IGBOSCHOLARS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA

From the beginning, man has always migrated at some point because of his insatiable nature. It is therefore established that migration is inevitable in the life of man. However, some migrations are forced on the migrant and these are caused by certain factors. This paper is a qualitative research paper and it looks at forced migration from historical and artistic perspectives with reference to Nigeria. It traced human migration from pre-historical period to post-independence Nigeria. Works of artists like Chike Aniakor, Dele Jegede, Ifeyi Uchechukwu and Ugochukwu Egbujor were analyzed in relation to forced migrations. Two research questions guided the study; (1) what factors have aided forced migration in Nigeria? (2) To what extent has forced migration affected development in Nigeria? Everett S. Lee’s theory of migration (1966) was analyzed to support the study. Data were sourced from primary and secondary sources which include artistic representations. Findings show that search for favorable environment as a result of insecurity in Nigeria is one of the factors responsible for forced migration among other factors. Again, migrants have worked assiduously to the development of their new environment to the detriment of their homeland. It was recommended therefore that the government must rise above the situation and put a stop to the several issues of kidnappings and killings by bandits and terrorists to avert cases of forced migration

Open Full Text (PDF)