Paper short abstract:

This paper draws on empirical data to discuss the emergence of ‘Arewa Gari Yawaye' an association for Hausa-speaking communities in Lagos, Nigeria. The association is increasing its mobilisation efforts in an attempt to increase their political bargaining power in light of perceived marginalization.

Paper long abstract:

This paper discusses the emergence of 'Arewa Gari Yawaye', an association that seeks to become the voice for internal migrants from the Northern states of Nigeria in Lagos. High unemployment rates in the North have attracted young people to seek for better lives in Lagos. However, low education means that these migrants often find themselves entering the informal sector, by taking up jobs as petty traders or motorcycle ('okada') drivers. While commodity markets in Lagos are governed by the more formal trader's associations according to products sold, linguistic barriers often exclude the least educated migrants. This has lead to instances of police harassment of these groups to be reported to 'Arewa Gari Yawaye', which then replaces the occupational associations largely because hausa is the language of communication.

The association currently operates with individual leaders across town, but efforts are being made at unifying all the communities under one leadership. While it opens up the possibility for the association to present a united front in confrontations with the state, it may also be a tactic employed to increase the number of association members, and thus political bargaining power. However, this does not center the informal workers, but merely uses them to create power for the leaders of the association.

This paper basis its analysis on empirical data and points to how it is imperative to consider potential pitfalls of identity politics as they may provide short-term support for vulnerable groups, but may lead to long-term self-segregation along ethnolinguistic lines.