I pray daily for Nigeria to get its act together – Ghana President, Mahama

Ghanaian President John Mahama has emphasised the bond between Ghana and Nigeria, stating that Nigeria is of “keen security interest” to the Ghanaian people.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour and Chief Host at the 4th edition of the African Heritage Awards in Accra on Saturday, Mahama combined lighthearted cultural observations with a stern call for a paradigm shift in how Africa manages its vast natural wealth.

Addressing the historical and social ties between the two West African countries, Mahama described Ghana and Nigeria as “twins of the same mother,” noting that the only friction typically arises over “Jollof and football.”

“Ghana and Nigeria are twins of the same mother, except when we fight over Jollof and football. Otherwise, you know we are the same people,” Mahama said.

“A lot of the people in Ghana migrated from Nigeria. They find their roots in the Yoruba kingdoms and all that… and so, Nigeria is of keen security interest to us.”

Highlighting Nigeria’s demographic weight, Mahama noted that Ghana’s prayers for its neighbour are rooted in both brotherhood and pragmatism.

“If Nigeria does well, Ghana does well,” he said. “I mean, when you have cousins, 250 million of them, you want them to do well so that 1 million of them don’t come drifting towards a small country like Ghana.

“So every day I wake up, I pray for Nigeria, I say God let Nigeria get their act together.”

Beyond bilateral relations, the president called for a radical shift in how Africa manages its natural wealth.

Mahama said, “We need to make a paradigm shift in how we have considered investments, how we’ve considered our natural resources and everything in Africa. Punch