AUDIENCE RESPONSE TO EDO STATE GOVERNMENT AND NGO CAMPAIGNS ON IRREGULAR MIGRATION

ABSTRACT

The rising spate of risky irregular migration by Nigerians desperately fleeing the country has become worrisome. Despite knowledge of the dangers, many Nigerian youths have continued to engage in the desperate journey abroad through the Mediterranean Sea. Available information on the increasing number of deaths at sea and stories of labour exploitation in transit and destination countries does not deter this risky endeavour. Virtually every week, there are reports of many Nigerians and other African’s who while trying to migrate in an irregular manner from Africa to Europe at sea. Against this backdrop, the government of Edo State and some NGOs have continuously launched various campaigns messages on irregular migration to enlighten residents on the dangers of migrating illegally and to wipe the state off the continuous stigmatization on the issue of irregular migration. The study set out to determine audience response to Edo state government and NGOs campaigns on irregular migration. The study was anchored on the principles of Uses and Gratification theory which views the audience as active as media content do not do things to people, rather people do things with media content. The study employed mixed design involving (survey and in-depth interview). Samples were drawn from three different population. Population of Benin City resident, Edo state. Staff of ETAHT and Staff of NGO’s, Idia Renaissance. Findings revealed predominantly negative responses from audience on the campaigns by government and NGO’s in reducing citizen’s engagement in the act of irregular migration. The findings also indicated that the campaigns were incapable of calming citizens trying to risk their lives through the Mediterranean Sea for proposed greener pasture. Edo State has consistently ranked top among the most common nationalities travelling through the Mediterranean Sea to Italy, with many of them dying in the process. It concludes that the precarious experience of migrants often disseminated through social media has clearly not minimized the number of those that are willing to migrate. Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years in rural areas on the verge of completing secondary school are most vulnerable to migrate irregularly. Due to the elongated period of not being employed, no proper education nor training. This phenomenon raises the need to conduct migration information campaigns among young people in Nigeria. The study recommended that a massive awareness campaign and a reorientation exercise to correct the wrong impressions that have been holding sway about Edo people and travelling abroad should be carried out, in order to educate those not well informed on the ills of unsafe travel and irregular migration.