Chapter 6: Co-existence of Power and Powerlessness in Nigerian Migration Discourse

Migration discourse in Nigeria has, from generation to generation, espoused dreams of greener pastures in other lands. This chapter focuses on myths and misconceptions in discourses of migration in Nigeria vis-à-vis power and powerlessness. Power and powerlessness in this chapter are rhetorical terms that do not mean physical energy, but in the Nigerian context, they refer to matters of status and privilege (economic, social, occupational). With the proliferation of social media in the current era, migrants share updates about their living conditions abroad although some of these updates are exaggerated. In return, the people back home who have not migrated are given the impression that living in the diaspora yields easy rewards. In these social media conversations, Nigeria can be made to appear powerful or powerless depending on context. This chapter explores the complex interplay of power dynamics within the context of migration narratives from Nigeria, particularly as they are represented and reshaped on social media platforms.