“Japa” and the Left-Behinds: An Analytical Review of the Socio-economic Effects of Emigration

Abstract

In much of pre-colonial Africa, migration took place primarily in quest of safety, new territory that was suitable for settlement, and good soil for cultivation. (Adepoju, 2005). Individuals relocate for a variety of reasons, such as persecution or improved job opportunities (Zanker, 2008). Migration is the process by which people migrate across large or small distances based on a variety of causes. These parameters change depending on the traits of the individual or group. The motivations might be solely financial, familial, or ethnic. Persecution, hunger, conflict, mass expulsion, widespread political and economic unrest, or environmental catastrophes in the origin regions can all lead to movement (Russel & Teitelbaum, 1992).