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Brain drain syndrome is one of the intricate social-economic challenges facing developing African nations. It is a phenomenon that has gained patronage around socio-economically depressed regions of the world, where the knowledge, skills and abilities of young men and women from these regions essentially feed and fuel growth and development in already developed economies of the west. While people may stand on a moral high ground to argue the ethical implications of one exporting his skills overseas in the face of local shortage; it is important to realise that skill migration is a multi-factorial phenomenon in itself that is not only driven by the need to make money.
Concerns such as personal safety and security; professional/job security, sense of global citizenship and need for integrated global community as well as financial security are some of the forces that have driven African youth to the depth and breath of the west. When one looks at the challenges facing Africa, including the challenges of achieving the Millennium Development Goals of the UN, it raises the question of the need for collective responsibility as 2015 fast approaches. Though it has been speculated that no African country would meet the MDG by 2015 but so are many countries in the west who have all the human and material resources to achieve the MDG’s. But we have to keep the promise.
African countries must mobilise their resources in the fight against all threats against humanity, and this includes engaging with the youth who are the generation that will build the nations. I am an advocate of legitimate migration but I also believe that as Africans strive to address the scourge of war, diseases, poverty and illiteracy, our best and brightest should rethink possible contribution to the cause of humanity. But governments have to show the willingness to provide that enabling environment that will persuade African youth to stay in the land.
This entails sound economic policies that reflect the realities of the African youth, including provision of social infrastructure, job creation, transparent democracy, accountability and institution of programs that promote security in the physical, social and economic context. Our hospital building built by imperialists are aging and deteriorating exponentially; our doctors and nurses have fled in search of greener pasture; the youth have no money in their pockets, no job, no beds to lay their heads; our roads have become death traps as power generation and development of other infrastructure such as clean water succumb to the whims and caprices of our sightless and corrupt leaders.
But as African youth, we have to reassess our priorities and while travelling overseas helps among other things in changing the dimensions of our thought processes, it is a catalyst for globalisation and has benefited Africa through cross-cultural integration on one hand and by fuelling the billions of Eurodollar remittances to Africa facilitated by our youth working in the Diaspora. But no matter our inclination, brain drain if not address has the capability to paralyse emerging African economies whose youth have the insatiable quest to move beyond the boarders of the African continent. Whether we judge mass migration on the grounds of morality or economics, we want to ensure that generations unborn are provided with the enabling environment in which they can live, thrive and succeed. We need African leaders with democratic legitimacy and sound knowledge of economics as well as willingness to embrace ‘change’ to help in the achievement of some of our MDG priorities. Amidst our desire to travel overseas, let us not forget mother Africa; let us engage with our governments as they strive to engage with us in keeping the promise of better Africa, the promise of achieving some if not all the 2015 MDG objectives. So, we’ve got to keep the promise whether we stay in the land or land overseas.
We've got to keep the promise
Made by our leaders
To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
As a millennium development goal
We've got to keep the promise
Let our word be our bond
We've got to keep the promise
The promise of our global village
To achieve universal primary education
As a millennium development goal
We've got to keep the promise
Let our word be our bond
We've got to keep the promise
The promise of our heads of state
To promote gender equality and empower women
As a millennium development goal
We've got to keep the promise
Let our world be our bond
We've got to keep the promise
Because 189 countries said 'yes'
To reduce child mortality
As a millennium development goal
We've got to keep the promise
Let our world be our bond
We've got to keep the promise
The promise as the new millennium dawned
To improve maternal health
As a millennium development goal
We've got to keep the promise
Let our word be our bond
We've got to keep the promise
The promise of a better tomorrow
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Writer Profile
Pedus
I was born in Nigeria and was educated in Nigeria, USA and Australia. I am the founder and president of Christina-Mae Recruitment Consortium Australia and the author of the book "When Things Go Wrong: Concepts of Change". I am also the co-founder of Child Aid Survival and Development International (CASDI). As a freelance journalist, I have contributed to a number of professional journals and newspapers, as well as worked in a number of e-journalism projects. I have traveled extensively and currently call Australia and the USA home with extensive involvement in African Human Rights issues.
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