HALTING THE UNWHOLESOME MIGRATION AND THE WANTON EMIGRATION
Lagos is bursting on its seams and so is Abuja. Everyday lorry loads of
human beings land on the outskirts of Lagos and Abuja. Men and women,
mostly men; young and old, mostly young; educated and uneducated, mostly
both. What are they looking for? Work! Means of livelihood. Or Safety
as in the recent times. During the militancy they moved from
South-South, during the kidnapping, they moved from the South-East and
now in the reign of Boko haram,they are moving from the North East.Some
come prepared but most unprepared, no relation and no friend. They land
and just begin to 'hustle', some ending up on the streets, some into
crime and then into the prisons. Indeed some end up as destitutes, lucky
ones repatriated overnight in trailers to their States of Origin.
When you go to the Foreign Embassies in Lagos and in Abuja, you get
the wrong impression that Nigeria is at war. People arrive at Embassies
by 4am to queue day after day, others pay visa agents who procure
genuine and fake visas. Nigerians are emigrating to every Country on the
globe, a few in pursuit of Education, but most in search of greener
pasture and better lives. And since most arrive with visitor's visa,
they can not work legitimately. And as soon as the visa expires they go
underground and either join the grey labour market or are forced into
crime and soon end up in Jails. Go to Vietnam, Indonesia, China and even
Myrnmar(Burma), their jails are filled with Nigerians who are either
illegal immigrants, drug peddlers or petty thieves. The situation is not
different in the West,though, they seem to be more liberal or more
tolerant to illegal immigrants.This week,at the South East Economic
Summit in Enugu, the Nigerian Ambassadors to Vietnam and Canada were
telling gory stories of what embarrassment they faced everyday, going to
bail or visit Nigerians in Police cells or Prisons.
This Exodus has been unceasing in the last twenty years or more. At
one time, especially during the Military era, there was a wave of
emigration by Nigerian Professionals to the US, Uk, Asia and the middle
East. Some claimed they were refugees or Prisoners of conscience.Now it
has become a game for all,including young graduates, the unskilled and
the half-baked. How come the World's 6th Major Crude oil exporter, a
land of great agricultural and Solid minerals potentials is unattractive
for this horde of emigrants. What is the driving force?
From all indications, all this unwholesome migration and wanton
emigration is in search of OPPORTUNITIES. Opportunities to have a decent
Job, to do business unfettered, to live a decent life. Of course we
know that a few migrate or emigrate out of greed whereby they engage in
crimes like Drug peddling, armed robbery and kidnapping. Even here,
sociologists and behavioural scientists argue that many are forced into
crimes when they are denied fair opportunities. While I understand the
logic of this assertion, I do not think such crimes can be justified.
Petty stealing,may be but not premeditated crimes. Anyway, whether
justified or not, lack of opportunities or deprivation of fair
opportunities is the major motivation of the internal migration to Lagos
and Abuja and other major cities and the emigration to every country
under the sun by Nigerians.
It therefore follows that if we must halt this unsavoury phenomenon,we
must focus a great deal of effort in creating and expanding
opportunities for Nigerians at home. I believe that the ongoing
establishment of Private Universities for example,will help to stem the
emigration in search of higher education. I propose that more Private
Universities and other institutions of higher learning should be
licensed by the government until we reach the point of equilibrium . If
the National Universities Commission( NUC) works to assure the
maintenance of minimum standards, some day,we may have excess capacity
and we will then begin to market Nigerian Universities, the same way,
Turkish and Polish Universities are marketed in Nigeria today. The
recent criticism of the so called proliferation of Private Universities
is ill informed. Even the complaint about high fees is untenable.If
Nigerians pay so much in Ghana and Togo, why should we complain that
much. Good and qualitative education is expensive. I am hopeful that the
Private Universities will help to set new standards for some of our
Public ones, whose standards have fallen, aided by ASUU's frequent
strikes.
