By Patrick Wemambu
When visitors to a country become more visible in civic participation and socio-economic endeavours than the locals, it triggers a sense of resentment on the part of the latter. The engendered animosity villifies the foreigner who is alien to the national identity.
Invariably, this prejudice is not just about pooh-poohing the perceived sidelining of the indigenes from involvement in activities contributing to societal well-being but rues the apparent failure of the migrant to politically engage local realities. Often, the protestations birth grievance politics which is a driver of xenophobia. Both being symbiotically intertwined, anyway.
Regrettably, unscrupulous politicians, especially those on the far-right, utilize xenophobic rhetorics to mobilize support – creating a mentality of ‘us vs them.’
Other instances of xenophobia as a political tool include exploitation of economic anxieties, shaping of public opinion, justification of discriminatory policies, undermining of social cohesion and ofcourse negative impact on international relations.
Which brings us to the recent ‘Nigerians-Must-Go’ xenophobic attacks in Ghana. Saturday Telegraph August 2nd 2025 informed that Nigerians residing in Ghana have condemned the ‘Nigerians-Must-Go’ protest, which erupted in parts of the country on Tuesday, July 29. They described it as a calculated attempt to incite a diplomatic rift between the two West African neighbours.
The paper added; “…numerous Ghanaians protested against Nigerians living among them, demanding (their) expulsion due to alleged rising crime, including prostitution, killings, and economic dominance.”
In response to the accusations, Nigerians lamented that they are victims of persistent discrimination and victimisation, especially from land owners – landlords.
“When a Ghanaian pays 1,000 Cedis for rent, you (Nigerian) may be asked to pay five times more, and if you can’t, you are chased away.
“As a Nigerian, when you rent a shop or an apartment, they (Ghanaians) triple your rent in such a way that you are forced to leave so that they can come in and continue that kind of business which you have been doing,” Saturday Telegraph quoted a businessman, Patrick Isaac, in Ghana as saying.
Another source of the publication pointed to the proposed $1 million levy by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) as part of a broader strategy aimed at discouraging foreign participation in the retail sector, with Nigerians being disproportionately affected.
Of vexatious and more worrisome concern in the saga under review is the fingering of Ghanaian politician, Hassan Ayariga of the All Peoples Congress (APC) as spearheading the xenophobic rhetorics against Nigerians living in that country.
Writing in the Modern Ghana publication of July 30 2025, Isaac Kisseh regretted; “It is quite shocking that Hassan Ayariga, who has an ambition to be president of Ghana which is part of ECOWAS is spearheading what can safely be described as xenophobic campaigns. This ‘Nigeria Must Go’ campaign is not only misguided but profoundly dangerous.”
Let us at this auspicious juncture interrogate how xenophobic attacks can violate both the spirit and letter of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocols. This includes undermining regional integration, violating non-discrimination principle and straining diplomatic relations.
Deploying political astuteness and diplomatic sagacity towards addressing the maddening imbroglio, however, President of Ghana, John Mahama has given assurances on the safety of Nigerians residing in Ghana. He reiterated that there is no place for xenophobia in his country.
“It was an engaging session with the President of Ghana H.E John Dramani Mahama to convey the concerns of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria H E Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the people of Nigeria over the protests against Nigerian nationals in Ghana,” Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s envoy to Ghana, stated in a statement on her Instagram handle Friday, August 1.
Notwithstanding signs of a growing rapprochement between Nigeria and Ghana, how do we navigate the trajectory of a way out of ethnocentric jingoism in xenophobic campaigns in West Africa? Firstly, ECOWAS must intensify efforts at highlighting imperatives of member-states adhering to protocols promoting free movement, non-discrimination and regional security.
Secondly, politicians with extremist tendencies promoting grievance politics which is protestational in nature must be reined in to arrest their xenophobic rhetorics. If anything, that should put the lid on situations of West African migrants’ vulnerability in their host nations.
Thirdly, governments whether in Nigeria, Ghana, Libya, Cameroun, S’ Africa, Egypt, Cote D’Ivoire or Equatorial Guinea must foster mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among all nationalities within their borders.
By the way, allegations of rising crimes, including prostitution and killings said to be perpetrated by Nigerians in Ghana should be investigated. This is with a view to bringing those found guilty to book.
