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                 The classroom was quiet as the guidance counsellor asked each final-year student to mention the course they hoped to study at the university.

"Medicine."

"Law."

"Engineering."

Each answer was welcomed with smiles and applause.

Then it was his turn.

He stood up, took a deep breath and said, "I want to study Agriculture."

The classroom fell silent before laughter broke out.

"Agriculture?" one student asked. "After all these years in school, you want to become a farmer?"

Another added, "Why not study Medicine or Law? People will respect you more."

Although he smiled, the comments stayed with him.

That evening, he told his family that Agriculture was still his first choice. His father looked surprised.

"We have worked hard to educate you. Why not choose a profession people admire?"

His mother gently asked him to reconsider, while his uncle advised him to choose another course first and leave Agriculture as a last option.

For the first time, he wondered if his dream was really worth defending. Yet one question kept coming to his mind:

How did a profession that feeds the nation become one that so many young people are ashamed to choose?

Sadly, this is not just one student's story. Across Nigeria, many young people interested in agriculture face the same doubts and discouragement. The problem is not agriculture itself but the way society sees it. Over the years, agriculture has been unfairly labelled as a profession for people with few options, while careers like Medicine, Law and Engineering are seen as symbols of success.

This negative perception is known as stigma. Stigma is an unfair label or belief that causes people to judge someone or something without understanding its true value. Because of this stigma, many students abandon their interest in agriculture, not because they lack passion, but because they fear being judged by society.

                   The effects of this stigma go far beyond one student sitting in a classroom. It affects thousands of young Nigerians who genuinely have an interest in agriculture but gradually lose the confidence to pursue it. Instead of choosing a course they are passionate about, many settle for careers that society considers more respectable. In the process, dreams are abandoned, talents are wasted and opportunities to contribute to the nation's agricultural sector are lost.

The people already working in agriculture are affected too. Farmers who wake up before sunrise and spend long hours producing the food that feeds the nation are often given little recognition. Many struggle with poor roads, inadequate storage facilities, rising production costs and limited access to modern farming equipment. Yet, despite their sacrifices, they are rarely celebrated in the same way as professionals in other fields. This lack of respect discourages many young people from seeing agriculture as a career worth pursuing.

The consequences extend beyond students and farmers. Every Nigerian is affected. When fewer young people are willing to enter agriculture, food production declines while the demand for food continues to increase. The result is higher food prices, greater dependence on imported food and growing concerns about food security. In the end, a stigma that begins with one profession becomes a problem that affects an entire nation.

A few months later, the student gained admission to study Agriculture. The reactions did not change. During his first semester, some old classmates called to ask if he had changed his mind. Others laughed and joked that he would soon be carrying a hoe from one farm to another. Even during family gatherings, relatives questioned his decision, insisting that he still had time to switch to another course.

One evening, after listening to another round of advice, he quietly asked his uncle, "If nobody studies Agriculture, who will produce the food we eat every day?"

The room became silent.

No one answered immediately.

His uncle finally smiled and said, "That is not the issue. Society simply respects other professions more."

That response stayed with him. It made him realise that the greatest challenge facing agriculture was not the land or the crops—it was the way people thought about the profession.

As Professor Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank and former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, once said:

                    "Agriculture is a business, not a development programme."

His words remind us that agriculture is more than planting crops. It is a sector capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty, driving industrial growth and transforming economies. Unfortunately, many people still judge it through the lens of outdated stereotypes instead of the opportunities it offers today.

Changing this mindset is where the journey begins. Breaking the stigma means challenging beliefs that have existed for generations and replacing them with a better understanding of what agriculture truly represents. It means recognising that agriculture is no longer limited to hoes and cutlasses. Today, it includes agribusiness, food processing, greenhouse farming, technology, research and innovation. Around the world, young people are building successful careers in agriculture because they see opportunities where others only see hardship.If agriculture has changed with time, why are our attitudes towards it still trapped in the past?

