North-South Migration: A Troubling Paradox, By Yahaya Kana Ismaila
By Yahaya Kana Ismaila
As a young man, I grew up hearing stories of the Eloyi people migrating westward in search of work. It was called Okurmi! My parents were part of it, and even today, though at a much smaller scale, the tradition continues. As a child, I often wondered why entire families—husbands, wives, and children—would pack up and leave their homes just to sell their labour in far-off lands. Why not cultivate the lands near them?
I later learned that the soil in our part of the world was no longer as fertile as it once was. Agriculture remained our primary occupation, yet we still produce as much labour as before, so much of it had to be exported to the southwest to work on rubber plantations and other farmlands. Returnees from Okurmi brought with them roofing sheets, motorcycles, and sometimes even cars—symbols of a successful venture. This was a structured migration, one that had purpose and direction.
It is, therefore, troubling to witness the migration of core arewa people, dismissed as awusa down south as it’s unfolding in Northern Nigeria today. Unlike the Eloyi experience, which was rooted in a clear economic exchange, many core Arewa men are now being packed into trailers heading south with no real plan or purpose. These migrants, mostly young men, embark on journeys without any preparation, without any assurance of employment, and often without the slightest idea of what awaits them.
Many of them arrive in the south completely disoriented. They have no skills, no trade, no financial backing—just a vague hope of survival. They fumble through life, combining begging with menial labour just to get by. The first time I saw a colony of Northerners in Owerri, I was horrified. The conditions in which they lived were beyond deplorable. They slept in alleyways, by the roadside, or anywhere the night met them, braving the elements with no shelter and little to eat. They were the lowest of the low, treated in some places worse than slaves, and often losing their lives in the process. Yet, more continue to venture south every day.
One would think that a people so willing to migrate within Nigeria would also be adventurous enough to cross international borders in search of better opportunities. But that is not the case. Compared to Southerners, Northerners are significantly underrepresented in the diaspora. A friend once remarked that the Hausa people’s reluctance to migrate beyond Nigeria says a lot about their collective ambition. Whether or not one agrees, it is evident that while Southerners explore global opportunities, many Northerners remain trapped in a cycle of domestic economic displacement.
The risks of this type of internal migration are severe. Every day, Northerners—Muslims and Christians alike—die in questionable circumstances in the south. Many of these deaths do not even attract the pretense of an investigation. Bodies are left unclaimed, names forgotten. It is a silent crisis that is barely discussed in mainstream discourse. These are occurrences the Southern controlled Nigerian media won’t bother to cover.
Yet, migration within Nigeria is not exclusive to the Hausa. In fact, I would argue that there are more Southerners in the North than Northerners in the South. Everywhere you go in Arewa, you find a sizable population of Southerners, particularly the Igbo. However, there is a stark difference: Southerners come north with a plan. The Igbo establish businesses, the Yoruba and other Southern groups bring semi-skilled labour and vocational expertise. They are not just roaming—they arrive with a purpose and work towards it.
This contrast presents a learning opportunity. Northern leaders must recognise this new wave of migration and prepare those who wish to leave with practical skills. We should not send our people south as helpless wanderers, but as skilled workers who can integrate into the economic structures they find. Imagine a system where young Northern men, before migrating, undergo vocational training in carpentry, mechanics, or electrical work. Such an initiative would not only protect their dignity but also make them valuable members of the communities they enter.
Another major difference between Southern migrants in the North and Northern migrants in the South is the level of community organisation. When Southerners arrive in the North, they build structures to support themselves. They form associations where professionals, businesspeople, and even the most humble traders interact. They pool resources, provide financial assistance to struggling members, and ensure legal representation when one of them is in trouble. This unity discourages mistreatment—an injury to one is an injury to all.
I am not sure that our Arewa people have such structures down south. It often appears as though the educated and successful Northerners living in the south deliberately distance themselves from their struggling brothers. This disconnect has led to a tragic lack of protection for Northern migrants, culminating in horrors such as the barbaric burning of 19 Northern hunters in Uromi. Without strong community structures, our people remain vulnerable to systemic discrimination and violence.
Something must be done. It is not enough to lament the issue. From the leadership of Arewa states creating better opportunities at home to reduce the desperation that fuels migration, to the establishment of skills acquisition programmes for those who insist on leaving, every effort must be made to change the current narrative. Furthermore, we must encourage the formation of strong Northern communities in the South—self-sustaining groups that can offer financial, social, and legal support.
It is time to elevate the dignity of the Arewa people in the South. Every person, regardless of where they come from, deserves the right to life, security, and prosperity. The North-South migration paradox must not continue unchecked. It is a crisis that demands urgent action, not just from the government, but from every leader, thinker, and influencer who cares about the future of Arewa.
Yahaya writes from Kana of Nassarawa LGA in Nasarawa state and can be reached on: kanaismail@yahoo.com
