I am delighted to be here again at this great citadel of learning and premier University, the University of Ibadan which is marking its 70 years in existence from this month. You would recall that I was here in 2015 for a distinguished personality lecture, engaging and rubbing minds with you on the subject of “Nigerian Diaspora and Gender Relations in the 21st Century ‘’at the Institute of African Studies and on June 21, 2017, I was invited again to deliver a key note speech during the “Enfranchising the African Diaspora Conference’’. By this time next month, I will be here again at your International Conference Centre to deliver yet another lecture to my women folks. I think I am fast becoming a member of this great community of scholars and I am tempted to say that the Senate and Council will soon confer on me an honorary award of this great Institution.
So, I appreciate you for extending this invitation to me again. Let me first express my sheer delight at what we are witnessing here today. It’s quite rare to find any institution bringing together two critical issues – Nigerian youths and irregular migration – that have become disturbing in our evolving nationhood. It is very topical and relevant in view of the tragic story of illegal migration that have been with us over the years.
BACKGROUND
We are quite aware that discussions about Diaspora can no longer be relegated to the academic backwaters.
The AU, for example, had in 2003 declared Africa’s Diaspora as its sixth region and equally the Nigerian Diaspora, according to the World Bank, has contributed over $50billion to the nation’s GDP in the last two years. This doesn’t speak only to the growing size of the Nigerian Diaspora but its influence too. This brings with it the need to examine certain dynamics, intricacies and realities of the Nigerian Diaspora as it relates with the youths and illegal migration.
Without sounding immodest, let me remind us that my tenure as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs (2007-2015) saw a surge in the wider discussion of the Diaspora and its relevance to the nation, promoting a spirit of patriotism, networking, and cooperation.
During that time, we founded the Diaspora magazine which chronicles the life and experiences of many Nigerian achievers in the Diaspora, and how the House Committee under my leadership sought justice and intervened to rescue many Nigerians in Libya, Italy, China, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Malaysia, South Africa etc who are in extreme difficult circumstances. Thankfully, with the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, we are doing more on daily basis in building capabilities of Nigerian youths against slave trade and from embarking on illegal migration. We engage with them on daily basis counseling them on the dangers inherent in embarking on illegal migration.
In my capacity as the SSA to the President on Diaspora, I have been quick to convey the nation’s congratulatory messages to Nigerians who keep flying the nation’s flag high wherever they are. Sometimes in 2017, seven Nigerians won parliamentary seats in the just concluded UK election. Anthony Joshua equally won and defended his WBA lightweight boxing championship in London thrice. We have equally facilitated the return of several Nigerians who were stranded in Libya, with President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention, who for the first time set up Presidential committee to rescue Nigerians from the agony of death.
Similar rescue operation also took place in Angola, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India, China and Turkey, in conjunction with agencies like NEMA, NAPTIP and National Refugees Commission.
An MOU was signed in 2017 between my office and the Bank of Industry which affords Nigerians, especially the youths in the Diaspora the ease of transacting business in Nigeria.
Any Nigerian who wants to invest in any sector of the Nigerian economy is given soft loans to pursue this. So, I am passionate about everything that affects the Diaspora, especially the youths who constitute the majority, because I recognise the potential power of its political economy in advancing the nation in its desired pursuit of peace, progress and development.
Similarly, my office in conjunction with major stakeholders had a national conference, the first of its kind, geared towards having a Diaspora Policy for the country. The document is being fine-tuned.
More importantly, the much-awaited Nigerian Diaspora Commission Act, which I sponsored since 2008 alongside other stakeholders, was signed in 2017 by Mr. President thus Nigeria joining the league of countries having a one-stop agency on its Diaspora affairs. This and other issues of national interest have been before us in my office trying to make life meaningful for Nigerians anywhere in the world.
Who are the Nigerian Youths
According to the UNESCO: “Youth” is best understood as a period of transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood’s independence. It is a period of adolescence.
So therefore, Nigerian youths include citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who are between the ages of 18 to 35 years, though with the global situation, it could be extended to 40.
