THE 1983 ‘GHANA MUST GO’ SAGA IN NIGERIA:
41 years ago today, the Shehu Shagari government issued an order for all illegal migrants, predominantly Ghanaian immigrants, to leave Nigeria. This directive led to the emergence of the well-known bag named “Ghana must Go.”
Many of you must have heard of the popular term “Ghana Must Go“. And we all know that popular Bag known as ‘Ghana Must Go’.
But have you ever wondered why this bag, called “Chinatown tote” in USA and “Tuekenkoffer” in Germany, is called “Ghana Must Go” in Nigeria and Ghana?
Well, a real life incident that happened in Nigeria back in 1983 is what christened the bag “Ghana Must Go”. The Bag became popular after the Shagari Government Ordered the expatriation of illegal Africans living in Nigeria.
Over 1 Million Ghanaians were affected by that order.
Many African Country and Ghanaians were mostly attracted to Nigeria because of the Oil Boom of the 70’s but in 1983 when the “Ghana Must Go” revolution started, Nigeria economy had weakened and was fast falling apart. It was also the election year during that time and
Many felt Shagari evicted the Immigrants so as to divert attention.
So, let’s Consider the real story behind it. In the 1970s During the Oil Boom Period in Nigeria, alot of Migrants from Africa came into the Country in-search of Jobs and Greener Pasture.
Nigeria was like the U.S.A, Britain, Germany, Canada, South Africa etc of today, that many Nigerians are queuing up for Visas, so as to Elope to. During the Oil Boom Period, there were Jobs that Nigeria’s were Shy Or Reluctant to do.
Such Job includes Driver, Cobbler (Shoe maker), Tailoring (Obi-oma), Security Guard, Cook, Gardener etc.
As such,those Immigrants that came to Nigeria, were more than willing to do those Jobs.
Infact, In Lagos then, most Cobblers, Tailors, Drivers etc, were Ghanaians.
This same Scenario is what is playing out in most of today’s Developed Countries that Nigerians and Africans are eloping to.
Most Jobs that are ready available for Migrants, are Jobs that the citizens of those Countries in Europe, America etc, are reluctant Or Shy to do.
Note: This is not to say that, there are no Africans who are working in big firms in those Countries : Ofcause there are!
Anyway, in 1983, during the Democratic regime of President Shehu Shagari, the Federal Government of Nigeria Ordered a Mass Deportation of illegal immigrants living in Nigeria,as an executive order was given to immigrants without proper immigration documents to leave the country or they would be arrested according to the law.
This was also due to the atrocities most of the Immigrats were reported to be Perpetrating in Nigeria.
While Most of the immigrants were West Africans, More than half of the Deportation victims were Ghananians who had come to Nigeria in search of better living in the 1970s when Nigeria was experiencing oil boom and Ghana’s Political and economic Hardship.
Over 2 million men, women and children were affected by this news and decision of then President of Nigeria, Shehu Shagari Albeit, The Nigerian Government did not just wake up one day to expel over 2 Million Africans from its Country, there were certain factors (one mentioned above) that culminated in the expulsion.
Prior to that event, Nigeria and Ghana were good allies and have been maintaining their friendship.
But this Friendship was Threatened in the early 1980s during the regime of the Ghanaian Head of State, Flight Lieutenant Jerry J. Rawlings and the Nigerian President,Shehu Shagari.
Both African leaders were not in good terms and this was because President Shagari was a good friend of Ghana former President, Hilla Limann, who Rawlings overthrew his Government.
This deteriorated the Ghana-Nigeria relationship to the extent that in 1982, Rawlings raised an alarm that Shehu Shagari wanted to help Hilla Limann to Overthrow his Military Government in Ghana. And in response, Nigeria stopped the shipping of Crude Oil on a loan deal to Ghana. And as this animosity continued between the both Governments, so did it between Citizens of both Countries.
Because of this, the Migrants in Nigeria were Seriously Threatening the Peace of the Country and Nigerians were not ready to take that. The Situation began getting heated-up in 1980 when a Cameroonian expatriate named Muhammed Marwa alias Maitastine spearheaded a religious uprising (Maitastine Uprising of 1980) that led to the death of over 5000 Persons in Kano.
Maitastine was an illegal immigrant like many of his followers who were from Burkina Faso, Niger and Cameroon. This uprising is considered the second most tragic event in Nigeria after the Biafran war.
Allow me to tell us briefly about this event in my next post on BACKGROUND OF THE MAITATSINE SAGA :