Central to halting this malady,is the creation of opportunities for
Nigerians to be gainfully employed. Nigeria's operating environment
still leaves much to be desired when it comes to the ease of doing
business. Yes, some praiseworthy efforts are being made, like the recent
ban on the use of Consultants to collect taxes by States and Local
Governments,the deregulation of the Power sector to help improve
Electricity and a couple of other measures, but we are still million
light years behind. Ok,some attention is being paid to the big companies
and investors but nobody is sufficiently interested in the small guys.
All odds are against them. And they are the ones who produce the largest
number of jobs in any economy. I strongly recommend that we go and
understudy the Small Business Administation(SBA) agency in the United
States of America, so that we can begin to support our small businesses
and keep our young men at home. A definite decision must be made to give
support to our young men and women in establishing and running
businesses. We must stop pulling down their shops without offering them
adequate compensation or alternative shops. We must show our Youth that
the Country cares for their success and well being and stop 'pushing'
them away with repressive policies and anti-business behaviour. We must
not model favouritism nor implement policies that indicate that Merit
has no relevance in the allocation of resources and priveleges. Our
Youth must be made to believe in this Country and be proud to be
Nigerians.
Critical to creating a business Promotive environment and expanding
opportunities for gainful employment is GOOD GOVERNANCE- using the
resources of the State judiciously and efficiently to make the place
habitable for human comfort and hospitable for enterprise development
under a regime of law and order. The State must take interest in the
wellbeing of every citizen and ensure that both the poor and the rich
are protected and treated fairly. When some people feel alienated,that
no one really cares, then they will naturally go looking for where some
one will care any where.
When you check the States with the highest levels of internal
migration out of their States to other States, and the highest rate of
emigration to foreign lands, you will begin to see a correlation. When I
tried to check, I was startled to note that the States in the South
East were high on both lists-unwholesome migration to Lagos and Abuja
and other major cities and Wanton emigration to every Nation on Earth-
including Iceland, Iraq and Somalia! Why are we deserting our homestead
and going everywhere else in search of opportunities. What is
constricting the opportunities in the region?
Yes, we can hide under the fact that the Igbos like to travel and that
many are traders or that we are marginalised with minimum Federal
presence especially since after the Civil War or that the Federal
Capitals ( Political and Commercial) exist outside our region,but does
that explain why many are languishing in the Vietnamese Prisons? Does
that explain why the Igbos now conduct traditional weddings in Lagos and
Abuja? Can that explain why many Igbos now spend their Christmas in
Dubai and China. No, something is not right. This frightening trend must
be halted by all means. Biko! Why can we not repair our towns, to
expand the opportunities for our young men and women. Why can we not
deliberately court our People to come home and provide them those things
that are taking them all over the World, often at great peril and
costs. Why cant those who have businesses in other parts of Nigeria and
Overseas bring home branches or subsidiaries to create opportunities for
the Youth just like Innoson Motors, Geometric and others. Why can we
not make other People- Nigerians and all to come to our towns and
States to do business and to live. Perhaps that's why the Abia Think
Tank is collaborating with the Abia State Government, Geometric Power,
Masters Energy, Crown Realties, Fidelity Bank, Diamond Bank, the
Ukwa-Ngwa concerned Professionals and a host of other Organizations to
host the ABA SUMMIT, November 20/21. The main objective is to mobilise a
new wave of interest and investment inflow into Aba on the heels of the
increased Electric power supply, to help recreate a Node of development
that can absorb some of those seeking opportunities for good life in
the region,and some how help reduce the pressure on Lagos and Abuja, at
the least.
Finally, If we must truly halt this malady, then mothers and fathers
must exercise some restraint on their children and wards.
Yes,opportunities may be inadequate but they still exist perhaps for
those who are ready to pay the price in diligence and endurance.Some of
the money spent in buying visas and tickets to foreign lands and can be
wisely deployed to build local businesses if well harnessed . Let us
encourage our Children to play by the rules. Let us model good morals to
them and let them know that money is not everything. The get rich quick
syndrome must be condemned and the Youth made to know that success in
life is not all about Money and houses and cars. We must moderate our
penchant for materialism. A number of those in jails in Asia, some
facing death penalties were lured more by the prospects of making it
fast and going home in jeeps at the next Christmas.This craze must
stop. Let the Leaders stand up! And please let us make this an agenda
item at the forthcoming National Conference
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