So, my understanding of this all important topic is to see how all stakeholders can build the capabilities of Nigerian youths in such a way that seeking for greener pasture outside the shores of Nigeria by all means and at all cost, thus turning to illegal slave trade or irregular migrants will be minimized if not totally eradicated and be a thing of the past.
Slave trade or youth irregular migration
Undoubtedly, there is nothing wrong in people moving from one point to another. It is their legitimate rights to do so, but these rights come with some proviso and conditionality that if not adhere to will turn awry. In Nigeria, the pressure to seek greener pastures intensified affecting the poorest mostly in the society. The migration of hope by these young Nigerians most often turned into a journey of unknown future of despair.
A shocking 2017 Trafficking in Persons report reveal that “Nigerian trafficking victims-, often exploited by Nigerian traffickers-in more than 29 countries… officials report an increase in Nigerian women and girls subjected to sex trafficking within Nigeria and throughout Europe, including in Italy, Austria, and Russia; an international organization estimated 80 per cent of all female Nigerian migrants in Italy become sex trafficking victims.”
It is not purely Nigerian problem but that of the continent as thousands of Africans especially Nigerians stake their lives as they venture on a boat journey in search of what they think will be a better and easier living standard. A journey that begins with hope but end with despair.
It’s painful that Nigeria ranks highest in the statistics of irregular Migration. Communities had lost able bodied youths, valuable assets and properties to Irregular Migration.
The regular fixture and menace of irregular migration by youths, Nigerians especially, has called for actions by actors from different sectors including the United Nations with imminent mayhem set to lose at the slack of quick attention.
As said earlier, irregular migration is likened to a journey that begins with hope but eventually end in sadness as several youths have had to bid the world farewell in hurtful ways which of course has left their family members sorrowful and regretting.
My office is inundated with petitions and letters on daily basis crying for “Save our Souls” messages from stranded migrants and at times, from their families back home. This year alone, over 10,000 Nigerian youths were repatriated back home courtesy of the collaboration between the Federal Government of Nigeria and International Organization of Migration (IOM) from Libya and some other countries of the world due to inhuman activities they were baptised into like slave trade, sexual harassments amongst others en route Italy and other European countries in search of greener pastures. (Libya returnees/evacuees experiences).
Between the month of June and July 2018, two full flights from Nigeria consisting of 616 and 114 Nigerian girls of ages 16 to 30 years went to Saudi Arabia under the guise of performing lesser hajj called Umrah with each of them paying not less than N600, 000 for that journey to the agents, absconded and disappeared from King Abdul Azeez International airport Jeddah till today. They have all been sold into slavery of being house girls working for 18 to 19 hours daily and earning peanuts. This is just one of the sad stories we hear everyday in my office while some others trapped there are calling on us to come and rescue them.
Rationale for this migration
There are genuine and non excusable rationales for this dreadful misadventure. Plethora inexcusable excuses may arise as being the cause for embarking on this dreadful adventure by many youths, bearing in mind, the state of the so called “unfavouring Nigerian economy status” yet, the truth is that migrating off the country unlawfully may as well result to migrating to the earth beyond. The harsh socio-economic policies of the 1980s and 1990 (War Against Indiscipline, Structural Adjustment Programme and others) further intensified unemployment, hardship and poverty amidst stunted economic growth.
The unquenchable thirst and unholy search for Golden Fleece or greener pastures has proven to be the top motivating factor for illegal migration of Nigerian youths. Driven by wrong optimistic mindsets, many of them risk their lives and future for pecuniary interest only to become stranded in the country with infinitesimally few of the list being lucky.
Surprisingly, some have sworn to go out of the country and rather die in the Mediterranean Sea as against bearing the brunt of the said poverty level in Nigeria.
But, besides the aforementioned reason for youth irregular migration, there are other factors.
Other factors include ego of travelling outside the country even without some of them not aware that they are embarking on illegal migration without the necessary documentation.
It is important to mention that some of them, who were aware, resorted to illegal migration due to the low cost of transportation it offers as compared to flight ticket. We may tag this as unreasonable while it is true because some of them are principled, not wanting to resort to theft or borrowing for travelling purpose.
