Socioeconomic, Ethnographic and Political Integrations and Challenges of Igbo Migrants in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines the socioeconomic, ethnographic and political integrations and challenges of Igbo migrants in Lafia. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were adopted to collect data on integration variables via the administration of questionnaires to groups of Igbos from the five states of the Southeast region, and the conduct of In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with Igbo elders. Fifty copies of questionnaires were distributed to each group, totaling 250. Data were analysed by SPSS version 25, and tables and charts were generated and the qualitative data were content analysed. On socioeconomic integration, the results showed that the majority (88.1%) of Igbos were first generation migrants, who arrived to start business in Lafia over 40 years ago, whereby, almost three-fifths (59.5%) of them started their current occupation. Majority (37.6%) of Igbo migrants’ present occupation was facilitated by ‘master’, ‘family’ (66.8%) facilitated their accommodation, close to 70 per cent of them possessed their personal houses, and over two-fifths (43.1%) of them got landed property through ‘friend’ while close to three-quarters (74.8%) got married to Lafia indigenes. On ethnographic integration, three-quarters were proficient in Hausa language, with half rated their proficiency in Hausa language ‘excellent,’ while Gwandara language became the best secondary proficient language. As par political integration, over half (52.0%) of Igbo migrants held political office within their association politics but few with the wider politics. In summary, Igbo migrants have been experiencing dynamic and positive integrations but facing challenges of ethnic divide and nepotism.