"A People Beget the Leaders They Deserve" Land Surveyor Alfred Ajagbe Challenges Nigerians to Look Inward

Alfred Ajagbe warns that Nigeria's "Japa" syndrome and obsession with foreign goods are destroying the nation, calling for a collective shift in mindset.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 4:49 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Sun Nigeria.

The Mirror of Leadership: Citizens and the State

The discourse surrounding Nigeria’s current socio-economic challenges often centers on the failures of the political class. However, Alfred Ajagbe, speaking at a forum in Makurdi, Benue State, has offered a sharp counter-narrative. He contends that leadership is merely an embodiment of the people’s collective character. "The truth of the matter is a people begets the leader they deserve," Ajagbe stated, suggesting that the corruption and greed observed at the top are symptomatic of values held across all levels of society.

The "Japa" Syndrome and the "Evil Days"

Ajagbe expressed significant concern regarding the "Japa" syndrome—the mass exodus of skilled Nigerian professionals to foreign nations. He warned that while migration may offer individual relief, it effectively "extends the evil days" for the country. By losing essential human capital, including doctors and nurses, Nigeria weakens its own institutional capacity. He urged Nigerians to stop playing the "victim game" and instead focus on building domestic institutions, comparing the necessary mindset to that of Nordic nations like Sweden, where civic responsibility and tax compliance are foundational to societal success.

Economic Sabotage Through Foreign Obsession

A critical component of Ajagbe's critique is the Nigerian "obsession" with foreign-made goods. He questioned the cultural pride found in using imported products—from Italian shoes to foreign-grown rice—at the expense of local industries. He argued that as long as Nigerians prefer to export their wealth to support foreign economies while neglecting local cotton, tomato, and rice production, the domestic economy will remain stagnant. "That mentality is part of the problem," he remarked, linking consumer behavior directly to the nation's industrial decline.