy, misleading yet distant. However, for those who have decided not to japa, it could be a dream come true.

Many Nigerians are exporting their skills abroad without leaving Nigeria. In Europe, Asia, Mexico, and America many technology companies are working remotely with brilliant Nigerians who live in Nigeria. This foreign legion understands that to work with the best Nigerian engineers, do one thing: Get them from Nigeria. These experts-for-hire work with high-value firms offering opportunities and improving efficiencies.

On the one hand

If your dream is japa or sapa, the grass is relatively green. Many years back, Nigerian banks deployed foreign core banking applications. Finacle. Flexcube. Fiserv. Temenos etc. These are foreign legions. Because of our penchant for Made-in-Oyinboland, we have contributed to the size of the core banking software market. Artur Nesterenko of Dashdevs – the creative technical minds behind clean code – wrote that the market size has grown from $12.45 billion to $13.63 in 2024.

READ ALSO: APC suspends Aregbesola over alleged anti-party activities

On the other hand

As an integrated technology platform that manages and automates banking operations, core banking is a distinct B2B service provided by licensed financial institutions. It integrates with an external application. It is in the back end. Bank customers do not know the difference. It is akin to driving a compressed natural gas-engine bus and a fuel-powered commercial bus. The passengers do not care. They want to commute with ease.

In the long term

Meanwhile, things have changed. Nigerian banks are looking inward. They are embracing sapa – running back home – but some still favour foreign applications. GTB, for instance, has switched to Finacle, which costs ₦25 billion in annual licence fees. First Bank, UBA, Access Bank, and Zenith Banks are on the same route.

What is your taste? Entertainment. Travel. Real Estate. Japa or sapa? We have the indigenous capacity to suit your needs.

Sterling Bank has dropped T24 from Temenos. It uses SEABaaS. A new custom-built application. Developed by the best Nigerian engineers. Sterling is marketing this app to some of the banks with the view to recouping its investment.

A friend hinted that some technology start-ups have been revolutionizing the digital banking arena. Without giving a name, he said the start-up designed and built a complete suite of digital banking products comprising retail onboarding, Internet banking, and mobile apps for retail and corporate customers. This has replaced the foreign applications bought by one of the ‘’banks a few years ago’’.

According to him, these indigenous applications have been running for over three years with more than 500,000 mobile users and 10, 000 corporate customers. The tech start-up has replicated its success in more than seven new commercial banks. It provides a suite of reliable, affordable, and secure digital financial solutions that are empowering these banks and their customers.

‘’My brother, think about how much savings, about 5 million dollars, this tech start-up has saved for the seven banks. These banks do not need to acquire foreign digital banking suites’’. My friend added that we should promote and support indigenous applications as our contribution to reducing the increasing pressure on forex by banks and corporate organisations that have developed a taste for acquiring and maintaining offshore applications from India and other countries.

As a CEO of a technology company shared recently, the trick with being a product provider is staying around for the long term. ‘’We have indie engineers who can build excellent applications that can function in sophisticated environments, support multiple customers on different versions, adapt to changing customer demands and ambitions etc. Our indie software can roll out a year product map that will satisfy new and old customers five years from now and build a reliable ecosystem.’’

In the short term

What is your taste? Entertainment. Travel. Real Estate. Japa or sapa? We have the indigenous capacity to suit your needs.

*Olaegbe (psalmsonolaegbe@gmail.com)

The post Japa blues and embracing the best indigenous software developers appeared first on Frontpageng.

We are in VUCA time. Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus coined the acronym VUCA in 1987 based on their leadership theories. According to Wiki, VUCA describes the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of general conditions and situations. That is why most Nigerian professionals have ‘japa’-ed.

In street parlance, it means to run away from a difficult situation. The youths top the list of migrants who have ‘japa’ in search of a better livelihood in Europe, America, Asia, and Canada. The International Organization for Migration explained that economic and higher living conditions usually influence the migration of professionals and non-professionals.

The naira redesign has exposed the financial industry and Fintech ecosystem. It has shown the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the system.

However, the current VUCA situation in Nigeria is a typical example. That is why most young Nigerians are fleeing. ‘Japa’ has led to the brain drain syndrome.

On the one hand

Mitchell Elegbe, the founder and Group CEO of Interswitch has attributed the poor online banking services expressed in the form of failed and delayed transactions to the ‘japa’ syndrome. Elegbe said the mass exit of tech talents who were the brains behind the smooth running of the system in the banks has led to the terrible experience.

Elegbe blamed the sudden exit of experienced tech staff in the banks for the ugly. He confirmed that the banks are compelled to operate using employees who “have little capacity to deal with the problems” of failed and delayed transactions “within a short period.”

In the past, he explained, when such challenges emerged the banks and switching companies would have solved the challenges “in five minutes.” Now, it took the banks three weeks. “So, that’s part of what you are experiencing.”