A writer and a Youth Development Council leader, Adekunle Adewunmi said: “Truth is getting a valid Visa sometimes may take going through hell sentence, not even when International Passport issuance is taking decade if proper settlements isn’t made to certain ranked immigration officers. Corrupt, sharp practices in this agency have also contributed negatively to the rise of irregular migration in Nigeria. Many have also fallen into the cobwebs of fraudsters resulting in loss of huge amount of money; they jump at any chance to eschew shame among friends and family.”
These and many other factors which include family and peer pressure and the inordinate urge to get rich quick and belongs to the “big guys” in the society do drive many Nigerian youths to embark on this very dangerous and hopeless trips.
The risks and dangers involved in illegal migration
As pointed out earlier, there are many dangers associated with embarking on such irregular migration as it definitely has its negative impacts on the migrants ranging from psychological trauma, lifetime scars, death, health challenges and many other bad things associated with it.
While some may be lucky to tell the awful story, others may not be that opportune to do so. Sexual abuse of greater proportion is inevitable as it is prevalent in some of the Arab and European countries where many Nigerians are hibernating. Circumstances arise where their kidneys and livers are sold, leaving them half dead.
Worthy of note is that, many never get to their desired destination but, end their lives in the Mediterranean Sea while some are hijacked, used as sacrificial lambs, slave trade and trafficking.
Shocking enough, many of their wicked agents, now throw them off the boat into the seas, after dispossessing them of their personal belongings and money on them.
Behind the figures of drowning in the Mediterranean and agonizing deaths from dehydration in the desert are personal stories of tragedy and sorrowful ordeals for wives, children and families left behind. Paradoxically, youths and their parents do sometimes sell their properties and close up their businesses to finance irregular migration.
The nation is also poorer for it in many ways as it needlessly loses citizens who otherwise should be agents of national development to irregular migration. Moreover, irregular migration damages the national reputation as well as causes a backlash against legal migration from the countries of origin.
Furthermore, those involved in anti-social activities such as drug peddling, internet fraud, prostitution get remanded in prisons with double count charges of illegal migration and societal disruptions.
In India alone, over 500 Nigerians are in the prison, not to talk of China, Malaysia Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tanzania, etc while some are awaiting execution for drugs in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.
Regrettably, a large number of them, if they manage to get to their destinations, do not get good jobs even with their genuine academic certificates but, gives-in to dirty menial jobs that could have been endured at home as they’re always on the look-out for police raids since most of them do not have valid residence or working permits.
Their hope dashes away when eventually caught and deported back to their country with disappointment and shame for not coming back home as a champion. In fact, suicide action may arise from a depressed one.
Many cases of these have been recorded. Some in an attempt to escape being arrested and deported, had jumped into death, while some take their lives in a dehumanizing and painful way. (Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Libya, Italy and other countries. etc).
In Libya, many migrants seeking employment or trapped in transit are exposed to harsh living conditions and widespread human rights abuses.
Some are traded as slaves for ransom, labour or sex by gangs of human-traffickers and many die in the appalling conditions of detention facilities run by criminals and militias.
International organizations have also published credible reports, documenting regular and severe human rights violations of refugees and migrants in official Detention Centres.
A great number of these irregular migrants are Nigerians. The rising human costs of irregular migration have necessitated concerted action from governments and voluntary groups to curb irregular migration.
The question is what we can do to build the capabilities of these youths. Nigeria is said to be the Africa’s giant in the face of other nations in the continent and are looking up to us.
What is the way out?
Despite the gloomy and hopeless situation being painted of the country, there are still many openings and opportunities for the Nigerian youths to build their capacity as against embarking on illegal migration.
There are fields wherein youths can venture into which can in turn bring financial stability.
One of it is farming. Beside the Federal government intervention, most states do have various empowerment programmes for the youths within which they would pick their interest.
Example is poultry/ fishing farming business. This may look unrealistic but according to research, poultry farming and fishing are very lucrative and the good news is that it does not require big capital to start.
