The Nation Newspaper

Tag: migration

  • Elections, migration  and power

    It  sounds far  fetched to link migration of people  with  the quest for power in any  democracy. This is because on the face of it migrants are like gypsies who never stay put and are not likely to be around or registered for elections if and when due. I  remember  a favorite  quotation of mine  that  I  pasted  on the wall of my room at  Unife  that  says ‘Time,  you  old gypsy man, will  you not stay, put  up your caravan, just for one day?  But  that  now is an ancient myth. Nowadays in the  global  village we live in migrants dominate  global politics  in a way  and manner  never  seen before.  In  recent times it was a phenomenon  started by the invasion of Iraq in  2003 in the Middle East but  it blossomed into the violence of the Arab Spring in 2011  and crystallised  in    a desperate  avalanche  of  migrants  heading to Europe, fleeing the war  in Syria to dislodge its president.

    That  led to the emergence of ISIS  and the massive Arab influx  into Europe through Greece and Italy as  well  as Hungary. That  has had  a massive influence on  recent  elections and distribution of power in European  nations based on those for and those against migration. We shall  see  more of that later. It  is the import of  migration on past  and coming elections in both the US  and  Nigeria  that  attract  my attention today and since elections involve  voters in a nation I  want  to discuss the  issue of census and  migration  and how both will impact the 2019 presidential  elections  in  Nigeria as well  as the 2020 presidential  elections in  the  US.  In  Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari  came to power  in  2015  on a crest of popularity based on his reputation for discipline, integrity and  huge potential  and experience  to fight corruption  and  create  security in the face of  persistent  Boko  Haram  terrorism. In the US, President Donald  Trump  came to power on a bandwagon of anti establishment and anti  political  correctness and  the nationalist creed which  he finally agreed this week  to – Make  America Great Again. Both  leaders  and gentlemen  are to defend  their records and performance in their two nations in 2019  in Nigeria and 2020  in the US respectively. Both  of course  are confident they  have done well but they  have not become complacent about it. They  are  both looking at the population and its shifts in terms of migration and registration of voters as well as both the increased enfranchisement as well as disenfranchisement of voters,  if  possible so that they can get more votes than their contestants and  competitors  to stay in power for another term of office. That  is the crux of the matter  we shall  look at  today.

    In  Nigeria the Boko  Haram menace is still on  but  the President feels that the  terrorists have been cut to size  and are operating more like guerrillas. He  feels that the fact that they  are not involved in regular battle shows that they have been vanquished. Yet they  still  use  girls as suicide  bombers to kill innocent people in Maiduguri  near Army barracks.  Boko  Haram  still operates in the former  North  East  from where six  states  were carved out after the census of  1974 put the population at 15m. The states are Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe.  The  North  East of Nigeria is a vast  area but it is very  arid and there  was great controversy  that it could sustain  the census  figure  given  for it then  and even more  so  now. Especially  now  that we  have the Fulani Herdsmen migration for  water  to the south  and the clashes between  the Fulani  herdsmen  and  farmers  who  have been killed and maimed in states like Benue and  Plateau so  much  that the governor of Benue left the ruling party because of lack of support from Abuja. Although the presidency  has attributed the Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash to the search for water  and  the influx of non Nigerians from Libya  after the collapse of the Gaddafi  regime there  is no denying that the tension between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers will affect the security and voting turn out in the affected areas in both North East  and Middle Belt of Nigeria. It  is pertinent that the Fulani  herdsmen umbrella organization  has stated clearly that it is in support of the reelection of the incumbent president which makes the organization not only a migrant welfare body  but a powerful political  organ  on its own. But  the organization should look at what it is up against in the main opponent of the president in PDP’s  Abubakar  Atiku  and his running  mate  Peter Obi  a  former governor  from the East  and  an  Igbo.