               Changing people's perception of agriculture begins with changing the story we tell about it. For too long, agriculture has been presented as a profession of hardship instead of opportunity. Whenever many people hear the word farmer, they imagine an elderly man with a hoe working under the hot sun. While that picture reflects the reality of some farmers, it does not represent the full story of agriculture today.

Modern agriculture has moved beyond traditional farming. It now includes agribusiness, food processing, mechanised farming, greenhouse technology, livestock production, fish farming, agricultural research, food packaging, marketing and export. Across Nigeria and other African countries, young entrepreneurs are proving that agriculture is no longer just about producing food; it is also about creating wealth, solving problems and providing employment. This is the image that should be promoted if more young people are to see agriculture as a profession with dignity and a future.

Rebranding agriculture also starts at home. Parents should encourage their children to pursue careers based on their passion and abilities rather than public opinion. Schools should expose students to the many opportunities in agriculture through practical learning, career talks and educational visits to successful farms and agribusinesses. The media should tell more stories of young Nigerians who are succeeding in agriculture instead of focusing only on food shortages and farmers' struggles. When people repeatedly see success stories, their perception gradually begins to change.

Can we truly expect young people to embrace agriculture when many of the challenges facing the sector remain unresolved?

Changing the mindset alone is not enough. Government also has a crucial role to play. It is difficult to convince young people that agriculture has a bright future when many farmers still struggle with poor roads, insecurity, expensive farm inputs and inadequate access to modern machinery. Tractors, harvesters and irrigation equipment remain beyond the reach of many farmers because of their high

cost, while import duties on agricultural equipment make mechanisation even more difficult. In many rural communities, poor electricity and inadequate storage facilities lead to heavy post-harvest losses, discouraging both farmers and investors.

These challenges do more than reduce agricultural productivity; they reinforce the stigma. When young people see farmers battling the same problems year after year with little support, they begin to believe that agriculture is a profession filled with frustration rather than opportunity. This perception will continue unless practical steps are taken to improve the sector.

As Professor Akinwumi Adesina rightly said,

"Agriculture is the new oil."

This statement is more than a slogan. It is a reminder that Nigeria has the resources to build a strong economy through agriculture if the sector receives the attention, investment and policies it deserves. Supporting agriculture is not simply about helping farmers; it is about strengthening food security, creating employment and securing the nation's future.

                Breaking the stigma surrounding agriculture requires a collective effort. Government cannot do it alone, and neither can farmers. Parents, teachers, schools, the media, private organisations and young people all have important roles to play. Every stakeholder must begin to see agriculture not as a profession of last resort, but as one that deserves respect, investment and support.

Government should make agricultural loans more accessible, reduce unnecessary import duties on farm machinery, improve rural roads, provide better storage facilities and invest in agricultural research and innovation. Schools should encourage practical agricultural education instead of limiting students to classroom theory. Parents should support children who have genuine interest in agriculture rather than forcing them into careers they do not love. The media should continue to highlight stories of young Nigerians who are transforming agriculture through creativity and technology. When all these efforts come together, the image of agriculture will gradually begin to change.

Several years later, the young boy who was once laughed at for choosing Agriculture returned to his community—not as the confused secondary school student people doubted, but as the founder of a successful agribusiness. What began as a dream many people looked down on had grown into a thriving enterprise that supplied fresh vegetables and grains to markets, hotels and supermarkets. His business employed young graduates, partnered with local farmers and trained secondary school students who wanted to learn modern farming techniques.

The same neighbours who once questioned his decision now invited him to speak to their children about career choices. His former school honoured him during Career Day, where he stood before another group of final-year students. This time, when he introduced himself as an agricultural entrepreneur, the classroom was filled with applause instead of laughter. The dream that many had dismissed had become a source of hope for others.

His story reminds us that the greatest obstacle to agriculture is not the profession itself but the negative perception attached to it. When we encourage young people instead of discouraging them, when we invest in agriculture instead of neglecting it, and when we recognise the value of those who feed the nation, we create opportunities not only for individuals but for Nigeria as a whole.

If one young person's decision to believe in agriculture could change so many lives, imagine what Nigeria could become if thousands of young people were given the same encouragement.

