Exploring “CHECKING OUT” Legacy: Migration, Popular Culture, and the Formation of Class Identity up to 2007
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
HUMANUS DISCOURSE
Abstract
It is crucial to avoid making assumptions about the reasons behind migration out
of Nigeria. Not all migrants are leaving due to poverty, squalor, deprivation, and
need. It is also incorrect to assume that migration is only focused on advanced
countries like Europe and North America. These assumptions overlook a critical
aspect of migration from Nigeria - the social factors that influence emigration.
This study sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of the reasons for migration
out of Nigeria, namely the gap between social needs and social reality. This gap
creates tension between the middle-class ideology of consumption and the reality
of upward social mobility. Consequently, a counterculture of "Checking out"
emerged, which signifies leaving the country not out of poverty but for prestige
and comfort. Starting from around 1989, a new generation of young people
became "embassy crawlers" and "visa hunters," which became a form of social
status. Shockingly, around two out of every five university undergraduates and
college students were more interested in leaving Nigeria than seeking
employment after graduation. Similarly, employed young people preferred to
leave their jobs for glamour and excitement overseas. Consequently, money that
could have been used for material comfort was spent on visa application fees