As Nigeria comtinues to grapple with border related challenges, Migrationwatch Magazine, Nigeria’s first magazine that focuses wholly and fully on migration, has successfully concluded the maiden edition of National Migration Conversation. It is furtherance of its objectives of contributing to the development of migration governance
The event with the theme, “Our Borders, Our Burdens, and Our Blessings”, held in Merit House, Maitama, on the 9th of July, 2926.
It attracted migration keystakeholders from diverse backgrounds to deliberate on challenges of border management with the aims to generate practical solutions.
Participants drew from National Agency For Prohibition Of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP; the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM; the International Organisation for Migration, IOM; Civil Society Organizations, the academia, newsmen from different media houses, including NTA as well as migration enthusiasts from diverse walks of life.
In a welcome address, the Executive Editor of Migrationwatch Magazine, Onoja Saint Michael, expressed gratitude to all the participants, particularly the International Organization for Migration, IOM, for honoring the invitation despite its novelty and the near-annonimity of the convener. He pledged the commitment of the magazine to sustain its self-imposed mandate of filling the yawning gap in migration reportage through intensive dissemination of authentic information and, complimenting efforts of stakeholders through migration-support activities like the national migration conversation.
Prof Adeyinka Adeniji, Head of Department of Political Science and International Relations, gave the main address. Professor Adeniji who seamlessly replaced Adeniyi of Customs at the 11th hour, revealed that the sheer size of Nigerian borders measuring over 4000km has continued to pose great challenges to effective border management as border communities sharing common peculiarities continue to create different, unofficial crossing points. The Comptroller General of Customs was scheduled to present the main address but couldn’t find the time to do so due to the constraints of schedule.
The erudite professor’s lecture paved the way for a panel discussion around the theme. Professor Jude Kurr, Dean of the faculty of Information sciences and media studies, FUT Minna, moderated the conversation.
A communique issued at the end of the program identified and recommended far reaching solutions including deepening inter-agency/ international collaborations and synergy; incorprating border communities in border management strategies; deployment of adequate technology, regular updates of border personnel on modern management through training and retraining; creating citizens’ awareness through intensive and persistent public enlightenment and education on migration and border governance.
The high point of the event was the announcement by Onoja Saint Michael on the readiness of Migrationwatch Magazine to commence broadcast of Migrationwatch Live, a weekly public enlightenment program on radio and social media.
Participants agreed that Migrationwatch Live would be the first of its kind on radio in Abuja, arguing that there was no radio program similar in content to Migrationwatch Live in Nigeria.They panellists and other participants called on government agencies, development partners, businesses, and philanthropists to identify with the lofty idea.
The dean of the faculty of information science and media studies from FUT Minna, Professor Jude Kurr, volunteered to serve as a thinktank for the broadcast. His gesture prompted other professors and two participants to also offer their services when required. They urged the magazine to live up to it’s promise.
In a closing remark, Professor Pauline Apeh expressed appreciation to Migrationwatch Magazine for the novel initiative. She urged the convener to sustain the event on an annual basis.
