- Wasiu Adekunle Adejumo | Premier World News
Ogun State, Nigeria – Africa’s migration dilemma dominated reflections this week from Comrade Ambassador Kunle Sodipo (CKS), who used his recent visit to Istanbul, Turkey to highlight the harsh realities confronting many Nigerians and other African migrants abroad.
In a compelling commentary titled “Breaking Chains: Africa’s Shame in Foreign Lands”, Sodipo paints a stark picture of hope lost and urgent leadership imperatives for the continent.
Sodipo’s account describes the disillusionment many migrants face after departing Africa in pursuit of a better life, noting that “the promise of a better life abroad had become a nightmare” for many, forced into “squalor, trapped in fear and shackled by circumstance.”
His testimony echoes wider concerns about irregular migration and the conditions confronting African migrants in foreign countries.
Migration Reality Check – From Aspiration to Desperation:
Experts and data indicate that migration from Nigeria and across Africa remains driven by economic hardship, unemployment and limited opportunities at home.
Recent Afrobarometer findings show that a majority of Nigerians have considered leaving the country, with job prospects and escape from poverty being leading drivers.
In Türkiye, a major transit and destination point for African migrants, there has been evidence of both challenges and progress.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) reports that the number of irregular Nigerian migrants in Turkey fell from about 9,000 to fewer than 5,000 following intensified cooperation between Nigerian and Turkish authorities on migration management.
Nevertheless, irregular migration remains common. Historically, up to 70 per cent of Nigerians in Turkey were estimated as undocumented, exposing them to legal uncertainty, limited rights and vulnerability to detention or deportation.
Instances of deportations have also been recorded, with over a hundred Nigerians returned from Turkey due to visa violations and irregular status, a sign of the legal risks many migrants face when documentation lapses or entry conditions aren’t met.
Human Cost of Migration Beyond Borders:
Sodipo’s narrative includes the deeply personal story of Oyin, a Nigerian returnee from Egypt, who recounted harrowing conditions while working abroad, underscoring the human toll behind migration statistics.
Such experiences align with broader reports of migrants suffering exploitation, abuse and deprivation in destination countries.
These personal realities reflect wider global migration tensions, where millions of migrants worldwide face dangerous journeys, uncertainty and economic hardship as they seek refuge or better prospects abroad.
A Call for Leadership and Structural Change:
Sodipo’s commentary is not merely an exposé of hardship abroad but a call to action. He urges African governments, particularly Nigerian authorities, to tackle migration’s root causes by:
- Investing in local economies and creating meaningful employment,
- Strengthening education and skills development,
- Combatting corruption; and
- Fostering diaspora engagement as strategic partners, not afterthoughts.
“If we do not confront the reasons that drive our people away, we will remain complicit in exporting our youth to exploitation and despair”, he warned.
The Broader Policy Challenge:
Policy analysts stress that migration must be integrated into national development strategies that affirm lawful pathways, protect citizens abroad, and address structural socio-economic deficits that compel emigration, from job scarcity to inadequate infrastructure and institutional weaknesses.
As more Africans contemplate life abroad, the debate over “brain drain” versus opportunity redistribution intensifies, with calls for leaders to ensure that opportunities at home become stronger incentives than the dream of greener pastures elsewhere.
Conclusion: A Future Built at Home:
Sodipo’s reflection challenges both policymakers and citizens to reshuffle the narrative, from one of forced migration and shattered dreams to homegrown opportunity and dignity.
His account resonates with the views of migration experts: while global mobility will persist, the onus lies on African leadership to create conditions where migration becomes a choice of aspiration, not desperation.
As Sodipo concludes, Africa must become a land of opportunity, not an exporter of despair, a message of urgency as the continent weighs economic reform, youth inclusion and migration policy in an interconnected world.
Below is the link to Sodipo’s “CKS Truth TV”, where he shares his experience on Turkish home furniture and fittings 👇
