Ghana has had a long standing relationship with Nigeria, with both nations living as brothers.
However, in 1983 the relationship between the two nations were at crossroads facing a test which nearly separated them when Nigeria decided to expel over one million Ghanaians from their country.
The genesis of this mass expulsion of Ghanaians from Nigeria can be traced to the oil boom in the latter in the 70s.
The oil boom in Nigeria during the period attracting millions of migrants from across West Africa, mostly from Ghana. Ghanaians, who were facing tough economic times back home, moved to Nigeria for a better life and were welcomed by Nigerians with open arms.
However, the love for Ghanaians by Nigerians were lost a decade later when Nigeria suffered an economic crush. In the early 80s, oil prices dropped and the economy crushed, leading to high unemployment rates and the cost of living rising in Nigeria.
The quick economic downturn resulted in Nigerians blaming migrants for taking their jobs and resources.
In January 1983, President Shehu Shagari gave all undocumented migrants a two week ultimatum to leave Nigeria or risk arrest, trial and deportation.
The announcement sent over one million Ghanaians fleeing for safety. With little time, people packed their belongings in cheap checkered bags, later named “Ghana Must Go” bags. Crowded roads, borders, and ports were full of people desperate to return home with the ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags becoming a migration symbol.
The deportation created a humanitarian crisis. Many Ghanaians walked long distances to get home. Some died on the journey. In Ghana, the sudden return of so many people caused food and housing shortages, adding to the struggles of the already poor country.
The event damaged Nigeria-Ghana relations for years. The term “Ghana Must Go” became a symbol of suffering, migration, and xenophobia. The bags migrants used still carry that name today.
