The Journey of Japa, I Just Got Back, and Innit: A Tale of Migration and Identity

Migration has always been a defining element of human history, shaping cultures, economies, and personal identities. In contemporary Nigerian discourse, the term Japa — a Yoruba word meaning “to flee” — has become synonymous with the pursuit of a better life abroad.

It captures the growing trend of young Nigerians leaving the country in search of greener pastures, often facing both opportunities and challenges in their host nations.

However, after years abroad, many return to Nigeria with a new perspective, an experience commonly expressed as I just got back (IJGB).

These returnees, equipped with foreign exposure, sometimes struggle to reintegrate into their home country. Meanwhile, in their time abroad, they might have adopted new cultural influences, including phrases like Innit, a slang expression popular in the UK, which symbolizes an acquired foreign identity.

The interplay of these three phrases encapsulates the realities of migration, transformation, and the struggle to belong both at home and abroad.

To be continued…