“But it’s a temporary issue. It will be resolved. We are aware of this. Across the industry, efforts are going on. You must have noticed in the last few weeks that there have been some improvements. These things do happen from time to time.”

He spoke recently in Lagos after he emerged as the EY West Africa Master Entrepreneur of the Year for 2023. He reiterated that ‘japa’ in banks has exacerbated customers’ online banking experience.

READ ALSO: How you can join the billion-dollar tech club, By Rarzack Olaegbe

On the other hand

The brain drain affected all sectors of the economy. It has happened in medicine, oil and gas, and education, with very talented Nigerians leaving suddenly. When they do, the employers have short notice to prepare.

The movement of people from one country to another country, industries, and organizations is a regular occurrence. It usually causes one sector to lose a core portion of valuable individuals. Doctors, healthcare workers, scientists, engineers, and financial technology professionals have migrated.

Wherever ‘japa’ has occurred, the sector and industry are negatively impacted. Research has thrown up two major deficits. While one country gained expertise. Another country lost expertise. Each emigrant is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing to the receiving country. It is a curse to the losing country.

In the long term

This leaves a sour taste on the tongue. It harms the economy. In this instance, it has harmed the bank customers. It has harmed the system. Even, when the naira is stable, it will take a while to gain momentum and replace the expertise of the migrants. What can we do? Persevere.

The present predicament is an opportunity to rebuild, reinvent, and refresh the system.

The naira redesign has exposed the financial industry and Fintech ecosystem. It has shown the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the system. Yes, the customers’ journey was ruined. It ruined their social lifestyle. It ruined their economic means.

In the short term

The present predicament is an opportunity to rebuild, reinvent, and refresh the system. But the ‘japa’ syndrome has also exposed the fintech ecosystem, too. It is VUCA time.

*Olaegbe (psalmsonolaegbe@gmail.com)

The post What does ‘Japa’ have to do with it? appeared first on Frontpageng.

We are in VUCA time. Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus coined the acronym VUCA in 1987 based on their leadership theories. According to Wiki, VUCA describes the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of general conditions and situations. That is why most Nigerian professionals have japa.

In street parlance, it means to run away from a difficult situation. The youths top the list of migrants who have japa in search of a better livelihood in Europe, America, Asia, and Canada. The International Organisation for Migration explained that economic and higher living conditions usually influence the migration of professionals and non-professionals.

However, the current VUCA situation in Nigeria is a typical example. That is why most young Nigerians are fleeing. Japa has led to brain drain syndrome.

On the one hand

Mitchell Elegbe, the founder and Group CEO of Interswitch has attributed the poor online banking services expressed – in the form of failed and delayed transactions – to japa syndrome. Elegbe said the mass exit of tech talents who were the brains behind the smooth running of the system in the banks has led to the terrible experience.

Elegbe blamed the sudden exit of experienced tech staff in the banks for the ugly. He confirmed that the banks are compelled to operate using employees who “have little capacity to deal with the problems” of failed and delayed transactions “within a short period.”

In the past, he explained, when such challenges emerged the banks and switching companies would have solved the challenges “in five minutes.” Now, it took the banks three weeks. “So, that’s part of what you are experiencing.”

“But it’s a temporary issue. It will be resolved. We are aware of this. Across the industry, efforts are going on. You must have noticed in the last few weeks that there have been some improvements. These things do happen from time to time.”

He spoke recently in Lagos after he emerged as the EY West Africa Master Entrepreneur of the Year for 2023. He reiterated that japa in banks has exacerbated customers’ online banking experience.

The naira redesign has exposed the financial industry and Fintech ecosystem. It has shown the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the system.

On the other hand

The brain drain affected all sectors of the economy. It has happened in medicine, oil and gas, and education, with very talented Nigerians leaving suddenly. When they do, the employers did not have enough notice to prepare.

The movement of people from one country to another country, industries, and organisations is a regular occurrence. It usually causes one sector to lose a core portion of valuable individuals. Doctors, healthcare workers, scientists, engineers, and financial technology professionals have migrated.

Wherever japa has occurred, the sector and industry are negatively impacted. Research has thrown up two major deficits. While one country gained expertise. Another country lost expertise. Each emigrant is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing to the receiving country. It is a curse to the losing country.

This leaves a sour taste on the tongue. It harms the economy. In this instance, it has harmed the bank customers. It has harmed the system. Even, when the naira is stable, it will take a while to gain momentum and replace the expertise of the migrants. What can we do? Persevere.

In the short term

The naira redesign has exposed the financial industry and Fintech ecosystem. It has shown the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity of the system.

Yes, the customers’ journey was ruined. It ruined their social and economic lifestyle.

This is an opportunity to rebuild, reinvent, and refresh the system.

But remember that japa exposed the fintech ecosystem too.

It is VUCA time.

*Olaegbe (psalmsonolaegbe@gmail.com)

The post What does ‘Japa’ have to do with failed transactions? appeared first on Frontpageng.