The wave of japada marks not just a shift in migration patterns, but a broader reevaluation of identity, belonging, and the meaning of success for those coming home
A growing wave of reverse migration known in Yoruba as “japada” has brought many Nigerians back to their homeland after years or decades abroad. Yet returnees often encounter skepticism and open criticism from locals who question their motivations and commitment.
On a popular Reddit forum, a Nigerian-American seeking advice on relocating home prompted swift, caustic responses. One user scornfully recalled, “It’s like you forget the pain when nepa take light before you can charge your phone.” Another mocked, “Your village people were working hard on you,” insinuating ancestral spells had lured him back. The sentiment was echoed by a commenter branding the user a “spoiled, westernised fool,” labeling the return as a potential sign of failure.
This digital hostility reflects broader societal doubt. Returnees, many of whom had secured Western citizenship, often face an unspoken expectation to have “made it.” Divine Chukwuemeka, a migration researcher, notes: “Society now believes that once you go abroad, you’ll be successful.” Podcast and TikTok stories amplify this narrative, with returnees branded hypocrites or failures by both locals and diaspora communities.
Despite the backlash, return migration continues gaining traction. For many, burnout, mental health strains, and fractured family ties abroad have become powerful motivators. A Nigerian nurse who returned from the U.K. in 2023 reflected on the personal cost: “Six children in a family haven’t seen each other in three years because everybody is looking for a better life.”
As Nigeria faces a severe cost-of-living crunch, bolstered by subsidy removal, rising prices, and worsening infrastructure, returnees are left to reconcile idealism with reality. The wave of japada marks not just a shift in migration patterns, but a broader reevaluation of identity, belonging, and the meaning of success for those coming home.