In the latter days of January 1983, thousands of Ghanaian travelers having left Nigeria for Ghana after being expelled, were stranded at the border between Benin Republic and Togo.

Some of the fairly jolly ones turned on loud radio stereos playing Bob Marley’s 1977 hit song ‘Exodus’.

Many had evacuated with their families on moment’s notice, hurriedly stuffing most of their belongings into big, cheaply available chequered bags

The biggest mass movement since the 1966/67 pre-civil war evacuations in the West African country had begun.

The big hollow bags earned a new name from locals, a name that decades later is still a symbol for the huge state-triggered self-deportation, ‘Ghana-must-Go’.



Up to 2 million undocumented immigrants, mostly Ghanaians have been sent packing and were heading home.

Nigeria’s then President, Shehu Shagari was heading into a presidential election and amidst a worsening economic situation, was not reluctant using the mass expulsion of foreigners as a campaign tool to win votes.

“If they don’t leave they should be arrested and tried and sent back to their homes. Illegal immigrants, in fact, under normal circumstances, should not be given any notice whatsoever. If you break a law, then you have to pay for it,” he explained on national radio.

The ‘undocumented’ Ghanaians were mostly artisans, some others with higher education have already risen to become administrators and even university lecturers in Nigeria.

Sadly for them, according to the Nigerian government, they all had to go.

Some of the documented migrants, fearing hostility from locals decided to go too.

The travellers who continued by road from Benin had another problem – The Ghanaian government led by the military dictator Jerry Rawlings had shut the country’s border with Togo in fear of a repeat of an earlier attempted coup.

Togo in turn also shut her border with Benin, trying to prevent an influx of up to a million travellers who might get trapped within it’s tiny territory while being unable to cross over to Ghana.

Ghana finally gave in and opened its border with Togo and Togo soon followed suit at it’s border with Benin.

A repeat expulsion was done in 1985.

Massive commodity shortages caused by rapidly rising inflation and foreign exchange problems made the new military regime to use the same scape-goat twice.

Many Ghanaians who stayed back in Nigeria in 1983 or the tens of thousands who returned shortly afterwards, were asked to leave the country again.

In the 1985 expulsion, up to 200,000 people left though the Nigerian government had intended to make the number up to 700,000.

Recounting the Ghanaian expulsion of Nigerians in 1969, some Nigerians justified the 83’ and 85’ expulsions as being neccessary. The aliens were accused of taking jobs meant for Nigerians and adding to the high crime rates.

On the other side, Ghanaian government radio rained fire and brimstone, ”Nigeria should be ashamed of itself. The action of Nigeria is contrary to the charter of the Organization of African Unity.”

It demanded that Nigeria reimburse Ghanaians for property they were forced to leave behind after both expulsions and accused the Nigerian police of killing up to 65 people who were allegedly murdered while crossing over to Benin from Nigeria.

The Nigerians however denied any killing and instead accused western journalists of fabricating reports to ‘divide black people’.

Diplomatic relations between both countries were restored back to normal after some years but the Ghana-Must Go’ reminder remain in Nigeria with the chequered ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bags still available in street shops

Read Full Story
https://tellodds.com/ghana-must-go-remembering-1983-exodus/

And Ghana must go was the ATM of those days... Every essential in transferring money.

Bilabong:
And Ghana must go was the ATM of those days...
Every essential in transferring money.

To be fair, the practice of stuffing cash in big bags started with public officials (both military and civilian staff) during the military era who wanted off-bank transactions (usually illicit).

Will do a post on that some day.

Ghana must go

These days it is

Buhari must go

And we Nigerians dey cry when America won pursue us from their country.... Clap back

Recounting the Ghanaian expulsion of Nigerians in 1969, some Nigerians justified the 83’ and 85’ expulsions as being neccessary. The aliens were accused of taking jobs meant for Nigerians and adding to the high crime rates

That exactly is Trump's campaign


He con dey vex una

Humn!

GMBuhari:
Recounting the Ghanaian expulsion of Nigerians in 1969, some Nigerians justified the 83’ and 85’ expulsions as being neccessary. The aliens were accused of taking jobs meant for Nigerians and adding to the high crime rates

That exactly is Trump's campaign


He con dey vex una

There are differences in many ways.
In truth, the Ghanaian community in Nigeria had very highly skilled labor and a very low crime rate.

There's little to support an inference that 2 million Ghanaians drove Nigerians out of jobs into crime.

An expendable scape goat was merely found by the Nigerian government who had no idea how to manage an economy outside oil booms.

Now out boys are running to Ghana daily..

Ghana is ahead of us in every thing...

Some people need to die in this gaddamed country!!

It would have been better to expel people from Niger republic than Ghanians then I tell you

Today, going to school or holiday
in Ghana is a status symbol for Nigeria.

That is how much 9ja do worwor!!

Ghana fa!!

adecz:
Today, going to school or holiday
in Ghana is a status symbol for Nigeria.

That is how much 9ja do worwor!!

Ghana fa!!

During the 70s and early 80s, Nigeria had a huge population of Ghanaian students and a sizeable mix of foreign lecturers.

Nigeria is very useless then.

Nigeria-must go not Ghana-must go.

zakim:
Nigeria-must go not Ghana-must go.

That's what it seems like right now