Why there’s illegal migration, by Arthur Nwankwo

The that failure of the country’s leadership to provide enablement for her teeming population of youths to fertilize their creative energies is responsible for the high incidence of Illegal migration out of the country, the Chancellor, Eastern Mandate Union (EMU), Dr Arthur Nwankwo has said.

Warning that the development has put Nigeria on the threshold of catastrophe, Nwankwo who was responding to questions on the news making the round that Nigerian youths rushing to Europe through the Sahara and the Mediterranean in search of greener pastures are presently trapped in Libya, where most of them have been enslaved by human traffickers and are experiencing horrible fate in the hands of their captors, stated that it was an indication that something was fundamentally wrong with the country.

Nwankwo stated that the trend of event did not just occur but has its roots in the nature and character of Nigeria from the point of independence, adding that the country got her political independence but forgot to strive for economic independence that could have laid solid foundation for growth and development.

He stated that even when the opportunity called for deepening of the economic growth with the discovery of oil in commercial quantities, the leadership did nothing to expand the economic base, adding that people stole so much from the commonwealth and the government did nothing.

“Rather than emphasize competence and meritocracy, the government initiated a nebulous policy of “quota system” that enthroned mediocrity. In the course of time, the economic fabrics of the country were destroyed. No plan was made for succeeding generations of Nigeria. So many premiums were placed on political power; access to it became a life and death matter”, he said.

He continued: “With the effective destruction of the Nigerian economy, the Nigerian youths cannot be guaranteed a genuine future in Nigeria. They have no jobs after university and tertiary education. Creativity and intellect have been relegated to the background. We have enthroned a debilitating culture of materialism, which has in real terms defined youthful approach to life in Nigeria. Having lost hope in the Nigerian project, these youths are now escaping for their lives to other climes even at the risk of death and enslavement.

“From the foregoing, we should understand the migration of the Nigerian youths out of Nigeria. The government has basically failed to utilize the enormous resources placed at its steps to create an enabling socio-economic and political environment that would ensure our youths a guaranteed future.

You cannot expect anything less from a country that relishes in elite circulation in government.”