Also, youths should learn about technical trades that can lead to paid/self employment. Practical skills in Solar Technology are sorely lacking in Nigeria and young people who acquire qualification in this field are assured of lucrative jobs since the trend is now towards sustainable renewable energy.
Pending the time to get the so called white collar jobs or other well paid jobs, individuals or as a group can engage in many service oriented jobs such as home lesson for students sitting for WAEC O Level and A Level, UTME, Car washing business, dry cleaning business, ICT and computer installation and configuration, online advert packaging, event planning, among several other creative and money yielding jobs.
This fight against Youth Irregular Migration however, demand that all stakeholders in the country involving NGOs, Community Leaders, Religious houses, Parents and not leaving out Government at all levels, to work differently and in unison to attain the needed level of sanity against this cause. Advocacy programmes regarding the dangers of irregular migration be noised abroad in and via all media platforms, social media importantly.
Also, NGOs like Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) which was conceived by the African-German Information Center, Germany, and The African Courier Verlag, Germany, in co-operation with the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Germany with the support of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs should intensify their campaigns against illegal migration.
Similarly, the media awareness campaign, captioned “Look before you Leave”, designed to educate would-be migrants in Nigeria about the realities of the journey to Europe should be a nationwide continuous one.
The campaign works must be with the Nigerian media to sensitize society to the problem of irregular migration and the enormous costs that families and the nation pay.
The Media as we know plays an important role in generating awareness, as it performs its role through dissemination of information. The media also acts as a force multiplier, as the message reaches a larger audience, beyond the immediate target audience. That is why the current campaign on illegal migration on NTA and other media outlet should be sustained.
Journalists and other opinion moulders need to dwell more on the subject of irregular migration because it’s in the national interest to do so.
Legal Migration
There are many ways one can migrate legally. It is your legal and fundamental rights to seek to migrate legitimately without any consequence which will make anything you desire doing outside your homeland sane, accomplishable and successful. The Emigration office is always there to guide you via the right manners. I will only canvass for this lawful means and always ask yourself some critical questions when you are being lure into this dangerous venture of irregular migration into slavery.
Am I doing the right thing, why is it that I don’t have my international passport, visa of the country am going to, what is my mission in the country of destination, do they need my services or expertise, do I have the necessary financial means to execute the journey, Is it desirable, can I do the same thing here in Nigeria, and many other probing questions, once the answer is in the negative, please don’t attempt it but if it is satisfactory, please go ahead.
Adewunmi advised the youths again: “Youths, this journey is illegal, destructive, mind-bending, frustrating, tear and breathe taking. It’s not a voyage worth dying for when you can easily stay in Nigeria to become successful and establish an enterprise that Whites can patronise in Nigeria. If you really have reasonable things to do, migrate in the right way via the Emigration office!”
Our Roles:
Our major role is to launch campaign aimed at promoting an increased public awareness of the risks and dangers of irregular migration as well as provide tips on how to emigrate legally and where to go for more information.
Stakeholders must also focus on how to reach potential migrants in their pre-decision stage of migration, to put them in the picture regarding what documentation is required to travel legally to Europe and to raise awareness of the necessary considerations in all stages of migration.
Some of the reasons for irregular migration include high unemployment rate and the perception that migration is the best alternative. So on the part of Government, there must be an urgent and systemic creation of jobs opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youths especially graduates roaming about the streets searching for jobs.
Many of the irregular migrants could in fact qualify to study in Europe, an option that many don’t consider. Moreover, there’re work visa schemes, such as the EU Blue Card and similar national schemes in the bloc, which provide a legal route for labour migration to Europe. So, correct information is needed at the appropriate time.
For Instance, Germany’s visa processes are not cumbersome for people with genuine economic and educational intentions, German Ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck, declared recently in Abuja.
“For people wishing to study in Germany, it has increased intakes for scholarship for those who qualified. It is not difficult to get a visa. It is easier than you think. It requires filing the details or you can just go to our website,” he advised.
And in many cases there’re positive alternatives to emigration in Nigeria such as learning technical trades that can lead to lucrative paid employment or self-employment.
