Abstract
This study focused on newspaper coverage of “Japaism”: youth migration in Nigeria by contextually analysing the various themes used in Vanguard and The Nation newspapers’ reports. Thematic content analysis was adopted to investigate this phenomenon. A total of 162 online articles were sourced from Vanguard and The Nation newspapers within 2023 out of which 149 were selected as the study sample. A code guide was used as a research instrument, and themes and subthemes were generated for proper analysis based on the three research questions raised for the study. The study however revealed that Nigerian newspapers did a great job within 2023 by reporting the “Japa” syndrome for national development. The discouraging frame was dominant in Nigerian newspapers’ reportage of “Japa”. At the same time, the sources of stories emerged from professional individuals who are seriously feeling the heat of youth migration from Nigeria. Also, the investigation showed that Nigerian newspapers paid serious attention to the “Japa” report by reporting the phenomenon in the straight news. It ensured the consistent use of the word “Japa” in the headlines to capture readers’ attention. The study suggested that though Nigerian newspapers should be applauded for the serious attention given to the reportage of “Japa” syndrome, they should do more by reporting the phenomenon using editorials that consider its positive impact on setting societal agendas.
Keywords: Japaism, Migration, Newspaper Coverage, Youth.