verb Street Slang

Japa

JAH-pah · verb · pidgin

To flee, escape, or emigrate abroad in search of better opportunities.

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Definitions

1

Originally meant fleeing or escaping quickly, and has become the standard word for emigrating from Nigeria, especially among young professionals seeking opportunities overseas.

“My guy don japa go Canada last year, e dey do well.”
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2

From Yoruba 'jápa' (to flee/dash away); now used specifically to describe relocating abroad for better opportunities, capturing a whole generation's emigration wave.

“Half of my graduating class has japa'd to Canada or the UK.”
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Japa In A Sentence

My guy don japa go Canada last year, e dey do well.

Origin & Usage

From Yoruba, meaning to flee/escape quickly, as documented in the Wikipedia "Nigerian Pidgin" article; the emigration sense is now dominant in everyday use, per Pulse.ng.

People Also Ask

What does "japa" mean?

It means to flee or escape quickly — today it's used mainly to mean emigrating abroad for better opportunities.

Where does the word come from?

It comes from Yoruba, where it originally meant to flee or escape.

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