What it means
Yoruba word that means to run or flee, but in modern Nigerian slang it specifically means to relocate abroad chasing better opportunities. Became a proper cultural phenomenon around 2021-2022 when loads of young Nigerians started moving to the UK, Canada, and beyond. Some use it with excitement, some with sadness. Sparked massive debates about brain drain and whether the grass is actually greener.
Usage examples
"My guy finally got his visa sorted, he don japa to Canada last week and the first thing he posted was snow falling on his head."
"My cousin japa to Toronto last March, says she's never coming back to look for work in Lagos."
"Everybody in my graduating class is planning to japa, the only question is which country accepts their papers first."
Where it comes from
From the Yoruba verb "jàpá" (to flee, to run away in haste), originally a colloquial alarm cry. From around 2021 the word exploded across Nigerian social media as the umbrella term for the wave of young professionals relocating abroad (to the UK, Canada, the US, Australia) in search of better opportunities, away from inflation, insecurity and limited career paths. Today the "japa generation" is its own demographic, with its own podcasts and Telegram groups.
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