As the African proverb says, "Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one person can embrace it alone." In the same way, breaking the stigma surrounding agriculture is a responsibility we all share. Only by working together can we build a generation that sees agriculture not as a symbol of failure, but as a profession of dignity, innovation and hope.

Do you know about renewable energy? Climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing the world today. Rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, sea-level rise and prolonged droughts are becoming more frequent because of the increasing amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. These gases mainly come from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas for electricity, transportation and industrial activities.

Renewable energy offers a practical and sustainable solution to the crisis. Energy from the sun, wind, water and other renewable sources can provide electricity without producing large amounts of carbondioxide. This is why many experts believe renewable energy is one of the most greatly ways to reduce climate change and create a healthier plane.

Effect of Climate Change

Health problems caused by heat waves….

Air pollution

Ore frequent floods and heavy rainfall

Reduced agricultural productivity and food insecurity.

Developing countries, including Nigeria, are already experiencing many of those impacts through flooding, threats to farming, changing rainfall patterns etc.

What is Renewable Energy? You may ask.

Renewable energy is energy produced from natural resources that are continuously replenished. Unlike fossil, fuel, renewable resources do not run out and produce little or no greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources of Renewable Energy

Solar Energy: Electricity generated from sunlight using solar panels

Wind Energy: Electricity produced by wind turbines.

Tycopower: Energy generated from flowing water.

Geothermal Energy: Heat energy obtained from beneath the earth surface.

Biomass Energy: Energy produced from organic materials such as agricultural waste and plant matter.

How does Renewable Energy helps fight Climate Change

Improves air quality, conserves natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emission, creates employment opportunities, strengthens energy security, supports sustainable development.

Reduces Greenhouse Emission

Renewable energy systems generate electricity with little or no carbon emissions. By replacing coal, oil and gas power plants they significantly reduce oil amount oil greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.

Improves Air Quality

Buming fossils fuels releases pollutants that cause respiratory diseases, heart problems and environmental pollution. Renewable energy produces cleaner air, improving public health and reducing healthcare costs.

Conserve Natural Resources

Renewable energy sources are naturally replenished and require fewer non-renewable resources. This helps preserve the environment for future generation.

Create Employment  Opportunities

The Renewable energy industry creates job in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, engineering, research and environmental management. As investment in clean energy grows, employment opportunities also increase.

Strengthens Energy Security

Countries that rely heavily on imported fossil fuel are vulnerable to fluctuating fuel prices and supply descriptions. Developing renewable energy allows to produce more of their own electricity increasing energy independence.

Supports Sustainable Development

Renewable energy promotes economic growth while protecting the environment. Supports industries, improves electricity access in rural communities, and contributes to achieving the united nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Nigeria’s Renewable energy potential 

Nigeria has enormous renewable energy resources. The country receives abundant sunshine throughout the year, moving sole power especially promising. Northern Nigerian also has strong wind potential in certain areas, while rivers provide opportunities for hydropower development.

Challenges Facing Renewable Energy

Lack of public awareness and government investment in some regions.

Need for better energy storage technologies 

Limited infrastructure in some developing countries

What Individual can do

Everyone has a role to play in addressing climate change. Individuals can:

Use electricity efficiently

Switch to energy-saving appliances.

Support renewable energy projects.

Plant trees and protect forests.

Reduce waste through recycling and reuse.

Educate others about climate change.

Advocate for clean energy policies.

Every day, millions of Nigerians visit hospitals and healthcare centers with the hope of receiving timely, safe, and quality medical care. Behind the doors of many of these facilities, however, lies a growing crisis that often goes unnoticed. Across the country, experienced nurses are leaving in increasing numbers to pursue better opportunities abroad, creating a widening gap in Nigeria's healthcare workforce. While this migration offers nurses improved welfare, career advancement, and better working conditions, it has also left hospitals struggling with staff shortages, increased workloads, and declining quality of patient care. Ultimately, it is the patients, especially those in vulnerable communities, who bear the greatest burden of this growing retention crisis.

