President calls viral video a “storm in a teacup,” reaffirms ECOWAS unity
By Alex Ababio
President John Dramani Mahama has assured Nigerian nationals and the government of Nigeria that there will be no mass deportations of Nigerians from Ghana, describing recent fears as “a storm in a teacup.”
His remarks came during a diplomatic visit to the Jubilee House by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who had been dispatched as a special envoy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to seek clarity on the matter.
“There is absolutely no plan for mass deportations,” President Mahama stated firmly. “We are siblings of the same parents, and our destinies are joined together.
Viral Video Sparks Unwarranted Panic
The tension was reportedly fueled by a resurfaced video from 2013, featuring an individual described as an “Igbo king” discussing land acquisition for a kingdom in Ghana. The video, widely misinterpreted as recent and authoritative, circulated across social media and triggered fears of reprisal attacks and deportations in Ghana.
President Mahama downplayed the impact of the video, labeling it “a bit of a storm in a teacup,” and clarified that Ghanaian law does not permit external groups to establish traditional authorities.
“The law in Ghana clearly defines how traditional councils are established,” he noted, “so such claims have no legal basis.”
Nigeria’s Concerns: Shops, Deportations, and Parliamentary Alarms
Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu relayed the concerns from Abuja, indicating that the video and growing rumors had caused panic within the Nigerian community in Ghana and among officials back home.
“There is anxiety,” she explained. “There are fears that Nigerian traders’ shops might be targeted or even burned. Our National Assembly has held emergency meetings, and traditional rulers are calling on relatives in Ghana to return home.”
A United Front Under ECOWAS Protocol
In response, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s unwavering commitment to the ECOWAS protocols on the free movement of persons and goods. He stressed that any criminal activities involving foreign nationals would be addressed through legal means, not through collective punishment.
“We are members of ECOWAS, and our protocol allows citizens to travel freely between our countries,” he said. “When crimes occur, we deal with individuals under the law—not through mass expulsion.”
He also reflected on the painful history of deportations between the two nations in the 1960s and 1980s, saying: “That is an unfortunate part of our past that we should leave behind. Neither Ghana nor Nigeria should ever again consider mass deportations.”
Diplomatic Calm Restored
The Nigerian envoy expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian leader for offering clarity and reassurance during a potentially volatile moment.
“We arrived in Accra with fears of unrest,” said Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu. “But what we have found is calm and cooperation. President Mahama’s reassurances have helped ease tensions both here and back home.”
Unity Over Division
In a time of swirling social media narratives and diplomatic unease, President Mahama’s message was clear: Ghana and Nigeria remain bound by history, shared futures, and regional cooperation—not by viral videos or fear.
“Let us walk forward as brothers,” he said. “Not as strangers suspicious of one another.”