Deportation of West African migrants from Nigeria

Ghana Must Go was a popular name given to the migration of illegal migrants (mostly Ghanaians) from Nigeria following a presidential executive order in 1983.

Not to be confused with Ghana Must Go (novel).

In January 1983, the President of Nigeria, Shehu Shagari issued an executive order mandating immigrants without proper immigration documents to leave the country or they would be arrested according to the law. The order was in alleged response to the religious disturbances that had engulfed parts of the country in 1980 (the Kano Riots) and 1981.[1] Most of the immigrants were West Africans and mainly Ghanaians. Over 2 million men, women and children were affected, including over 1 million Ghanaians and other West Africans. Most had been attracted to Nigeria because of the 1970s oil boom, but by 1983 the economy had weakened and it was an election year.[2] Expulsions of immigrants have occurred several times in West Africa, for various reasons,[3][4] including deportations from Ghana of Nigerians in 1954, from Côte d'Ivoire of Togolese, Dahomeyans and Nigerians in 1958, and of aliens (mostly Nigerians) from Ghana in 1969.[3][4]

The primary route to Ghana was westwards, passing through Benin and Togo. Because of an attempted coup the previous year, the President of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, had closed the main land crossing with Togo, and to avoid a sudden influx of returnees, Togo then also shut its borders with Benin. Therefore, once the migrants reached Benin, the way out was restricted and they were forced to remain in the port of Cotonou, the country's seat of government, attempting to find a boat to Ghana. After they had been stranded for more than a week, Ghana reopened its borders, causing Togo to do likewise so that the Ghanaians could return home.[2]

The relationship between Nigeria and Ghana has since improved.[5]

Ghana Must Go bag

A type of cheap matted woven nylon zipped tote bags, used by the migrants to move their belongings, got the moniker "Ghana Must Go" during the migration. As of 2019, the bag is still commonly referred to with this name in most parts of Nigeria, Ghana, and certain parts of West Africa[6][7] In 2020, New York-based Nigerian photographer Obinna Obioma used the bags to fashion clothing and other items in an exhibition on migration titled Anyi N'Aga ("We Are Going" in Igbo).[8]

Worldwide, the bag has a variety of other names associating it with migrants. In Germany it is called the "Türkenkoffer" (Turkish suitcase), in the USA, the "Chinatown tote", in Guyana, the "Guyanese Samsonite", and in various other places, the "Refugee Bag".[9]

References
  1. Aremu, J. Olaosebikan (July 2013). "Responses to the 1983 Expulsion of Aliens from Nigeria: A Critique". African Research Review. 7 (3): 340–352. doi:10.4314/afrrev.v7i3.24.
  2. Solomonov, M. (2015-08-15). "Ghana Must Go: Exodus From Nigeria Remembered". Yen.com.gh. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
  3. Peil, Margaret (August 1971). "The Expulsion of West African Aliens". The Journal of Modern African Studies. 9 (2): 205–229. doi:10.1017/S0022278X00024903.
  4. Peil, Margaret (Autumn 1974). "Ghana's Aliens". The International Migration Review. 8 (3): 367–381. doi:10.1177/019791837400800303.
  5. "Ghanaians love to visit these 5 Places in Nigeria". News Ghana. 2017-05-11. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
  6. "Ghana Must Go: Containing The Mayhem of #Migration". Africa at LSE. 2017-08-14. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  7. "Ghana Must Go: The ugly history of Africa's most famous bag". www.graphic.com.gh. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
  8. Orjinmo, Nduka (2020-11-19). "In pictures: Turning the iconic Ghana Must Go bag into high fashion". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  9. Hunt, Liz (2007-06-01). "Immigrants have bags of ambition". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-09-14.
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