    In  terms of  migration in Nigeria, not many ethnic groups can  match the Igbos. Whilst  the Fulani  herdsmen or cattle Fulani  are looking for water down south with or without grazing rights,  the Igbos are all  over  Nigeria  looking for  business in the North especially  and mostly in Lagos. A  true census in Lagos  state  will show  the population strength of  the Igbos  and if that  is translated to voting rights, it is bound to favor any party they belong to. So  the  Atiku/ Obi  PDP ticket  is a potent one that  the

    APC must  strategise  to confront and contain and  the ruling  party needs to dust  off not only census figures on migration in Nigeria but also  sales figures of major marketing companies who  know where their consumers are all over the nation. Such  data  may  be more productive  and votes yielding than  campaign  promises this time around.

    Interestingly  the 2020  census in the US  is  already  being targeted by the Republicans so  that they  can get  rid  of migrants  so that  they  cannot  vote for  the Democrats who  are the usual party of such migrants and blacks –  that is if you believe  the Liberals or Democratic  Party of the US. This is because a new form on census form  asks  for citizenship  and the Democrats say  this is not necessary. I remember reading  an article by the Obama Administration Attorney  General  Eric  Holder  that said census is for those  living in the nation for planning and economic purposes and not for citizens.  Now  with  Trump’s ant migration war it  tallies  that  the Republicans will want to get the votes by cutting off  illegal migrants who may not want to expose themselves by  coming  to  vote. Which  really is difficult  to  understand  for a Nigerian like me who thinks that if you are not a Nigerian  you  should  not vote.

    Yet  in Nigeria all  residents turn out to vote at  our  voting centers including  mostly Okada riders and security  maigads  from Niger,  Chad    and neighboring  nations, who  at times outnumber their  Nigerian  bosses  and  other  bona fide  Nigerians  at polling stations at election time. So  really  who is doing the right thing here between the US  and Nigeria?  I  wonder  what  the professors at  INEC  have to  say  on this as we approach  the 2019 elections. That is if it is not too late. Once again long live the Federal  Republic of Nigeria.

  • Security, economy, migration to dominate Merkel’s visit

    Security, economy and migration will dominate discussions during the German Chancellor’s Angela Merkel visit, Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tuggar, has said.

    Merkel is on a three-day trip to Africa, beginning with Senegal yesterday, where she was scheduled to meet Senegalese President Macky Sall and leaders of civil society groups.

    Merkel’s delegation is expected to include experts in electrification, digitalisation, infrastructure and energy management.

    Tuggar said the German leader would be accompanied by German business owners.

    The envoy, who briefed reporters ahead of today’s visit, stressed the significance of the visit, which is coming a day after the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Theresa May’s visit.

    He said: “One of the challenges we have faced over the years in the area of Small and Medium Scale business is how to attract small scale businesses from Germany to our country.

    “This is in line with the Economic Growth and Recovery Plan of the Federal Government. At the moment, the German government is also doing everything to push out its Small and Medium Scale businesses to take their place in an increasingly globalised world.”

    Tuggar said members of the business delegate are to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with companies.

    “Nigeria wants to take advantage of the areas Germany has comparative advantage.

    “German companies are interested in the Nigerian agriculture sector through NIRSL. This is about how to strengthen our agricultural sector to create prosperity for Nigerians, especially for young people.”

    Another issue that may receive attention during Merkel’s visit is security. According to Tuggar, Nigeria and Germany have been collaborating on security for a while now.

    He said: “As the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are beginning to return to where they were displaced, huge fund is required. Nigeria cannot do it alone. The support of the global community is needed to resettle them.

    “After this visit, Oslo ‘2’ will follow. This is about how to mobilise global support for rehabilitation process in the Northeast.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Checking irregular migration’

    Nigeria has become synonymous with irregular migration. What can be done to stem the tide? ROBERT EGBE sought experts’ views.

    On June 9, the over 1,420 mi-grants rescued from the Mediterranean  Sea and turned away by Italy and Malta, arrived in Spain’s port of Valencia aboard four vessels. One of them was The Aquarius, which rescued 630 migrants.

    According to The BBC, the migrants aboard The Aquarius alone were from 26 countries and the largest groups (about 150 ) including 11 children and seven pregnant women, were from Sudan and Nigeria.

    Last November 29, Federal Commissioner, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) ranked Nigerians as the fifth largest number of migrants irregularly crossing to Europe.