Understanding the Japa Phenomenon

The term Japa is a popular Nigerian expression derived from the Yoruba language, meaning "to flee" or "to escape." In recent years, it has become widely associated with the migration of skilled professionals seeking better employment opportunities, improved living conditions, and greater career prospects abroad. Within the healthcare sector, the term describes the increasing movement of Nigerian nurses to countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Reports from the United Kingdom Nursing and Midwifery Council consistently identify Nigeria as one of the leading sources of internationally trained nurses registering to practice in the United Kingdom, demonstrating the scale of the migration.

Although nurse migration provides individuals with opportunities for professional growth, better remuneration, safer working environments, and access to modern healthcare systems, its impact on Nigeria's healthcare sector has become increasingly difficult to ignore. As more experienced nurses leave, hospitals are left with fewer skilled professionals to care for a growing population, placing additional pressure on an already fragile healthcare system.

Beyond Salary: Understanding the Real Drivers of Nurse Migration

he migration of Nigerian nurses is often attributed to inadequate salaries, but the reality is far more complex. While better pay remains an important motivation, it is only one of several factors encouraging nurses to seek employment abroad. Many healthcare professionals continue to work under challenging conditions characterized by inadequate infrastructure, obsolete medical equipment, staff shortages, excessive workloads, poor welfare packages, insecurity, limited opportunities for career progression, and weak institutional support. Delayed implementation of healthcare policies and inadequate professional recognition have further reduced job satisfaction within the profession.

At the same time, destination countries offer attractive employment packages, better working environments, advanced training opportunities, and clearer career development pathways. These opportunities make migration an increasingly attractive option for nurses seeking professional fulfillment and financial stability. Consequently, the decision to migrate is not simply a search for higher income but a response to deeper systemic challenges within Nigeria's healthcare system.

Nigeria cannot solve its healthcare workforce crisis by producing more nurses alone. Expanding nursing education is important, but it cannot address the problem if the conditions driving migration remain unchanged. The country must also create an enabling environment that encourages skilled professionals to remain, grow, and build rewarding careers at home.

When Nurses Go Abroad, Patients Pay the Price

The migration of experienced nurses has far reaching consequences that extend beyond the healthcare professionals themselves. While many nurses leave in pursuit of better opportunities and improved quality of life, the effects of their departure are felt most by the millions of Nigerians who depend on the country's healthcare system. Every nurse who leaves creates a gap that becomes increasingly difficult to fill, particularly in a system already struggling with shortages of skilled health personnel.

Patients are often the first to experience the impact. Hospitals with fewer nurses face longer waiting times, overcrowded wards, and reduced access to timely medical attention. The remaining nurses are expected to care for more patients than recommended, making it increasingly difficult to provide the level of attention, monitoring, and emotional support that quality healthcare requires. As workloads continue to rise, the risk of fatigue, burnout, and preventable medical errors also increases, placing patient safety at risk.

The shortage of experienced nurses also affects the quality of healthcare delivery. Senior nurses play a vital role in supervising junior colleagues, mentoring newly employed staff, and maintaining professional standards. Their departure creates a mentorship gap that weakens healthcare delivery and makes it more difficult for younger nurses to gain practical experience and confidence.

The effects extend beyond hospitals to nursing education and national development. The migration of experienced nurses reduces the number of qualified educators available to train future professionals, creating a cycle that further weakens the country's healthcare workforce. At the same time, Nigeria loses the substantial public and private investments made in training these professionals, while destination countries benefit from their knowledge, skills, and experience. Although many Nigerian nurses abroad contribute through financial support to their families and international collaboration, these benefits do not outweigh the growing shortage of skilled professionals within the country.

Ultimately, nurse migration is no longer merely a workforce issue. It is a national development challenge with direct consequences for healthcare delivery, economic productivity, and the well being of the population. Unless deliberate action is taken to retain skilled professionals, patients will continue to pay the highest price.

Closing the Retention Gap

Addressing Nigeria's healthcare workforce crisis requires bold leadership, sustained investment, and effective implementation of existing policies. Improving salaries and welfare packages is essential, but meaningful retention also depends on better working conditions, modern medical equipment, adequate staffing, safe workplaces, and continuous investment in healthcare infrastructure.

