President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria yesterday arrived at the Kotoka International Airport to the waiting reception of his Ghanaian counterpart and other top government officials at a little over 7.30pm.
As guest of honour for today’s independence anniversary celebration, his presence cements further the already cordial relationship existing between his country and Ghana, a bond steeped in history.
Ghana and Nigeria were both in the stable of the British colonial rule in West Africa, using the same currency and airline until independence was achieved in 1957 and 1960 respectively.
Earlier, the Senate President of Nigeria arrived in the country to deliver a speech to commemorate today’s occasion.
Dr Abubakar Olubankola Saraki had charitable words for President Akufo-Addo’s achievements during his interaction with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
“I commend you on the people-oriented programmes…some of the goods things that you are doing, we are reading about them,” he emphasized.
Ghana is host to a large Nigerian community made of Yorubas, Hausas and Igbos.
There are communities of fourth generation of migrants from the Yoruba and Hausa ethnic grouping in the country as citizens.
Although they trace their ancestry to Nigeria, they hold by law Ghanaian citizenship.
Today, Hausa is one of the Ghanaian languages widely spoken across the country.
Yesterday, the Oba of Yorubas in the country, a third generation of migrants from Kwara State of Nigeria Oba Hamza Peregrino-Brimah VII and his entourage, joined the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana to receive the visiting president at the airport.
There were other members of the Nigerian community in Ghana who cheered President Muhammadu Buhari when he set foot on the tarmac.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, when he was flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), visited then President-elect Mahamadu Buhari in Abuja.
It was during the visit that the Nigerian leader told his guest that with his election as president, age was no longer a factor in African politics, and the two laughed over the remark.
By A.R. Gomda