Brain drain as a clog in the wheel of Nigeria’s development: The university education system in focus

Abstract

The critical and catalytic role of qualified and skilled manpower in facilitating a country’s rapid and sustainable socio-economic and
technological advancement cannot be under-estimated. Nations today depend increasingly on knowledge, ideas and skills for solutions to their developmental problems. The impact that a creative and skilled individual can make via his/her inventions, innovations and/or discoveries can be greater than the labour of thousands of unskilled individuals. In contrast, absence or gross inadequacy of pre-requisite manpower considerably retards the socio-economic and technological growth and development of a
nation. This is because her capacity to develop her intellectual resources further, manage her institutions and provide required services to her citizens is seriously impaired. This study critically examines the brain drain phenomenon and its causes in Nigeria. These causes range from lack of employment, poor remuneration for top flight intellectuals and professionals, political instability, security risks to lack of research and other facilities (including inadequacy of research funds and professional equipment and tools). Others are under-utilization of qualified personnel, unsatisfactory working conditions, low prospects of professional  development, lack of job satisfaction and poor standard of living. The research reveals that the consequences of this phenomenon include inter alia drastic fall in the standard of education, tremendous reduction in the quality of skilled manpower in tertiary institutions in Nigeria (particularly the universities), depletion of Nigeria’s natural supply of intellectual and
professional manpower and rise in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the receiving countries. The paper argues cogently that for national development to be appreciable and sustainable, the issue of brain drain ought to be adequately addressed. The paper concludes by proffering suggestions on how to combat and curb the menace in Nigeria

Keywords: Brain drain, clog, wheel, development