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Nigerian human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has accused African leaders of fuelling division across the continent.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Sowore cited historical episodes of mass expulsions and recent attacks on migrants in South Africa as evidence that African governments have too often turned citizens against one another instead of addressing the root causes of economic hardship and insecurity.
“African leaders have too often turned Africans against one another,” Sowore wrote.
He cited Ghana’s 1969 Aliens Compliance Order under then Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, which led to the expulsion of large numbers of undocumented foreign nationals, including many Nigerians.
Sowore also recalled Nigeria’s 1983 expulsion of undocumented migrants under the administration of former President Shehu Shagari.
“In 1983, Nigeria responded with its own mass expulsion under the Shehu Shagari government, forcing more than a million Ghanaians and other undocumented migrants to leave. That episode gave the iconic woven bag its enduring nickname: ‘Ghana Must Go,'” he said.
The “Ghana Must Go” bag has since become a widely recognised symbol across West Africa, its name originating from the 1983 expulsion during which many Ghanaians reportedly used the woven bags to carry their belongings as they left Nigeria.
Sowore said recent outbreaks of xenophobic violence in South Africa show that the continent has yet to learn from its past.
“Today, South Africa continues to grapple with recurring shameful outbreaks of xenophobic violence targeting African migrants. These episodes should remind us of the lessons of history,” he said.
South Africa has witnessed repeated waves of attacks against foreign nationals over the past two decades, with migrants from countries including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Somalia often targeted during periods of economic hardship, high unemployment and social tension.
Rights groups have frequently blamed misinformation, weak law enforcement and political rhetoric for exacerbating anti-immigrant sentiment.
According to Sowore, political leaders have repeatedly shifted public frustration away from governance failures by encouraging hostility toward fellow Africans.
“Time and again, misguided policies by political leaders have fueled division, while ordinary Africans are encouraged to turn against fellow Africans instead of confronting the governance failures, economic hardship, and injustice that often underlie these crises,” he wrote.
Calling for a different approach, the activist urged Africans to reject xenophobia and embrace solidarity across national borders.
“Africans must learn from the past. Africans must reject xenophobia, uphold the rule of law, and refuse to be used against one another for political convenience,” he said.
African leaders have too often turned Africans against one another.
In 1969, Ghana’s Aliens Compliance Order, issued by Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, led to the expulsion of large numbers of undocumented foreign nationals, including many Nigerians.
In 1983, Nigeria… pic.twitter.com/4SDlaLpf1f
— Omoyele Sowore (@sowore) July 29, 2026
