MasterClass Series — Youths and Illegal Migration

By my own definition, illegal(irregular) migration involves an individual moving from a certain country of birth and/or residence (migrating) into another country other than his/her own country of birth/residence without a legally prepared documents, with no documents at all or with legal documents but having overstayed his/her period of validity.

This excessive quest by Nigerian youths to engage in illegal migration has been attributed to poverty and unemployment. The underlying factor driving this unholy search for greener pasture, with the belief that the grass is greener on the other side, is the failure of leadership in the Nigerian state, which has occasioned insecurity, joblessness and even hopelessness.

Let me advise all parents and guardians to dissuade their children and wards from embarking on illegal migration, saying . Youths are loosing their lives daily on the high sea which ought not to be. For your information, smuggling of migrants is taking a front burner in world affairs today. Almost every day, you hear stories of boat capsizing and people trying to reach Europe. Nigerians are dying almost every day. According to reports, some of the people embarking on illegal migration often use routes that are not officially recognized by the service. So, even when they die, we do not have the records.

There had been stories of sportsmen and women, musicians and other entertainers on tour, people on holy pilgrimages to Israel and Saudi Arabia who simply bolted away on arrival at their countries of destination because of the erroneous belief that the streets of such countries were paved with gold. In some circumstances, illegal immigrants have their organs sold on black markets. “Kidneys and livers of illegal immigrants are being given out to sick people in China and other countries.

Nigeria is a country so blessed with good weather conditions all year round and which rarely experiences natural disasters such as earthquake, tsunami, typhoon, hurricane landslide, etc.” I believe that the money that our youths spend to prepare these fake documents could be used to start businesses here in Nigeria

Although, everybody wants to travel out of the country by all means not minding what it will cost them, not even their lives. Many of our youths are lazy or rather believe that if they do not travel out, they can never make it in life. Most times, they always have their minds made up and it because difficult to convince them otherwise. I believe that youths can use that money they waste on fake documents to start business that they are passionate about and tag it to the Sustainable Development Goal of their passion, dedicate a percentage of the profit to solve the problem in their community, then they would be living a more fulfilled life than they do outside the country with illegal entries. In this era of the Sustainable Development Goals, many heroes and sheroes will be made in their localities and communities for problem solving.

What are we to do?

I would like us all emerging leaders to enlighten and reorientate all Nigerians on the risks involved.

Correct the misconception that life is all milk and honey in the foreign lands.

Pick them out when you spot them and link them to us.

We will share their stories and who knows, luck will smile on them.

We need to be leaders pro actively and hold our leaders responsible through communication

We need to profer solutions to some problems and let them know

I also believe that government should not be strict on those who like to travel out.

If the relax the rules and legalise travelling out, more people will stop running away

Meanwhile, policy is another challenge, I believe that if government makes migration easier, people will stop struggling to run away because they will now have a mindset that its because its no longer juicy

Reorientation will go a long way to help but remember to give them another option if not it will not work.

Meanwhile, we have 17 #Goals and you are free to choose which one you are passionate about to run with it.

Moreover, the goals are linked and achievement of some helps achievement of others so, I believe that is why it seems so.

If at all you must travel, please get legally approved documents and travel safely.

Ijeoma Obiajunwa-ajiamah