According to Vanguard, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to prioritize addressing the root causes of illegal migration among African youths. Speaking at an ECOWAS Parliament session in Abuja, she emphasized the need to understand and mitigate the factors compelling young people to embark on perilous journeys to Europe.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan highlighted the significant contributions of African youths, particularly Nigerians, on the global stage. She mentioned notable figures such as Silas Adekunle, a 31-year-old robotic engineer, and Abigail Marshall Katung, the Mayor of Leeds, as examples of successful Nigerians making impactful contributions internationally.
She stated, “Today, there are Nigerians making our country proud internationally. One example is Silas Adekunle, who at the age of 31 became the world’s highest-paid robotic engineer. Not long ago, we celebrated Lord Mayor Abigail Marshall Katung, a Nigerian woman who migrated to the UK and grew to become the Mayor of Leeds, the UK’s second-largest city."
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan acknowledged the complexity of migration, noting that it can be beneficial when driven by the search for better opportunities. Reflecting on her personal experience, she added, "I exist today because my father left the shores of Nigeria to Ukraine (then USSR) in search of greener pastures both academically and economically."
She also shared her struggle as a mother to encourage her children to return to Nigeria and contribute to its development, understanding the allure of better prospects abroad.