How Perception Plays Out Between Migrants and Their Host. The Case of the Beninoise in Southwest, Nigeria

Authors

  • Gabriel Orugboh Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan. Ibadan.
  • Daniel Egerson Regional Institute for Population Studies. University of Ghana.
  • Oka Obono Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan. Ibadan.

Keywords:

Beninoise, migrants, perception, Lekki, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper gathered information on perception, the extent of integration, and challenges of the Beninoise migrants in their host community in Nigeria, to ascertain if the perceptions can be regarded as having positive impact, negative, or both. 10 in-depth interviews and 384 household surveys were undertaken in August 2017 to generate data for the study. The findings show that host communities contend that migrants influence social vices and increase the burden on public facilities in the community. While migrants are perceived to negatively affect chances of job opportunities for members of the host, they are also providers of cheap labour. Thus perception in this study is both positive and negative. The migrants have been partly integrated through their involvement in some community activities while increasing incidences of floods are perceived as the most challenging for migrants in the host community.

References

. A Codjoe, S. N., Quartey P., Togoe A. C., and Reed H. E. Perceptions of the Impact of Refugees on Host Communities: The Case of Liberian Refugees in Ghana. Journal of International Migration & Integration. Springer 2012. DOI: 10.1007/s12134-012-0249-1

. Adelekan I.O. Vulnerability of poor urban coastal communities to flooding in Lagos, Nigeria. Environ and Urban 22. 443-450. 2010

. Adelekan I.O. Flood risk management in the coastal city of Lagos, Nigeria. J Flood Risk Management (9)255–264. 2016 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jfr3.12179.

. Adeloye A.J. and Rustum R. Lagos (Nigeria) flooding and influence of urban planning. Proceedings of the ICE-Urban Design and Planning, 164, (3), 175–187. 2011

. Adeniyi, T. A., Oyebanji, O. O. and Adeonipekun, P. A. Floral Diversity in the Wetlandsof Ibeju-Lekki area, Lagos, Nigeria. Ife Journal of Science vol. 18, no. 3 2016.

. Adepelumi A.A. Olorunfemi M. O. Engineering geological and geophysical investigation of the reclaimed Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, South West Nigeria. Bull Eng Geol Env 58: 125–132. 2000

. Adepoju, A. Migration in West Africa, A Paper prepared for the Policy Analysis and Research Programme of the Global Commission on International Migration, Geneva.2005

. Ajibola, M. O, Izunwanne, E. M, Ogungbemi A. O. “Assessing The Effects Of Flooding On Residential Property Values In Lekki Phase I, Lagos, Nigeria”. International Journal of Asian Social Science Vol.2, No.3, pp.271-282. 2012.

. Aliti, L. Immigrats’ Integration in Sweden. Swedish young adults’s perception and attitudes. Degree Project at Linnaeus University. 2014 Accessed from http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:710251/FULLTEXT01.pdf [September 21st, 2020]

. Alix-Garcia,J.,Walker, S., Bartlett,A., Onder, H. and Sanghi, A. “Do Refugee Camps Help or Hurt Hosts? The Case of Kakuma, Kenya.”. Journal of Development Economics, 130:66 83. 2018

. Alloush, M., Talylor, J.E., Gupta, A., Rojas Valdes, R.I. and E. Gonzalez-Estrada. “Economic Life in Refugee Camps.” World Development, 95: 334-347. 2017

. Arhin-Sam, K. "The Political Economy of Migration Governance in Nigeria." Freiburg: Arnold-Bergstraesser Institute (ABI) Document. 2019.

. Awumbila, M., Benneh, Y., Teye, J.K. and Atiim, G. Across Artificial Borders: An Assessment of Labour Migration in the ECOWAS Region. Research Report, ACPOBS/2014/PUB05. 2014

. Bakewell, O. Repatriation and self-settled refugees in Zambia: bringing solutions to the wrong problems. Journal of Refugee Studies, 13(4), 356–373.2000

. Berry, J. W., Phinney, J. S., Sam, D. L., and Vedder, P. Immigrant youth: Acculturation, Identity, and Adaptation. Applied Psycholoy: An International Review, 55(3), 303-332. 2006

. Betts, A. Kaplan, J., Omata N. “Refugee Economies: Rethinking Popular Assumptions. “University of Oxford: Refugee Studies Centre, Humanitarian Innovation Project, 2014 www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/files/publications/other/ refugee-economies-2014.pdf.

. Beutin R., Canoy M., Horvath A., Hubert A., Lerais F., Smith P., Sochacki M. Migration and Public Perception. Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA). European Commission Document 2006

. Boateng, A.Social capital of Liberian refugee women in Ghana: a mixed methods study. Athens: University of Georgia Archive 2006.

. Böhning, W.R. ‘Labour Market Integration in Western and Northern Europe: Which Way are We Heading?’, in: W.R. Böhning and R. Zegers de Beijl (eds), The Integration of Migrant Workers in the Labour. 1995

. Coryn, C.L., Beale, J.M., Myers, K.M. Response to Spetember 11: Anxiety, Patriotism, and Prejudice in the Aftermath of Terror, Current Research in Social Psychology, Vol. 9, n. 12, 2004 retrieved at http://www.uiowa.edu/~grpproc/crisp/crisp.9.12.html Demet Migration.