Nurses should have access to regular professional development, opportunities for career advancement, fair remuneration, and recognition for the essential role they play in national development. Healthcare institutions should also provide supportive working environments that encourage job satisfaction and professional fulfillment.

Government, healthcare institutions, professional bodies, and other stakeholders must work together to implement sustainable retention strategies that address both the professional and personal needs of healthcare workers. Existing policies should move beyond documentation to practical implementation. Strengthening partnerships with international healthcare institutions can also promote knowledge exchange while supporting the long term development of Nigeria's healthcare system.

Retaining skilled nurses is not simply about protecting a profession. It is about protecting lives. Every investment made in the welfare of nurses is an investment in stronger hospitals, healthier communities, and a more resilient healthcare system.

Conclusion

The migration of Nigerian nurses reflects deep rooted economic, professional, and systemic challenges within the country's healthcare sector. While every individual has the right to pursue better opportunities, the continuous loss of skilled nurses has serious consequences for hospitals, healthcare workers, and most importantly, patients. The solution does not lie in preventing migration but in addressing the conditions that make migration the preferred choice.

Closing the retention gap demands genuine commitment from government, healthcare institutions, and all relevant stakeholders. By improving nurses' welfare, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, implementing existing policies, and creating opportunities for professional growth, Nigeria can rebuild confidence in its healthcare system and retain the skilled workforce it desperately needs. When nurses choose to stay, hospitals become stronger, healthcare services improve, and patients receive the quality care they deserve. A nation that values and invests in its nurses is ultimately investing in the health and future of its people.

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 Every year, government prepare budgets that promise better roads, hospitals, schools, water supply, and other infrastructures. However, when these budgets are poorly implemented because of delays, corruption, weak oversight, or inefficiency, these promised projects are either left unfinished or they never begin in most cases 40-60% and not implemented or they are stolen by those in high authority. The funds automatically “disappear”. The results of this disappearance of budgeted funds is that citizens bear the consequences while those in power tend not to suffer most of these things. 

How bush burning, poverty, and policy failures are scorching Nigeria's future.

The Harmattan came early to Lafia this year. But it wasn't just dry air. It was smoke. It filled school compounds in Jalingo where pupils wore face masks to class in October. It cut short morning jogs in Abuja because the air tasted like campfire. It sent asthmatic patients to hospitals in Port Harcourt before December even began.

For four months every dry season, smoke becomes Nigeria's second atmosphere. From farmlands in Benue to charcoal markets in Rivers, from gas flares in the Delta to generator fumes in Lagos, we set fires and then wonder why the sky turns grey. We burn to plant. We burn to cook. We burn to survive. But every fire has a bill. And Nigeria is paying it with sick children, dead soil, floods that swallow towns, and a future growing thinner by the year. This is the story of that fire. Who lights it. Why they have no choice. And what government, agencies, and all of us must do before there's nothing left to save.

The Fire on the Land

Walk through any village from Benue to Bauchi between November and March and you will see it. Farmers burning to clear land. Hunters burning to flush out game. Charcoal producers burning to feed city kitchens. 
NESREA says over 60% of farmland in North-Central is cleared by fire each year. It feels quick. It feels free. 

The bill comes later.

First, the soil dies. Fire kills the organic matter that holds water. One burn can strip nutrients that took 20 years to build. That's why yields keep falling even when farmers plant more seeds.
Then the floods come. Without trees and grass to hold it, rain rushes down hills and tears through towns. The gullies swallowing homes in Anambra and Enugu start here, on burned slopes 400km away.
Then the air turns poison. Smoke from bush burning mixes with generator fumes and gas flares. NIMET now ranks 8 Nigerian cities as unhealthy for 4 months every dry season. Asthma clinics in Kano and Port Harcourt are full. Children like Mallam Idris's granddaughter are the first to suffer.

