Ghana’s President, John Mahama, has promised President Bola Tinubu that Nigerians living in Ghana are not in danger, despite a recent protest calling for their expulsion.
Mahama gave this assurance when he received Tinubu’s special envoy, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the Presidential Palace in Accra. This came after fears rose over the safety of Nigerians in Ghana following a protest tagged “Nigerians Must Go.”
According to a statement from the media aide to the minister, Magnus Eze, Mahama said, “Tell President Tinubu that he should not lose sleep over recent protests against Nigerians in Ghana. Nigeria and Ghana are brothers. We will not allow anything to come between us.”
He blamed the renewed tension on an old video made by a Nigerian living in Ghana over ten years ago. He said the video resurfaced and caused confusion, but the situation was quickly managed.
“The protesters were not up to 50,” Mahama said, while assuring that Nigerians and their businesses are safe.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that her visit was to calm tensions after the video went viral. She said Nigerians back home were worried about the safety of their people and property in Ghana.
His comment came after dozens of Ghanaians took to the streets on July 29, calling for Nigerians to leave the country. Protesters accused Nigerian nationals of crimes like kidnapping, ritual killings, and economic takeover.
Some carried placards that read, “Nigerians are kidnapping and using people for rituals” and “Our kids are getting missing because of Igbos.”
A protester in a viral video shouted, “Nigerians must go because you can’t be in someone’s country and be behaving anyhow.”
Another said, “They even have an Igbo king in Ghana. They’ve hijacked our lands. It’s only a matter of time before we take them back.”
The protest caused panic among Nigerians living in Ghana, especially those running small businesses. Many said it was not just about the protest, but about years of discrimination.
Businessman Patrick Isaac in an interview with the PUNCH, stated, “They want to provoke us into fighting so it becomes a diplomatic crisis. We were warned not to react.”
He explained that Nigerians face high rent, constant harassment, and are often forced out of business spaces. “You are made to pay five times more for rent just because you are Nigerian.”
He added, “This didn’t start today. In 2019, all Nigerian shops were locked up. They also tried to ban foreigners from retail trade. Now, they’re targeting the Igbos because we dominate the market.”
Another Nigerian trader said the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre’s $1 million business requirement is part of the problem. “They know most Nigerians can’t meet that, so it’s a way to shut us out legally.”
A fashion designer, Emmanuel Chubike, said landlords were already taking advantage of the tension. “Some of us got quit notices. My rent has been raised by 50 percent. It’s becoming unbearable.”
The crisis worsened after an old video of Chukwudi Ihenetu, a Nigerian in Ghana who called himself the “Eze Ndi Igbo,” resurfaced. In the 2013 video, Ihenetu claimed he had acquired 50 acres of land to build an Igbo village in Ghana.
His comments triggered backlash. Many Ghanaians accused him of trying to create a separate territory within Ghana. The country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, invited Ihenetu, who later apologised.
“We have no land for any Igbo village in Ghana. I dropped that idea years ago,” Ihenetu said in a new video.
Still, the protest created fear, especially in areas with large Nigerian populations. Desmond Princewill, a trader, said, “Even though the protest is over, there is still fear. We need more police presence in places like Nima, Mamobi, and Kasoa.”
A Nigerian fashion trader added, “Some Ghanaians believe we are all criminals. But most of us are just working hard to survive.”
Due to the rising tension, the annual Igbo yam festival known as Iriji has been suspended. Elder Joseph Njom said, “This would have been our 13th year celebrating, but we had to cancel. It’s safer that way.”
On social media, Nigerians expressed frustration. Samuel Onukak, admin of the Facebook group
“Nigerians Staying in Ghana,” said, “There’s still tension. Many of us are worried about what could happen next. But since the Ghanaian president’s message, things have calmed a bit.”