. Daily Sun, Group blames Lagos flood on bad leadership at LGAs. Daily Sun, 15 July 2011b.

. Daley, P. Gender displacement and social reproduction: settling Burundian refugees in Western Tanzania. Journal of Refugee Studies, 4(3), 248–266. 1991

. Egerson D. Are we Recycling Policies, when we have Plastic Wastes to Battle? Opinion Nigeria 2021. Accessed on May 14th 2021 from https://opinionnigeria.com/are-we-recycling-policies-when-we have-plastic-wastes-to-battle-by-egerson-daniel/.

. Enghoff, M., Hansen, B., Umar, A., Gildestad, B., Owen, M., and Obara, A. “In Search of Protection and Livelihoods: Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts of Dadaab Refugee Camps on Host Communities. “Report from Government of Denmark, Government of Kenya, and Government of Norway. 2010

. Fadayomi, T., Fayomi, O. and Adejumo, G. Issues of South-South Migration: A Case Study of Nigerian Diasporas in Ghana. Developing Country Studies, 4(10), 167-175. 2014

. Fayomi, O. and Adeola, G. L. ECOWAS and Sub-Regional Integration in West Africa: An Appraisal. Covenant University Journal of Politics and International Affairs (CUJPIA) 3(1), 29-40. 2015

. Folorunsho R., and Awosika L. Flood Mitigation in Lagos, Nigeria through Wise Management of Solid Waste: a case of Ikoyi and Victoria Islands; Nigerian. UNESCO CSI workshop, Maputo. 2001

. Hampshire, K., Porter, G., Kilpatrick, K., Kyei, P., Adjaloo, M., and Oppong, G. Liminal spaces: changing inter-generational relations among long-term Liberian refugees in Ghana. Human Organization, 67, 25–36. 2008.

. Hugo, G. Migration, Development and Environment.‖ Migration Research Series, No.31, Ike I.J. 2013. The impact of ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons, goods and capital in West Africa: a case study of Nigeria-Benin Republic border relations, 1999 – 2012. Paper Series 2008.

. International Organization for Migration (IOM). Benin Remains a Country of Emigration and Destination. IOM Migration Profile. Regional Office for West and Central. 2012

. International Organization for Migration (IOM). How the world views migration. Global Migration Data Analysis Centre, IOM, Berlin. 2015

. International Organization for Migration (IOM), Press Release-Nigeria Adopts National Migration Policy 2015. https://www.iom.int/news/nigeria-adopts-national-migration-policy [May 30th 2021]

. International Organization for Migration (IOM). Migration au Bénin: Profile National 2011. Available online: http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/free/Profil_Migratoire_Benin.pdf [January 28th 2018].

. Jacobsen, K. The forgotten solution: local integration for refugees in developing countries. New issues in refugee research, Working Paper No. 45. United Nations High Commission for Refugees. 2001.

. Jacobsen, K. African States and the politics of refugees: Refugee assistance as political resources. Feinstein International Famine Centre Working Paper No. 6. Tufts University. 2002 Available on www.famine.tufts.edu.

. Kallas, K., and Kaldur, K. Integration Policies and Measures Case Study of Good Practices in Sweden, Denmark and Great Britain. Tartu: ISBN 978-9985-9658-3-2. 2007

. Kamans, E., Otten, S., and Gordijn, E. H. Power and threat in intergroup conflict: How emotional and behavioral responses depend on amount and content of threat. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 14, 293–310. 2011

. Kibreab, G. People on the edge in the horn. Displacement, land use and the environment in the Gedaref Region, Sudan. New Jersey: Red Sea Press, Inc. 1996.

. Kok, W. Self-settled refugees and the socio-economic impact of their presence on Kassala, Eastern Sudan. Journal of Refugee Studies, 2(4), 419–440. 1989.

. Kosic M. and Nordio D. Perception and construction of “otherness” biased by fear, paper presented 14 September 2007 at 6th Pan-European Conference on International Relations, Approaches to International Relations in an Age of Terror: Places, Spaces and Risks; Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy, www.sgir.org.

. Lagos State Government. .Plan. Lagos State Government. 2015

. Loschmann, C., M. Siegel and O. Bilgili, ‘Considering the Benefits of Hosting Refugees: Evidence of Refugee Camps Influencing Local Labour Market Activity and Economic Welfare’. UNU-WIDER Working Paper, Maastricht University. 2017

. Marcus, G. E., and MacKuen, M. Emotion and politics:The dynamic functions of emotion In: J. H. Kuklinksi (Ed.), Citizens and Politics: Perspectives from Political. 2001

. Marx, D. M., Ko, S. J., and Murray, K. E. “Not one us”: Differing perceptions of immigrant populations as a function of political orientation. Manuscript in preparation. Psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University.2012.