    On February 26, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria, Ketil Karisen, said Nigeria accounted for 60 per cent of the 10,000 illegal migration cases recorded between last November and January.

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reports that between May 28 and June 10, 2,225 illegal migrants arrived in Italy.  The top three nationalities of the migrants were Tunisia, Eritrea and Nigeria.

    IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, which tracks migrant deaths or disappearances in the process of migration, estimates that in the first half of this year, a minimum of 790 migrants died en route Europe by drowning, cardiac arrest and hypothermia, among others.

    Even those who do make it to Europe are often classified as illegal immigrants and deported.

    Irregular migrants’ expectations

    So, why do migrants put themselves through such harrowing experiences? The Migrant Project, which helps migrants understand the risks related to migration, said its research showed that many of such travellers were misinformed.

    Part of the migrant project’s research on the issue was published in June 2018 as an Abridged Messaging Manual titled: “Irregular Migration in Nigeria”.

    Project Co-ordinator of The Migrant Project, Ms Clare Henshaw, said: “For example, in our research, 72 per cent of Nigerian potential migrants said that they expected to receive government support in finding a job in their intended destination country.

    “The overwhelming majority of Nigerian potential migrants said they expected to find a job in their destination country within four months (92 per cent), while 68 per cent of respondents expected to be working within two months.

    “Similarly, almost 20 per cent of Nigerians interviewed expected to become citizens of their destination country, an extreme rarity for West African migrants and asylum seekers.

    “Migrants often assume they will achieve success in Europe and believe that they will quickly find a job and make money easily, but this is not true. The small percentages that do stay have great difficulties finding a job, and their precarious legal situation makes them vulnerable to exploitation.”

    The realities for irregular migrants

    Men, women and children – no one is spared the reality check of ill-advised migration.

    Twenty-six-year-old Mercy Osabouhiem’s story exemplified the experience of many irregular migrants. She told IRIN, a Switzerland-based news agency focusing on humanitarian stories, how she was taken captive and repeatedly sexually assaulted in Libya after crossing the Sahara Desert last May.

    Osabouhiem said: “Every night, shooting guns up and down… No food. No water. And the water they have there is salty. It’s not good for the stomach.

    “Sometimes the man would come. The man has many boys, a lot of boys that work with him, so beating us every day, every night… Even raping, almost every night, rape every night. He said we should pay money. If we don’t pay we don’t go anywhere.”

    How expensive is irregular migration?

    The Migrant Project research found that smugglers usually lie about the costs and ask for more money while on the journey. Migrants also often have to pay large bribes to officials.

    It said: “The Migrant Project spoke to many potential Nigerian migrants who said they thought the journey would only cost around $1,000 (N360,500). Others estimated it to cost around $4,000 (N1,442,000) to $6,000 (N2,163,000).

    “However, the journey costs a lot more than this. In fact some Nigerian migrants have reported paying up to $24,000 (N8,652,000). The journey across the sea from Libya to Europe costs around $3,000 (1,081,500) alone.”

    Also, irregular migrants can also become a financial burden on their families and have to ask for more money to support themselves, especially if they are kidnapped and their families must pay a ransom for their freedom.

    Cost of living in Europe

    For irregular migrants, who eventually make it to Europe, their problems do not end there. They are also faced with the challenges of survival in a country where they are, more often than not, unwanted.

    “The daily costs in Europe, such as accommodation, transport and food, are very high. In many European countries, the average family will spend around $700 (N252,350) per week to live. Migrants, who are in Europe illegally, have a hard time finding a job and governments do not offer any support. Without a job it is impossible to access housing, buy enough food or save money. Many migrants end up homeless.

    “European immigration laws are becoming stricter. There are hardly jobs for irregular migrants. There is also the problem of language barrier,” the report added.

    Who are Nigeria’s irregular migrants?

    Nigerians of all ethnic, religious, sexual and other demographics have been found to engage in irregular migration.

    The Migrant Project said its research in Libya showed that Nigerian migrants are almost equally divided between men and women aged between 16 and 34, including a sizable number of youth. They are often unemployed and most speak  Edo, Yoruba or Hausa, with an intermediate level of English.