Understanding Migration to Europe
Most irregular migrants leave Nigeria lured by the false promise of people-smugglers who deceive their victims into paying sometimes thousands of dollars for a supposedly easy journey to Europe.
The fact is, there is no easy passage to Europe through irregular migration.
The illegal route to Europe is littered with hardship and death. It is critical that potential migrants are aware of the facts behind European immigration policies before risking their lives.
A new phase of struggle awaits those who survive the journeys through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean. It’s the struggle to obtain legal residency.
For example, most Nigerians who seek asylum in the European Union will have their application rejected. Nigerians have the highest rejection rate of asylum applications made by Africans in Europe, according to a 2016 report of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR. The report shows that the applications made by 21,427 Nigerians were rejected last year alone.
There are currently thousands of Nigerians awaiting deportation in Germany as their asylum claims have been rejected because Nigeria is not considered a country where there is political persecution at the moment.
“Think of Nigeria the way you want but there is no political persecution here. The likelihood that most of these absurd applications will be rejected is almost 90 to 99 per cent,” German Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck, stated as well as some German delegation who visited me recently.
Two delegations from the Republic of Germany visited me in Abuja and confirmed this and even promised to help those voluntary returnees by rehabilitating them.
Most irregular migrants, after failing in their asylum bid and not wanting to return home after all the troubles they had taken to reach Europe, end up becoming undocumented migrants, who are susceptible to exploitation, prone to crime and at the risk of nervous breakdown or other debilitating illnesses associated with extreme stress.
The “Know the Facts” campaign therefore aims to discourage people from irregularly migrating to Europe by encouraging them to take a proper look at all the options available to them.
Conclusion
Let me conclude by once again appreciating the University of Ibadan for setting up this lecture series. I have observed that the strongest points of this citadel of learning have been how they have continuously interfaced with government in engaging issues that are critical to our nation’s developmental policies and societal changes. We all know this has been an era of change and on their part, they have continued to engage and interrogate their own space and place of contribution in it by providing intellectual platform for public discussions and interventions that bring critical, societal issues to the attention of all stakeholders in this re-building process of our nation. This is what is happening here today and it is highly commendable.
Let me reiterate the following: “Look before you leave!” slogan for the Nigerian youths coined by Femi Awoniyi as part of the information campaign by the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) to raise awareness against irregular migration:
· Look at where you want to go
· Look at what is legally required to get there
· Look at the situation that awaits you at the desired destination
· Look at your situation very well to be able to decide if it is necessary at all to leave Nigeria
· PMB is doing everything possible to make life meaningful for Nigerians, if money realised in the last 16 years have been judiciously used, we will not be where we were today.
· PMB is restructuring the country, bringing sanity to the system tackling corruption, managing judiciously, managing resources to fix all abandoned projects in the last 16 years and tackling insecurity.
· PMB insisting in diversifying the economy and recovering all the looted funds back to the coffers of the government and creating enormous opportunities for Nigerians. The N-Power programmes, CBN borrowers’ programme, among others are for youths to engage them meaningfully.
· I appeal to everybody to support PMB fight against corruption and efforts at retrieving all our looted heritage.
· Look at your surroundings if there aren’t opportunities there for your self-actualisation as a Yoruba saying goes: what you seek in Sokoto could very well be in the pocket of your ‘sokoto’.
I am therefore honoured to have been invited once again to share my thought on this subject matter, hoping that it has met your expectations of me. I appreciate everyone for listening and I wish us an engaging and fruitful time.
Thank you.
. Being the 2018 Distinguished Personality Lecture of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on: “Building capabilities of youths against slave trade, illegal migration,” at the University of Ibadan on October 29, 2018.
References:
1. Presentation by Femi Awoniyi, Co-Project Director, Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria, at the Press Conference/Project Launch in Lagos on 12 September 2017
2. Lecture by Adekunle Adewunmi, YDC-OOPL State Ambassador, Kogi State.
3. Ending Human Trafficking In Nigeria: Innovative Policies, Strategies and Tactics, by Dame Julie Okah-Donli.