. Mayda, A. M. Who is against immigration? A cross-country investigation of individual attitudes toward immigrants. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 88, 510–530. 2006

. Maystadt, J., and P. Verwimp. “Winners and Losers among a Refugee-hosting Population. “Economic Development and Cultural Change, 62: 769–809. 2014

. Meuleman, B., Davidov, E., and Billiet, J. Changing attitude toward immigration in Europe, 2002-2007: A dynamic group conflict theory approach .Social Science Research, 38(2), 352-365. 2009.

. Ní Chonaill, Bríd. Perceptions of Migrants and their impact on the Blanchardstown area: Local views. Irish Research Council in Humanities and Social Science Report. 2009. Accessed from https://www.itb.ie/ResearchatITB/documents/Perceptionsofmigrants-FinalReport.pdf [August 14th 2020].

. Rumbach, J. By the grace of God: insecurity and empowerment in a West Africa Refugee Camp 2007.

From: http://www.refugee-rights.org/Assests/PDFs/Microsoft%20-%20Rumbach_NWT_article-1.pdf

. National Population Commission,"Eti-Osa Local Government".Eti-Osa Local Government. 2006.

. O‟Connell, Philip J and McGinnity, Frances. Immigrants at work. Ethnicity and Nationality in the Irish Labour Market. Dublin: The Equality Authority and the ESRI. 2008

. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Indicators of immigrant integration 2015: Settling in. OECD Publishing, Paris.2015.

. Pereira, C., Vala, J., and Costa-Lopes, R. From prejudice to discrimination: The legitimizing role of perceived threat in discrimination against immigrants. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(7), 1231–1250. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.718 [May 14th 2021]

. Pillinger, J. Making a Home in Ireland: Housing Experiences of Chinese, Indian, and Lithuanian and Nigerian Migrants in Blanchardstown. Dublin: Focus Ireland and the Immigrant Council of Ireland Ref. Paper. 2009.

. Piontkowski, U., Rohmann, A., andFlorack, A. Concordance of Acculturation Attitudes and Perceived Threat. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 5(3), 221–232. 2002.

. Quan, J. Changes in Intra-Family Land Relations. In Changes in “Customary” Land Tenure Systems in Africa; Cotula, L., Ed.; International Institute for Environment and Development: London, UK, pp. 51–63.2007

. Riek, B. M., Mania, E. W., and Gaertner, S. L. Intergroup threat and outgroup attitudes: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10, 336–353. 2006 doi: 10.1207/s15327957pspr1004_4.

. Sam, D. L., and Berry, J. W. The Cambridge Handbook of Acculturation Psychology 2006 .New York: Cambridge University Press.

. Saad Abdulla Saad A. Keralites in Abu Dhabi: a study of unskilled and semi-skilled Keralite migrant workers in the city of Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.). PhD Thesis. Department of Sociology, the University of Hull. Hull: 11532. 1992

. Schweitzer R., Perkoulidis S., Krome S., Ludlow C. and Ryan M. Attitudes towards refugees: The dark side of prejudice in Australia, Australian Journal of Psychology 57:3, 170-179, 2005.

. Shye, S., Duchin, R., Sableson, A., Veil, M. and Haklay-¬Kaufman, Y. In¬tegr¬atio¬n¬ o¬f immigrant¬ -an¬t sc-ien¬tists, 1992–1995: Evaluatio¬n¬ o¬f go¬ver¬n¬men¬t aid systems. Su¬bmitted to the Ministry of Immig¬ration¬ an¬d the Min¬istry of Scien¬ce an¬d Arts. (In¬ Hebrew). 1996

. Taylor, J.E., Filipski, M. Alloush, M., Gupta, A., Rojas, I. and E. Gonzalez “Economic Impact of Refugees.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(27): 7449-7453. 2016.

. Townsend, M. Searchlight poll finds huge support for far right ‘if they gave up violence’. The Guardian. Retrieved 2011, Assessed from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/27/support-poll-support-far-right. [February 2nd 2020].

. Tunon, Max and Nilim Baruah. Public Attitudes towards Migrant Workers in Asia. Migration and Development 1(1): 149–62. 2012

. Vanessa D. and Papa S. Bialaba Migrants from the Northern of Benin to Nigeria, in Search of Productive Land, Insights for Living with Climate Change. Journal Sustainability.7, 3175-3203. 2015

. Yaro, J.A. Migration in West Africa: Patterns, Issues and Challenges; Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana: Legon, Ghana, pp. 1–17. 2008.

Downloads

Published

2021-09-11

How to Cite

Orugboh, G. ., Egerson, D. ., & Obono, O. . (2021). How Perception Plays Out Between Migrants and Their Host. The Case of the Beninoise in Southwest, Nigeria. International Journal of Social Sciences: Current and Future Research Trends, 10(01), 22–35. Retrieved from https://ijsscfrtjournal.isrra.org/index.php/Social_Science_Journal/article/view/841

Issue

Section

Articles