By Victor Dim-Oba
With the increasing rate of irregular migration across the global, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO has contracted an Abuja-based theatre group, SAK Production to raise awareness on the risks among youths in Nigeria through its musical stage play, The Journey.
Speaking with journalists after maiden performance of the play to officially kick off the project in Abuja, Marculay Olusola, the organization’s communication and information officer said the performance is in line with the empowering young people through media and communication on irregular migration project embarked upon by UNESCO.
According to Olusola, communication and media serves as a medium of education especially music and drama therefore UNESCO is using the medium to educate young people on the negative impact of irregular migration.
“We are trying to use communication and media to educate the young ones on the risks of irregular migration. We understand the fact that you can really get the attention of the young ones through music or drama. We see this as an opportunity to talk to some of young one especially those who don’t have any plans or mission travelling overseas. You will agree with me that this night, they have learnt so much on so many things that will use at the personal guide and take back to community and educate others about the danger of irregular migration.” he said.
Responding to question, why carry out the project in an urban centre like Abuja, the Information officer said, the comfort of a people cannot be measured adding that the project will be taken to rural communities within the three-year period of the contract.
“You cannot measure the comfort of the people, you will realize that many people travelling overseas are well-to-do people, skilled who feel that they want to get a better life for themselves and their children.
“It is a three-year project and we just launched it today, we hope to see that we take to the rural areas, it is not going to be an Abuja based activities. We also trained 20 community media content developers, so that they can use their community radio to speak about the risk of irregular migration”, he stated.
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