MIGRATION

Migration is a complex global phenomenon influenced by economic, social, political, and environmental factors. It involves the movement of individuals or groups from one location to another, often driven by the pursuit of improved economic opportunities, safety from conflict, or escape from environmental challenges. The study therefore examines how selected contemporary African literary texts portrayed migration and reveal its causes and consequences on the characters. The data for this study were drawn from selected African novels that portray migration and its related experiences. The study adopts a qualitative research design using textual analysis to examine the themes, meanings, and realities of migration represented in the texts. A purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting the novels and characters relevant to the study in order to achieve a focused and detailed analysis. The selected characters were chosen based on their relevance to the theme of migration and their contribution to the development of the study. In addition, the theory of transnationalism was employed to analyse how migrants maintain social, emotional, economic, and cultural connections across national borders. The findings revealed that the major drivers of migration in postcolonial African society, as depicted in the three novels, were poverty, political unrest, and the search for better opportunities. The novels revealed that migrants experienced impacts on their identity and sense of belonging, reflecting emotional and psychological struggles that extended beyond physical relocation. Additionally, migrants in the diaspora faced significant and overwhelming challenges, including homesickness, fear of deportation, and frustration. The study contributed to knowledge by examining migration across the selected African novels through the lens of transnationalism, thereby deepening the understanding of migration as not only a physical movement but also an emotional, psychological, and transnational experience shaped by postcolonial realities.

Migration has been at the center of global discourses with Nigeria a much talk- about involved country. Generally, migration whether legal or illegal is a decision that impacts the welfare of households and societies in various ways which might be
positive or negative. To this end, this study examines the effects of youth illegal migration on family members. The study employed the review of literature on the concept of illegal migration and other works so as to understand the effects of illegal migration of youths on familymembers. The population for the study was drawn from Egor, Oredo and Ovia North- East local governments in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The paper revealed the causes of illegal migration, its effect on the family and the country as a whole and its implication for social work practice. This work made use of questionnaire in collecting data from the study area. In order to curb the issue of youth illegal migration in Nigeria, the researcher recommends that policymakers or legislators, and other stakeholders in government should make provision for infrastructural development, better social welfare policy and programmes, and economic succor. Also, social workers should be included in the mainstream of decision making body to help in the formulation and implementation of favourable policies and programmes to address the issue of poverty, insecurity and other precipitating factors causing youths to migrate illegall

Crop farmers and Cattle herder’s conflicts have remained themost prevailing resource-use conflict in Benue State especially in Ado, Agatu, Apa, Otukpo Local Government Area. Social and economic factors continue toinflameviolent conflicts. The competition between these two agricultural land user-groupsthreats the means of survival and livelihoods of both groups in the aboveLocal Government Area.1 This chapter considered the background of the studyandtheresearch problem.