    Alternatives to irregular migration

    What can be done to stem the tide of irregular migration?

    The Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, in a paper titled: “Analysing current issues in global immigrations”, advised Nigerians to “stay and tap from many business opportunities” in the country rather than going to suffer unnecessarily in strange lands.

    She noted that it was unfortunate that while some Nigerians are leaving in search of greener pastures because of the economic situation, other who migrated illegally are brought back in shame.

    Atsenuwa said: “I am not saying our people should not travel, they should follow due process, go through an immigration personnel and lawyers for proper counselling and guidance. There are so many opportunities in Nigeria.

    “At this point, the Immigration Lawyers have to rise to this task of addressing the issues of human smuggling, trafficking in persons, strategies for eradicating illegal migration, labour exploitation, generating jurisprudence, developing programme/reports on immigration as well to provide knowledge and information to prospective migrants etc, and above all, create demand for quality service as Immigration Lawyers.”

    On the increasing cases of illegal migration repatriation and deportation of Nigerians, the Don said it was unfortunate that while some Nigerians are leaving in search of greener pastures because of the economic situation, others, who migrated illegally, are brought back in shame.

    Immigration Lawyers Forum Nigeria (ILAFN) Chairman, Silas Udoh, urged the Federal Government to address the problem of labour exploitation and abuse by foreign companies.

    According to him, creating a productive and developed economy was one of the measures to reduce mass irregular migration by Nigerians.

    Henshaw said her organisation addresses the problem in several ways, including providing skills acquisition, technical training, trading, further education and employment for returnees and would-be migrants.

    The organisation, she added, also promotes a behavioural change campaign.

  • Migration is ordained by God- Olusegun Obasanjo

    Ex- President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that migration is an act ordained by God.

    He expressed this statement at the maiden edition of the Youth Migration Summit tagged “Curbing Youth Irregular Migration” which held at Olusegun Obasanjo Public Library (OOPL) on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    Reacting to the stories of seven Libyan returnees at a panel sessions which he led, he said that their experiences were very unpleasant and hazardous.

    “The lesson is, it is not the way to go. I was in Italy, four weeks ago and the ambassador told me there were 1,600 youths in Italian prisons. I asked to see them but I could not.” The Former President said.

    Obasanjo who is also the chief promoter of the Olusegun Obasanjo Public Library (OOPL) explained the need to prevent youths from taking the risks on illegal migration.

    Migration is not something we should stop,” he said. “It has led to development and civilisation. We are all migrants. It only depends on how far back we want to be. Migrants are not refugees or bad people. Einstein was a migrant, having migrated to a land of opportunity.”

    However he emphasized the need for illegal Migration to stop.

    “We have to do what we had to do at home for us to prevent you from the type of risk you are taking. All of you from your diverse stories felt it will be better. There is no better thing in what you did, it is death and danger. It is either death, deformity, pain stress and anguish.

    “The solution is not the way out. Even as bad as things may be at home, things are still better than what you go through. Migration is ordained by God. God told Abraham to leave your home and go. One of the greatest Migration is the movement of the children of Israel to the promise land.”

  • Firm to end rural-urban migration

    A network marketing and investment company, NextLevel Global Network,  in Port Harcourt,  Rivers State capital, has promised to end rural urban migration.

    The Founder and Chief executive officer,  Godswill Nmekini, said the company would build industries in each of the 774 councils to create employment and reduce rural urban migration, and depopulate the cities.

    Nmekini said:  “It ndustrialisation is our own way to support any nation we operate in; we are going to build a mutual synergy to build industries that will employ graduates of the area,  by that way we develop the rural areas,  eradicate poverty and creat wealth in the grassroots.”

    He said the business started in Lagos State in 2013 with tricycle and motor bike operators and that what was launched in Port Harcourt was a higher level of the business concept.

  • Edo to intensify campaign against illegal migration

    Edo State will take the campaign against illegal migration to churches and schools from next year, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration Mr. Solomon Okoduwa told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin yesterday.

    The aide, who described the market-place campaign against the scourge as a success, noted that people, especially women, have been made to realise the danger of illegal migration.

