The Migration and Integration of Ejigbo-Yoruba in Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

Uncensored cross-border movement of people and goods has been identified as a veritable means to enable inter-community development, especially at regional level, such as observable in the case of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Nevertheless, ineffective implementation of relevant policies that seek to encourage ‘free movement’ by concerned member-states of the ECOWAS has remained the greatest threat to the goal of a ‘borderless ECOWAS’ region. Extant colonial undercurrents and inherent political instability among member-states of the ECOWAS have presented hindrances in this regard. By engaging an exploratory design, which combines case profiles, focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs), this study investigates how subsisting cross-border relations between the Ejigbo-Yoruba migrants and the Ivorian have presented desirable impetus to the regional integration project of the ECOWAS, which has remained largely elusive. The group of cross-border transporters, who are usually of Ejigbo-Yoruba origin, has been noted as the most visible facilitator of inter-community development across the borders because of their routine intermediary role between the ‘home’ and the ‘host’ communities, though in an informal way.