Introduction
Loosely defined, the term diaspora refers to the spread of a large number of people from their original or ancestral home. William Safran identifies six characteristics of diasporic communities as: dispersion from an original land to a foreign land, retention of a collective memory about their origin, a belief that they will never be fully accepted in their host nation, they think of their ancestral home as a place to which they will ultimately return, they believe they should be committed to its prosperity and finally retain some conscious solidarity with it (Safran, 1991). The concept of diaspora is therefore as old as mankind since large populations of people have been migrating for different reasons and finding a home away from home since the beginning of time even though it was initially used to refer to transnational Jewish populations.
For different reasons in the past few decades, large populations of Nigerians, or people originally from Nigeria have left their original homeland and are now staying in North America (Ogbuagu, 2008). Most of them left home in search of education and skills but never returned after they had completed their studies but still entertain the thought of one day returning home even though most of them are now citizens of the countries where they stay, have started families, have made friendships and even own properties in their adopted home (Ogbuagu, “Diasporic Transnationalism”: Towards a Framework for Conceptualizing and Understanding the Ambivalence of the Social Construction of“Home” and the Myth of Diasporic Nigerian Homeland Return, 2013). This study focuses on Nigerians in North America, specifically USA and Canada and seeks to understand how their assimilation, differentiation or inclusion, has shaped their identity, belonging and membership of North American countries. It also seeks to address whether or not homeland return is a myth.
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"Conceptualization of ‘Home’ and the Myth of Homeland Return of Nigerian Diaspora in North America".
Literature review
In the past few decades, migration from home has become a lot more common due to globalization and a faster transport network and borders are no longer impermeable. Even though those migrating may work, play, worship and own property in their host country, they still retain a concept of homeland orientation as a source of value, allegiance and a distinct identity. Those who migrate somehow maintain a collective memory about the home they left, perceive that home as the ideal home they should eventually return to, a commitment to ensuring this home prospers and an attempt to build solidarity with this homeland (Ogbuagu, “Diasporic Transnationalism”: Towards a Framework for Conceptualizing and Understanding the Ambivalence of the Social Construction of“Home” and the Myth of Diasporic Nigerian Homeland Return, 2013). Immigrants no longer have to make a sharp complete break with their original homelands, but rather attempt to retain some sense of connection with it.
Scholars in the United States have argued in the past that immigrants must abandon their distinct identities in terms of customs, values, language and ties to their homeland if they have to advance socioeconomically in their host country. Even though this may no longer be the case, studies have shown that the lives of immigrants can no longer be understood by simply assessing what goes on within national boundaries (Levitt, 2004). While the whole concept of diaspora could be changing, it still depends on immigrant populations retaining and links and commitments to their original home and continuing to act and view themselves as a collective entity (Bhatia, 2009) and for this reason, most African immigrants in American and Canadian societies have struggled to find equilibrium between integrating their children into the host society and socializing them without losing this identity (Buster, 2015). This has led to a crisis of identity among such children and youth.
Crises of identity result into diasporic dislocation which affects political consciousness and positioning of those who have lived, been educated and worked in a host country other than their country of origin resulting into multiple national and ethnic belonging (Christou, 2006). According to Christou therefore, the concept of host and home become blurry and hard to interpret because of the intricacy of their evolving meaning over and time. While she uses her experience as a Greek-American immigrant, the same can be said of Nigerians living and working in USA and Canada but dreaming of a future return home.
For majority of Nigerians living in North America, migration has led to a more or less permanent settlement in a foreign state hence disturbing the ideal model of the nation-state as we know it. Those born and brought up in the host country are more likely to be torn between the state in which they live (host) and the external home of origin to which they belong through affinity of a cultural nature (Brubaker, 2010). This assertion remains true even though these individuals may not even have the citizenship of their country of origin.
Theoretical Framework
Several theories have been used to conceptualize ‘home’ and ‘diaspora’. These theories include multiculturalism, superdiversity and cosmopolitanism (Ndhlovu, 2015). This paper will use multiculturalism to discuss the conceptualization of home for the millions of Nigerians in United States and Canada. Multiculturalism refers to the way in which a society grapples with the issues of cultural diversity. The theory suggests that members of diverse cultures can coexist without any problems by being encouraged to preserve, respect and encourage their diversity. The theory encourages equitable treatment of diverse cultures through official policy implementation. This equity helps to preserve and maintain diaspora communities as distinct entities and contributes to second and even third generation Nigerians in North America retaining their cultural identity while at home away from home. Proponents of these theory believe that people should retain some distinguishing features of their culture. Multiculturalism is further divided into the salad bowl theory and the melting pot theory (Montserrat, 2010).
Conclusion
The term diaspora is used to refer to large populations of people that have moved from their original homeland and settled in a foreign or host land but retain a longing for where they came from. This term can therefore be used to describe the many Nigerians in Northern America, specifically in the United States and Canada. While most of them have been educated and work in their host countries, they still retain a connection to Nigeria, follow its politics and in some cases visit and invest back home. This transnationalism has contributed to a crisis of identity particularly in the second generation Nigerians living in the two countries. This paper will use the theory of multiculturalism to discuss the conceptualization of home for this category of citizens in North America.
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