    He said women were mostly the ones who encouraged their children to travel to Europe.

    “We want them to encourage their children to stay back home and realise that there is dignity in labour. If they join hands to run their little businesses, they can go places.

    “We are telling them that Europe is not a bed of roses and that the majority of them are being deceived into travelling to Europe. That there is no tree that vomits money on the streets of Europe as they are being told.

    “That the amount spent to migrate illegally should be invested here in Benin or elsewhere in the country. If they start a business with such money, they will be better off than going to risk their lives by migrating to Europe illegally.

    “People are making it here in Benin and they can also make it. They should believe in the good work the governor is doing and support him to move the state forward,” Okoduwa said.

    He said to add bite to the campaign, the government would introduce a catch-them-young system in schools next month through anti-illegal migration clubs.

    According to him, “we are taking this campaign seriously to make people know that illegal migration of girls has been rejected the world over and we should join forces with the world to reject it also.

    “It is because of the seriousness attached to the campaign that our targets for now are public places.’’

    NAN reports that Edo has been worse hit by the social problem, with 1,600 indigenes brought back home from Libya in the last seven weeks.

    The government trained 150 returnees and paid a monthly stipend of N20,000 to each adult and N10, 000 to each child for 600.

  • Migration: African leaders charged to lead in action not words

    Migration: African leaders charged to lead in action not words

    As the world makes the United Nations Migration day, the APC Scandinavia Chairman and a Global Affairs Analyst, Ayoola Lawal calls on African leaders across the continent to provide real and authentic leadership to meet the growing challenges that are leading to the unprecedented ill-fated migration of the African productive population.
    Lawal in a media chat with journalists observed that these population are predominately youths that are being exposed to undeserved physical and mental torture that underscores their audacious endeavours.
    According to him, it is true that migration has always been an old endeavour and throughout human history, it has been an audacious assertion of the individual’s will to overpower hard times and live an excelling life.
    “Thou several reasons such as improved life aspirations, adventure, instability, climate change, and labour market unmet needs are parts of the considerable factors for Migration but in recent times, the leading allure of co-development opportunities and concerted improvement of social and economic conditions of the migrant and his/her destination are hanging in the balance.
    “It is the fundamental responsibilities of any government to protect and promote the welfare of their citizens and also provide an enabling environment for them, not just to expand but also transform their creative knowledge and ingenuity to make a decent living and contribute to their part to growth and development of their country.
    “It is heart-wrenching and bitterly disappointing that the leaders performing their fundamental responsibilities and laying the foundation for sustainable development to mitigate as well as prevent the mass exodus of their country`s productive population in the present and the near future could be counted on fingertips.
    “These leaders only lead by words that are not backed my adaptable developmental actions. In most African countries, it is undeniable that the major causes of migration are the lack of basic needs of life, poverty, non-inclusive governance and, lack of conducive environment to develop potentials except for the very strong few in their country of origin.
    “It is undeniable that with the recent technological advancement and globalization trend, the probability of ill-fated migration of any citizen of any country with enabling environment and inclusive government is very inconsequential,” he pointed out.
    The Global Affairs Analyst, asserted that it will be quite hard for any government to discourage their citizens not to take ill-fated migration when the leaders that claimed to be leading and serving don´t see their citizens as their first priorities and the citizens are stolidly disappointed for they don`t see a better future for themselves in their country of origin because of glaring failure of leadership.
    He further suggested that to curb suicidal migration such as the recently exposed Libya slavery or the year 2017 Mediterranean encounter of over 2000 death of migrants and mitigate the recent unforeseeable challenges of migration, the leaders of the ill-fated migrant origins and the international community leaders are the key solutions.
    He said: “The ill-fated migrant origin leaders should provide authentic and inclusive governance devoid of tribal and gender sentiments, be creative in creating enabling social, economic and political environment for their citizens and encourage foreign direct investment, take the courage to allow youths to lead both at home and foreign missions as ambassadors while they serve as old hands elder statesmen and not otherwise.
    “Similarly, embellish cooperation as well as concerted plans, are needed among the countries and regions of migrants and the destination in international migration.
    “Members states of the United Nations should also step up the active catalyst role of dialogue and interaction creation within regions and countries on this pressing issue and further ensure that countries and regions comply to international standard code for migrants treatment. Any country or region that violates should code should be investigated and sanction appropriately.”

