Xenophobia: Nigeria In 1983, South Africa In 2015

There is a certain type of bag in Nigeria known as “Ghana-Must-Go” bag. It was the type of bag used by 700,000 citizens of Ghana to leave Nigeria in 1983.Today it is South Africans asking foreigners to leave their country and return to their impoverished lands. In 1983, it was Nigeria ordering citizens of Ghana and others to leave their country and return to their impoverished lands. History has a way of repeating itself.

It happened that in the 1970s, Ghana was facing a lot of economic hardship, just about the same time Nigeria had an oil boom. People were doing well in Nigeria. The economy was flourishing and the news spread across Africa, reaching English speaking people in Ghana first.

Citizens of Ghana moved to Nigeria in their thousands for a better life. Just like in South Africa now, things became a bit difficult in Nigeria, and Nigerians began to blame the foreigners for the difficult life. With low oil prices, they accused people from Ghana of taking all their jobs.

They urged the government to send them packing with immediate effect. In 1983, the Federal Government of Nigeria enacted an expulsion order under the leadership of President Shehu Shagari whose government was said to be corrupt and would be overthrown that same year by General Muhammadu Buhari who is the current President-elect of Nigeria.

Instead of addressing corruption in Nigeria, Shagari decided to send foreigners packing. About 700,000 citizens of Ghana were returned to their country. During the exodus, they used a peculiar type of bag to move their belongings. It was called by Nigerians ‘Ghana must go’ bag.


As they were leaving Nigerians were rejoicing, laughing and praising their corrupt government. But as a writer noted, the situation only got worse and Nigeria never recovered even after Buhari took over and was overthrown also by General Babangida.

Two decades earlier, life was better in Ghana and the country ordered foreigners, especially Nigerians to leave their country, only to end up in Nigeria and be asked to go also. History has a way of repeating itself.

These days, Nigerians are trooping to Ghana to study and do business. I do not know if they will be asked to leave some day. I hope Ghana has learnt from history.

In South Africa, the same thing is playing out now. They are blaming foreigners for lack of jobs. They are even killing them for their poverty. Just like in Nigeria where the government enacted an order to expel the foreigners officially, in South Africa, the government is not doing much to protect the foreigners from the attacks. History seems to be repeating itself.

Just like it happened in Nigeria, the Indians, French, Americans, Lebanese and other foreigners with lighter skins are not asked to leave South Africa. It is the Africans with black skins who are asked to go. History seems to be repeating itself.