RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION: A DISASTER OR A BLESSING TO NIGERIA

Introduction

Cities have been growing both through natural increase and through stampede from rural areas in Nigeria. People migrate to urban areas based on the prevailing conditions they fund themselves and the reasons for the migration vary from one individual to another depending on the situation that informs the decision to migrate. In most rural areas, the effect of rural urban migration was a rapid deterioration of the rural economy leading to poverty and food scarcity. Rural-urban migration is one of the most distressing problems facing the Nigerian socio- economic development. A situation where the desire for better employment, business opportunities and education pushes both young and old out of the rural areas to the urban areas. The cause of the phenomenon has been described as the push factors in the rural areas and the pull factors in the urban centres. The dimension of the forces produced by these factors in many Nigeria communities has made “push and pull” to become understatements which could be replaced by “propulsive” and “magnetic”. Honestly, the rural areas are beset by propulsive forces which send the youths in particular running post haste to the cities which have the magnetic factors that engulf the rural areas in their irresistible field.

Causes of Rural to Urban Migration

Below are the causes of rural to urban migration in Nigeria. They include:

-      - Urban job opportunities

-      - Better housing conditions

-      - Rural land tenure and inheritance patterns

-      - Better education opportunities

-      - Better health services

-      - Extreme poverty, etc

Consequences/effects of Rural-Urban Migration

Due to the fact that more and more people abandon their rural homes to the cities in search for greener pasture, there is definitely going to be insufficient jobs for migrants and the unemployment rate will increase there will be more workers chasing very few available jobs in the city which in return will result to straining government resources. Rural-urban migration brings both pressure and impediments on city housing and environment as migrants arrive from rural areas they live on the streets and makeshift sub-standard accommodation before establishing themselves. The rate of population growth in the urban centres also lessens the quality of life because it: destroys resources, such as water and forests, needed for sustenance. Rural-urban migration leads to overpopulation of the urban centres thus encouraging and raising the rate of crime in the society. Rural-urban migration also slows down the pace of development of the rural areas.

Conclusion

With an overwhelming population of over 200 million people desirous to achieve at least, basic things of life which are food, clothes and shelter, Nigeria’s economy is running at a loss. Some economists have believed and written that Nigerian’s economy is in a state of comatose. Due to the immense level of unemployment, illiteracy and underdevelopment which has sent many unskilled laborers to the urban area to seek for greener pastures and subjected the urban areas to immense social infrastructural pressure, Nigerians population and influx of people for survival has been a subject of contest for many decades. Some schools of thoughts believe that the influx of people will lead to human capital development, abundant of manpower for our industries and sufficient enjoyment of the dividends of democracy while some schools of thoughts have stated and keep stating that the rapid influx of people from the rural areas will continue to cause more harm than good especially in areas of food production, raw material availability etc and create an intense pressure for an already overwhelming social facilities in the urban regions.

So, dear readers, what is your take?

Joseph Miracle Abu

Eco-Generation Ambassador

Nigeria