  • Commissioner urges youths to shun illegal migration

    The Cross River Commissioner for Climate Change, Dr Alice Eko has cautioned youths in the state against illegal migration to Europe in search of greener pastures.

    Eko said this yesterday in Calabar at a one-day seminar on `Migration’, organised by Ministry of Information and Orientation for “Media Practitioners and Public Relations Officers”.

    “My advice to the youth of Cross River is let us not migrate when there is no reason for doing so. Let us sit down here together and find solutions to our problems. Migrating to Europe or elsewhere is not the answer to our problems as a state or nation,” she said.

    The commissioner, however, condemned the recent alleged reports of maltreatment of illegal migrants and the use of African migrants as slaves, expressing concern that the issue had taken a global dimension.

    Eko attributed the present rush by Africans to migrate to Europe or other countries to issues of population explosion, hunger and starvation, as well as environmental factors, among others.

    The commissioner said these were not enough reasons for youths to lose hope on the country and advised them to stay and build the country.

    Also speaking, Mr Patrick Ugbe, the Chief Executive Officer of Hit FM, Calabar attributed the development to bad leadership by African Leaders.

    “The present day slavery is caused by migration, especially from Africa to Europe, which is becoming a major crisis in the world. To me, I think this is largely as a result of bad governance. These migrants have lost faith in the leadership of their countries. They have lost hope.

    “So, they feel that the only way out is to go in search of a better place. African leaders should provide good governance to curb this menace,” he said.

  • Commissioner urges youths to shun illegal migration

    The Cross River Commissioner for Climate Change, Dr Alice Eko has cautioned youths in the state against illegal migration to Europe in search of greener pastures.

    Eko said this yesterday in Calabar at a one-day seminar on `Migration’, organised by Ministry of Information and Orientation for “Media Practitioners and Public Relations Officers”.

    “My advice to the youth of Cross River is let us not migrate when there is no reason for doing so. Let us sit down here together and find solutions to our problems. Migrating to Europe or elsewhere is not the answer to our problems as a state or nation,” she said.

    The commissioner, however, condemned the recent alleged reports of maltreatment of illegal migrants and the use of African migrants as slaves, expressing concern that the issue had taken a global dimension.

    Eko attributed the present rush by Africans to migrate to Europe or other countries to issues of population explosion, hunger and starvation, as well as environmental factors, among others.

    The commissioner said these were not enough reasons for youths to lose hope on the country and advised them to stay and build the country.

    Also speaking, Mr Patrick Ugbe, the Chief Executive Officer of Hit FM, Calabar attributed the development to bad leadership by African Leaders.

    “The present day slavery is caused by migration, especially from Africa to Europe, which is becoming a major crisis in the world. To me, I think this is largely as a result of bad governance. These migrants have lost faith in the leadership of their countries. They have lost hope.

    “So, they feel that the only way out is to go in search of a better place. African leaders should provide good governance to curb this menace,” he said.

  • Building homes will stem migration

    SIR: Nigeria is so good at offering sentimental and complicated policy statements when avoidable disaster strikes and one such disaster just struck at the Mediterranean Sea where some 26 young Nigerian girls were sexually-molested and subsequently murdered by fellow migrants from wretched North African countries.

    This is really sad indeed. Wanton and haphazard migration inclinations can be blunted at its budding stage if a government gives its people a sense of belonging in the national fabric by just simply providing low-cost, template-based housings that its people can call their own. When folks own decent houses they can call their homes, then they are less likely to abandon home and migrate over to some foreign climes.

    The key “strapping-index” here is personal homesteads; what our governments in Africa have not realised yet is the sense of personal achievement and the sense of being human that personal homes offers; when citizens live in and out of hovels, they do not feel attachment to the towns and cities that they reside.

     

    • Sunday Adole Jonah,

    Federal University of Technology, Minna.