Nigeria Unloads Her “Burden”

By “Awake!” correspondents in Nigeria and Ghana

“EXODUS of the Unwanted.” “Nigeria’s Outcasts: The Cruel Exodus.” With searing headlines, the international press publicized one of the most massive concentrated movements of people in Africa’s history. This was not a triumphant exodus of a liberated people, nor a frightened flight from oppression or war. It was an exodus of nearly two million people, forced out at the order of the Nigerian government.

Oil and the West African Community

By 1975 Nigeria had largely recovered from the ravages of civil war and become a major oil producer. The new oil wealth gave her increasing international financial clout and political recognition. Nigeria therefore took the major initiative in establishing ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) in May 1975. The purpose? To erect frameworks for trade and economic cooperation. As a result, ECOWAS citizens could visit member nations for up to three months without a visa.

This opened the floodgates of migration. “All roads led to Nigeria,” the wealthiest and most populous nation in the community. Foreigners from countries like Chad and Ghana passed through its immigration checkpoints sometimes at the rate of 3,000 persons a day! The greatest influx, however, came imperceptibly, stealthily​—and illegally—​across the country’s porous, unpatrolled borders. Nigerians, though, for the most part welcomed the immigrants. They provided cheap, skilled and unskilled labour in jobs often unattractive to Nigerians. But as with any huge migration, there were large numbers of undesirables. So it was not long before problems developed.

Immigrants Become a “Burden”

By 1978 the influx of immigrants was already causing concern. Many felt that cheap foreign labour was contributing to the growing unemployment of Nigerians. According to the Nigerian press, in 1980, and again in 1982, religious riots fomented by illegal immigrants resulted in the death of thousands of people. Unemployed immigrants formed armed gangs, robbing, killing and raping innocent citizens. Thousands of immigrant women were engaging in prostitution. Aggressive alien beggars​—men, women and little children—​became a nuisance.

Some therefore feared for the social and political security of the country. In 1980 they began speaking out against “illegal immigrants” and “unwanted aliens.” In response, the Nigerian government in 1981 called on all non-Nigerian Africans residing in the country to register at immigration offices. Little, however, was done to enforce this law.

Then came 1982. Nigeria became a victim of the international oil glut, which, combined with inflation, resulted in economic recession. As the Lagos Daily Times expressed it: “The gloomy picture of the economy was enough signal to the Federal Government that Nigeria can no longer play the role of ‘father christmas.’” So the people who had come in on the tide of the oil boom and economic plenty were about to be forced out on the receding economic tide.

The Exodus

The government’s “quit” order of January 17, 1983, giving all illegal immigrants two weeks to either regularize their status or “quit” (leave) was therefore no surprise. Nigerian landlords evicted immigrant tenants. Employers laid off immigrant workers. As a result, most unregistered aliens packed their belongings quickly. One Ghanaian man had recently told friends he would leave Nigeria only at gunpoint. “Even so,” said he, “it will be a slow march home.” But the gathering momentum of the exodus turned his predicted “slow march” into a gallop.

So by the hundreds of thousands they left, cramming into minibuses and trucks piled high with their motley belongings, jamming the roads, crowding into the international seaport and airport in Lagos. But where could they go? Ghana’s border was closed. Both Benin and Togo likewise closed their borders for fear that hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians would be trapped inside those countries. Until this problem was ironed out, waiting crowds, including children and pregnant women, suffered hunger and unhealthy conditions. Naturally, the Benin and Togo authorities did what they could to be helpful. January 29, 1983, however, saw Ghana open her borders. The world now witnessed a scene extraordinary as the waves of humanity surged into Benin, across Togo, into Ghana and beyond.

Ghana had already set up a Special Evacuation Task Force to handle this influx. The spacious grounds of the Trade Fair site at Labadi, Accra, were designated as a reception centre for those arriving by road and boat. By Sunday morning, however, the Fair grounds were choked, forcing the opening of several other centres. An urgent call went out for car owners to lend their cars to the government’s evacuation fleet. Amazingly, the returnees were so efficiently dispersed throughout Ghana, it was not necessary to set up refugee camps.

Each returnee had a story to tell. One Ghanaian man managed to reach the border town of Aflao and wondered how he would ever get to Accra. Suddenly he heard a loud commotion as loaves of bread were being thrown from a slow-moving van, and people rushed to catch them in midair. Leaving that scene, he started walking toward Accra but was forced to return to Aflao where a frantic struggle to board buses was taking place. Soon he spotted a loaded truck stuck in the traffic. “I mustered the little energy left in me,” said he, “threw my travelling bag into the truck and started slowly climbing. I was profoundly grateful to feel a steady push from someone behind me, which got me into the truck. There about a hundred of us endured the three-hour journey to Accra.”

Adversity at times promoted camaraderie. Some returnees shared their provisions with perfect strangers. Strong ones helped weaker ones to obtain food. At the airports some even shared their money with fellow travellers. But adversity also produced savagery. One hungry returnee had his meal taken away from him at knife point. A woman carrying a basket of food to a reception centre never got to serve it​—it was swiftly grabbed by hungry returnees.

At the airports and seaports people similarly had to endure the crush of humanity until boats and planes evacuated them. Many fell into the water, and at least one drowned as the pressing crowds struggled to board the boats. The returnees, however, quickly organized themselves into a rescue squad. And with each successful rescue, a wave of thunderous applause rippled through the crowd​—Ghanaian and Nigerian alike. Finally they set sail, as jam-packed as bristles on a coat brush.

The Aftermath

This has been called the cruel exodus, and so it has been in some respects. Many feel that the order was too sudden and that the period of two weeks was too short. However, Nigerian commentators remind us that illegal aliens were long ago instructed to regularize their immigration status and that only those who failed to do this were affected. And Nigerian authorities did try to minimize the suffering of the departing aliens. They were allowed to take along their properties and earnings. Limited medical aid was provided. The Nigerian Transport Owners’ Association volunteered 200 trailers free of charge for use in the evacuating of people from all over the country. And many individuals gave financial assistance on a personal level. Nigerians claim, too, that they already feel relief as employment and housing opportunities have opened up.

Nevertheless, the Nigerian action certainly bruised international relations. And in unburdening herself, Nigeria was shifting a heavy social and financial load back onto much poorer countries. Ghana alone now has over one million new mouths to feed and has made an international appeal for aid. In response, financial and material aid has been sent to Ghana, Togo and Benin by several foreign countries and organizations. Nigeria, too, has voted one million dollars (U.S.) in aid.

So what future have the returnees? Whether you call them refugees, deportees or evicted illegal aliens, their plight is a dramatic underscore of the perplexing, unsolvable problems world leaders must wrestle with​—a stinging indictment of a world that can no longer care for its inhabitants.

[Picture on page 9]

What future for people like these?