Migration issues have either been underreported or distorted by the Nigerian media.

This has led to large misunderstandings, misgivings, sustained internalized stereotypes, prejudices, and or one sided narratives in discussing migration related issues in Nigeria.

 

To address this problem, the Civil Society Network on Migration and Development, CSOnetMADE, the International Organization for Migration and the European Union have begun the training of Journalists in three geopolitical zones of the country to help broaden their knowledge on migration issues so as to positively influence and impact migration policies and implementations.

 

ABS Correspondent, David Okpokwasili participated in the Workshop which just ended in Enugu and reports that

the  capacity building workshop which began from the South East Zone where twenty-five journalists from the five states of the Zone were trained will also be conducted in the South-South and North-West Geopolitical Zones of the country.

 

While being trained on how to improve on their reportage of migration and related issues using the right terminologies and putting to context migration in Nigeria, the Journalists also developed ethical guidelines for migration reportage in Nigeria at the end of the two day Workshop.

Speaking at the Workshop, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI, Senator Basheer Mohammed, represented by the South-East zonal coordinator of the commission, Barrister Jane Molokwu, said the misunderstandings and misinterpretations given about migration issues are grossly to be blamed for how migration has been criminalized instead of being seen as necessary human activity, noting that media practitioners are central to the responsibility of changing public perception of migration through proper and balanced reportage.

 

The Chief of Missions, International Organisation for Migration, IOM, Nigeria, Mr. Frantz Celestine, represented by Dr Adebanke Ogun, said unlike the way migrants have been represented as only leeches on the economy and wellbeing of their countries of destination, the organization hopes to change the narrative to show that migration could be and in proven data has been beneficial to the migrant, his or her country of origin and the destination country.

 

Dr. Emeka Obiezu of CSOnetMADE, in his contribution, charged participants to, at the end of the workshop highlight and dispel the biased reportage of migration in Nigeria and Africa and advocated for inter-organization collaboration among media agencies for better reportage of migration issues, so as to cover areas which have not been covered before

 

In a presentation on ‘Migration and Media’, CSOnetMADE training Consultant, Mr. Paul Nwankwo, said reports should also reflect that migration has its positive contributions such as in the areas of remittances, medical interventions and education.

 

Civil Society Network on Migration and Development, Nigeria, CSOnetMADE, is a space for diverse groups of civil society actors including non-governmental, community-based and faith based organizations, as well as migrants, diaspora, experts and academics who organize and advocate for migrants at grassroots.

No related posts.