STEMMING THE TIDE OF OVERSEAS EMIGRATION FOR GREENER PASTURES THROUGH BUSINESS EDUCATION

Abstract

Nigeria is a country blessed with various natural, human and material resources. Under normal circumstances, the citizens need not experience economic hardships. Nevertheless, lack of functional business education and effective economic planning policy make unemployment and under employment prevalent in the country. Thus, reasonable percentage of the labour force are vulnerable to these and the associated socio-economic vices such as drug abuse, prostitution, cultism, fraud, among others. A large number of the youthful population have chosen to ‘japa’ – leave the country in search for better livelihood in advanced countries. As a way forward to eliminating these vices, this paper examines the concept of business education, objectives of a functional business education, causes of overseas emigration, the role of business education in curbing unemployment and stemming the tide of overseas emigration for greener pastures. The paper concludes that employment creation through business education could be used to stem the tide of overseas emigration in Nigeria. The paper therefore suggests that effective and efficient business education will lead to establishment of viable and prosperous enterprises that will help in reducing unemployment in Nigerian and solve the disturbing emigration problem. The paper recommends that while in schools, Nigerians should be trained to be self-employed and that government, in addition to providing adequate functional instructional facilities and equipment, should provide for the training and retraining of business education instructors.