The Fire in the Kitchen

But not every fire is lit on a farm. Some are lit in kitchens.
"High cost of fuel makes people to cut down bushes and use firewood,” a Port Harcourt resident told me last week. She asked not to be named. With petrol above 1,300/litre and a 12.5kg gas cylinder refill at 25,000, firewood became survival. Kerosene is scarce and expensive too.
One bag of charcoal now sells for 9,000 in Rivers markets. So the axe replaces the cooker. Trees fall. Bushes burn. Women walk farther each month to find wood.
It's a cruel loop. Poverty forces people to burn. Burning makes the climate worse. Worse climate makes farming harder. Harder farming makes people poorer.
"We burn because we are broke", the woman said. But Nigeria is getting poorer because we burn.

Back in Lafia, Mallam Idris is trying

A youth group from the state university showed him how to use crop residue as mulch. It's more work, he said, wiping sweat. But my granddaughter coughed less last week.
The land is tired. Nigeria is tired. If we keep burning, we will have nothing left to plant. Nothing left to breathe. Nothing left to pass on.

Stop The Burn. Save The Land. Before the fire reaches us all.

Where is Government? 

This is where anger is justified. Nigeria has laws. NESREA's Act bans uncontrolled burning. Most states have anti-bushfire edicts. On paper, we are protected.
In reality, the laws are ghosts.
Where are the extension officers in rural Katsina teaching farmers how to mulch instead of burn? Where are the subsidies for zero-tillage tools? Where is the national reforestation program with real budget and real monitoring?
The Ministry of Environment gives speeches at COP summits in Dubai. Back home, smoke fills villages in Jigawa and nobody shows up with alternatives.
Under the current administration, budgets talk about subsidy removal, naira reforms, inflation. All urgent. But climate is the ground beneath those debates. You can't fix food prices when the land itself is dying. You can't attract investors when Lagos and Port Harcourt choke on smoke for months.
The 2024 and 2025 budgets put less than 1% toward climate adaptation for rural farmers. That's not policy. That's neglect.

What Government and Agencies Must Do Now
Stop The Burn cannot work if firewood and charcoal remain the only affordable option. Government must attack the root: cost of clean energy.

For affordable cooking energy:
1. Targeted gas/kerosene subsidies for low-income homes: Vouchers for 5kg/12.5kg cylinders. If petrol is 1,300/litre, poor families will never choose gas at 25,000.
2. Remove VAT and import duties on LPG cylinders, cookers, stoves: Make equipment cheaper so families can switch from firewood.
3. Revive NNPC/NLNG domestic gas supply scheme: Gas for Nigerians first - more gas for local consumption, not just export.
4. Stabilize kerosene supply and price: NNPCL and marketers must end kerosene scarcity. It's the bridge fuel between firewood and gas for many poor homes.
5. Curb fuel price volatility: Use price stabilization fund and strategic reserves so 1,300 doesn't become 1,800 in 3 months. Predictable prices brings predictable cooking choices.

Role of Agencies and Government:
1. NESREA and State Ministries of Environment: Deploy “Green Extension Officers” to villages with mulching tools, organic fertilizer samples, no-burn training. Educate before you punish.
2. Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service and ADP: Fund research on no-burn land prep. Subsidize equipment. Make no-burn cheaper than burning.
3. Forestry Dept and Community Chiefs: Use community forest guards to monitor. Punish big charcoal cartels and illegal loggers, not struggling farmers. Give farmers alternatives first.
4. Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources: Enforce “no gas flare deadline. Capture flare gas for power/cook-gas. 60 years of flares is policy failure.
5. NIMET and NCDC: Issue real-time air quality alerts and health advisories during Harmattan. Put climate education in primary schools. Use radio dramas in Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin, Tiv. Mallam Idris doesn't need PowerPoint. He needs tools and trust.

The Fire in the Future
  
UNEP warns that desertification is moving south at 0.6km every year. By 2050, Nigeria could lose 40% of its arable land in the North. 
That doesn't just mean hunger. It means migration. It means more clashes between farmers and herders fighting over shrinking land. It means more young people with no choice but to leave.
The smoke you see in December becomes the empty plate you face in August.

Stop The Burn. Save The Land. Before the fire reaches us all.