Ghanaian travel blogger Akesse Moïse Sanza has cautioned the Media to be circumspect in their reportage on Ghana-Nigeria issues.
Nigerians have been subjected to possible Xenophobic attacks after recent crimes in the country were reported to be mainly led by them.
However, Mr Akesse revealed that the image we paint about Nigerians also affect Ghanaians — whether bad or good since the two countries are mostly confused to be one.
He wrote,
The media should be careful with how the Ghana-Nigeria issues are reported. By now I’m sure the BBC local correspondent (a Ghanaian), is almost done writing.
For those of us who have traveled, we know that any image Nigerians are painted, affects Ghana. Most people out there even think Ghana is a city in Nigeria.
I remember how people in a house I stayed in Kenya had to be security conscious because someone from Ghana, ‘a Nigerian’, was with them.
When I went to Zambia, my hosts said to me “lot of your people are here, I’ll take you there”. I went there and they were Nigerians.
And where they have good image, it also affects us positively. Many people in East Africa visit Ghana because of the beauty they see in Nigerian movies. Once they see actors from Ghana and Nigeria, they assume our countries are that beautiful. I remember asking kids in Uganda where they wish to travel to, I expected to hear USA to aid my illustration but to my surprise, they all said Nigeria, Ghana. Their teacher told me it’s because of the movies they watch.
In other countries like South Africa, ladies see Nigerian men to be caring. This positive image is also enjoyed by Ghanaian men because they see us as one.
So any harm we cause Nigerians, we cause ourselves. Let’s allow the institutions to work to find the appropriate solution.
