By Adeola Badru
The Oyo State Government has received 70 indigenes evacuated from South Africa following xenophobic attacks targeting foreigners in the country and commenced the process of reintegrating them into their communities.
The Executive Assistant to the Governor on Migration and Homeland Security, Assistant Controller General of Immigration (ACG) Segun Adegoke (rtd), disclosed this yesterday while formally receiving some of the returnees on behalf of the state government at the Conference Room of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government in Ibadan.
The 70 returnees comprised 42 adults and 28 minors who were evacuated from South Africa following the attacks and difficult circumstances that affected Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, Adegoke assured the returnees that the state government would not regard their return as a failure or the end of their journey, but as the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
“Let me begin by saying: You are welcome home. You have returned to your state, to your families, to your communities and to people who recognise you as their own,” he said.
He said the government recognised the difficulties associated with returning home under circumstances involving uncertainty, loss of livelihood, emotional distress, disruption of business activities and abandoned plans.
“This is why His Excellency, the Executive Governor, has directed that your welfare and successful reintegration should receive the attention of the state government,” Adegoke said.
According to him, the state government was engaging directly with the returnees to understand their individual circumstances, assess their needs and determine areas where appropriate assistance could be provided to facilitate their reintegration.
“The state government is engaging with you directly as part of our commitment to working with you to understand your individual circumstances and determine the areas in which appropriate assistance can be provided,” he said.
Adegoke urged the returnees to be open about their experiences and circumstances during the assessment process, saying the objective was to identify ways through which they could remain productive and contribute to the development of the state.
“I want to encourage every returnee to be open and sincere during this process. The purpose of this meeting is to process and understand your circumstances so that you can remain valuable to Oyo State,” he said.
He further stressed that the experience the returnees had acquired abroad should not be considered a disadvantage, noting that their exposure, skills, knowledge, networks and entrepreneurial experience could be useful to the development of their communities and the state.
“I wish to remind you that your experience abroad is not necessarily a disadvantage. Many of you have acquired skills, knowledge, networks, exposure and entrepreneurial experience that can be valuable to Oyo State,” Adegoke said.
He, therefore, urged them to regard their return as an opportunity to rebuild their lives and apply the knowledge and skills acquired abroad to productive activities at home.
“We therefore want you to see your return not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity to enhance yourself and contribute to the development of your communities,” he added.
The governor’s aide said the state government would work towards providing an enabling environment for the returnees to regain their productivity and become economically useful members of their communities.
Adegoke, however, cautioned young Nigerians against embarking on dangerous journeys in search of opportunities abroad, stressing that migration itself was not the problem, but irregular and unsafe means of migration.
“Migration, as a global phenomenon, can provide opportunities, but it can also expose people to risks and uncertainties. Please do not allow frustration to push you into irregular migration or other dangerous activities,” he said.
He said the Oyo State Office of Migration and Homeland Security had continued to engage young people through advocacy and awareness programmes designed to promote safe, orderly and regular migration.
According to him, the government was also working to sensitise youths about legitimate migration opportunities available through migration quotas in some European and American countries.
He advised young Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad to acquire relevant skills that could improve their chances of accessing legal migration channels rather than risking their lives through irregular routes.
Adegoke said the state government remained committed to supporting safe and regular migration while simultaneously creating conditions that would enable residents to prosper within the state.
He said the returnees had also undergone basic medical screening, including blood pressure and blood sugar checks, as part of efforts to assess and safeguard their wellbeing following their return.
The government, he added, was assessing the returnees’ individual needs, health conditions and skills acquired abroad as part of plans to determine appropriate areas of support and create sustainable opportunities for them.
He reiterated the commitment of the Makinde administration to the welfare and security of Oyo indigenes, irrespective of where they lived or the circumstances that brought them back home.
“His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, has asked me to inform you that Oyo State has not forgotten you. You are sons and daughters of this state. Your welfare, experience and future matter to this administration,” he said.
Adegoke assured the returnees that the state government would continue to work with them to ensure that their return provided the foundation for a safer, more productive and secure future.
“Finally, our meeting today is more than an administrative exercise. It is an opportunity for government and citizens to sit together, listen to one another and develop practical solutions,” he said.
Some of the returnees, while recounting their experiences, described their evacuation from South Africa as painful, particularly because of the circumstances that forced them to leave behind their livelihoods, businesses and plans.
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