The symbolism behind the “Ghana Must Go” plastic bag dates back to a tumultuous period in relations between Ghana and Nigeria, evoking the painful expulsion of thousands of Ghanaians from their host land.
The history of this woven plastic bag, usually blue and red, dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, marked by a major economic crisis in Ghana. Faced with dwindling oil reserves, soaring inflation and growing debt, many Ghanaians have migrated to neighboring Nigeria in search of better opportunities.
This mass migration, estimated at more than two million people in the early 1980s, brought a skilled workforce and entrepreneurial spirit that contributed to Nigeria’s economic growth. However, tensions began to arise, amplified by concerns about competition for jobs and opportunities.
In 1983, amid economic crisis, growing unemployment and rising nationalism, the Nigerian government, led by Shehu Shagari, issued a decree ordering the expulsion of all undocumented immigrants. Ghanaians, constituting about half of the targeted population, were the most affected.
This mass expulsion, euphemistically called the “Ghanaian Alien Compliance Order”, forced more than two million Ghanaians to return home, carrying only cheap plastic bags emblazoned with “Made in Ghana”. Ironically renamed “Ghana Must Go” by Nigerians, these bags became a symbol of the forced expulsion suffered by Ghanaians at the time.
Despite the difficulties encountered, many Ghanaians were able to bounce back. Some have rebuilt their lives at home, while others have found success elsewhere in West Africa and beyond. Today, “Ghana Must Go” bags continue to be widely used in Africa and beyond, recalling the painful past while demonstrating undeniable utility and accessibility.