|
Immigration: Matters Arising |
|
 |
|
Friday, 14 January 2005 |
Immigration is a very interesting and usually controversial topic.Immigration has indeed occurred from time immemorial.Examples in Biblical times include the mass migration of the Ancient Israelites from Pharaoh's Egypt. The forced migration of Africans to the new world during the several centuries of the triangular slave trade. Others include the migration of Europeans to the US and Australia from the 15th Century onward. After the second World War there was an influx of people from Caribbean Nations to Britain.In these series of articles I will discuss immigration in the 80's, 90's and now the early part of the 21 St. Century. After the fall of Communism in the 90's there was an influx of Eastern Europeans to Western Europe and also to the United States. As a consequence of Bad Government, wars and sloppy economic planning there has been a lot of Immigrants to the United states mainly from Mexico and Central American Countries. Nigerians and other Africans are no different from other people in contemporary times and ancient times. In the future Migration will continue. There are various push and pull factors of migration. The factors pushing you out of your Country and pulling you to another Country. These include Economic, Educational and Political factors among others. In the 1950s and 60's, it was the normal practice for Nigerians to leave Foreign Countries after their education. Most in those days went to the United Kingdom in search of what was then known as the golden fleece and acquired degrees in Law, Medicine, Accounting etc. Most of the Nigerians then actually booked their sea passages immediately they passed their final examinations and the Liverpool docks were filled with Nigerian Families boarding Ships like the M. V. Aureola and Ships of the Elder Dempster lines on their route to Papa, Lagos. They sailed leisurely through Las Palmas, Free Town in Sierra Leone, Monrovia, Liberia and Accra, Ghana. At the Apapa Docks they were welcome by their families in Nigeria and their townsfolk with drummers for entertainment. Chinua Achebe Skillfully depicted this in No longer at ease in which the tragic hero Obi Okonkwo makes this journey.. The United States as a destination for Nigerians was also quite important particularly after the return of The Right Honorable Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe otherwise known as Zik. He studied in The United States in the 1930's and 40's and indeed influenced a generation of Nigerians to come on over to the United states. These list include the highly respected eminent Neurosurgeon and poet E Latunde Odeku who like Zik was an alumnus of Methodist Boys High School in Lagos and Zik actually gave some speeches in his Alma mater when Odeku was a student.For details see An African Neurosurgeon by Prof. Adelola Adeloye. Others influenced by Zik include Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe of Juggernaut and Caterpillar fame, Mazi Mbonu Ojike of Boycott the boycottables fame and Chief R.B.K Okafor. Anyway that was then. In the 90's with political instability particularly after the annulment of the June 12 election more people emigrated.Other factors include the devaluation of the Nigerian Naira from about 1 to 1 to the U.S dollar to initially 1 to 10 to the present 1 to 150. These economic factors coupled with decline of financing of Education and Health and infrastructure mentainance increased the rate of Emigration. Also in the late 60's during the civil war there was also emigration . The 70's and early 80's were generally periods of relative stability though we had some military coups the economic slide had not begun. It is however important to note that immigration worldwide could be a double edged sword for the immigrants .In some cases there have been deaths in Mexicans trying to cross into the United states but dying in the desert after being abandoned by the Coyotes or people smugglers. Also Africans from Nigeria and Ghana perishing in the Sahara or in the straits of Gibraltar when trying to reach Spain from Morocco or Algeria. However most immigrants arrive by Air hence do not perish during the passage. Also some groups of people do not progress well for various reasons in their new Countries.These will include the Turks in Germany who are disadvantaged in terms of Education also they do not have the same religion or race as the Germans. Also in the Hispanic population in the United states initial immigrants from Cuba after the fall of Batista in 1959 were elites.They included Physicians,Lawyers, Teachers and Businessmen. They have done excellently well in comparison to more recent immigrants from Mexico,Nicaragua and Bolivia who are not as Educated but are now trying to do the best for themselves. With Immigration various questions have arisen about Nations losing their talented people to other countries otherwise known as Brain drain.These will be discussed in later installments also how to convert the brain drain into a bank from which withdrawals could be made by various Countries that send their immigrants.
Dr Olumide Ogunremi is an attending physician in internal medicine in St Louis, MO and the host of The Village Doctor Forum
|
|
Last Updated (
Thursday, 24 April 2008 ) |
RSS Feeds | Podcasts
Posted by Robot| 27.04.2008 19:06