Migration, Human Trafficking and the Illusion of the European Dream in Kenneth Gyang’s Òlòtūré

Abstract

Migration remains a substantial socio-economic phenomenon, often driven by the desire for better economic opportunities, security, and living conditions. However, the growing urgency to achieve a better life has resulted in the exposure of a significant number of migrants, particularly young African women, to transnational violence and human trafficking networks that are exploitative. Although existing research has primarily focused on the socio-economic, legal, and policy aspects of migration and trafficking, there has been a dearth of scholarly attention to the psychological manipulation, false promises and ideological constructions that perpetuate irregular migration in Nigerian films. This study addresses this gap by examining the intersection of migration, human trafficking, and the deceptive allure of the European ideal in Kenneth Gyang's Òlòtūré (2019). The study aims to interrogate how the film depicts the realities of trafficking, the exploitation of vulnerable migrants and the collapse of projected European wealth when confronted with abuse and survival. While Postcolonial Theory provides a framework for examining colonial legacies, global disparities and the persistent marginalization of formerly colonized states, Spivak’s perspective foregrounds the gendered dimensions of vulnerability, silencing, and restricted agency faced by women amid intersecting systems of patriarchy, economic hardship, and exploitation. Findings reveal that Òlòtūré presents the European ideal as a deceptive illusion fueled by economic deprivation, despair and misinformation. Traffickers use false narrative structure of wealth and freedom to exploit migrants’ hopes. The film also demonstrates that human trafficking is more than just an individual tragedy, but the result of larger socioeconomic inequities and structural failures. The study indicates that Nigerian cinema is an important medium for debating migratory realities and pushing for awareness, social reform, and the protection of vulnerable groups.