Long before the Twitter jollof rice wars and recently, feuding over Guinness World Record Holder chef Hilda Baci’s true nationality on Twitter,  Ghana and Nigeria share a long, overlapping and complicated history and a tangled pop culture.

Centuries before the colonization of the continent of Africa, several tribes migrated from the areas within modern day Nigeria. Examples are the Ewe tribe who escaped a tyrannical king from the area that acts as the border between Nigeria and Benin and settled in parts of Togo and Ghana, most of them settling in Ghana. Another Ghanaian tribe believed to have roots embedded in modern day Nigeria is the Ga-Adangbe tribe who migrated to modern Ghana, as well small factions of Hausa and Yoruba with majority of the tribespeople still residing in Nigeria. 

Then came the partition of Africa and colonization, France took the lion's share of territories in West Africa save two territories which were occupied by the then British  Empire. The British were the overlords of the people of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) for more than a century until Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's campaign for independence. Like many African leaders who championed independence in their own countries, it was a path fraught with terror, imprisonment and difficulty but victory lay at the end of it when Ghana gained independence in 1957. Nigeria was colonized by the British for about 60 years before Nnamdi Azikiwe and his colleagues led the movement towards independence which the country gained in 1960, the second country in Africa to achieve that feat.

What many don't know is that the first presidents of Ghana and Nigeria were close, personal friends. 

According to Yuri Smertin's biography on the life of Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi's anti-colonial articles and sentiments influenced and inspired the first Ghanaian president. Nnamdi told Nkrumah to "go to the United States and come back with the Golden Fleece".

The Golden Fleece is a mythological object of great significance in Greek mythology. It is the fleece of a golden-hair winged ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts. The Golden Fleece was believed to possess extraordinary powers and was considered a symbol of kingship and prosperity. Obtaining the Golden Fleece was an epic quest that tested the bravery and resourcefulness of the heroes. The story of the Golden Fleece is an enduring tale of adventure, heroism, and the pursuit of mythical treasures.

On his way to Liverpool in Great Britain to further his study, Nkrumah began to experience separation anxiety from his mother until he found a note he believed to be rubbish at first but it was a note from Nnamdi Azikiwe which stated,

"Good-bye. Remember to trust in God and yourself."

Post independence, both countries underwent transitions and growth pains as they strived to operate as a nation separate from their colonial masters. In 1969, Ghana implemented her Alien Compliance Act and soon after, many African immigrants were deported from the country, many of which were Nigerian. Twenty years later, under the government of Shehu Shagari, Nigeria deported more than 1 million African immigrants, most of who were Ghanaian. If you've ever heard the term 'Ghana Must Go' or jute bag comes to mind, that's because Ghanaian migrants packed up all their belongings into those jute bags, hence the name. The forced immigrations from both countries set off strained relations between them and passive-aggressive stereotypes about Ghanaians and Nigerians in both countries. Over time, tensions eased but cultural love-hate relations that exist between them was borne. 

 They do have some things in common. Though highlife originated from Ghana, it reached Nigeria where it was just as celebrated and cherished. +233 and +234 both have jollof as a staple meal in their country but have a difference of opinion on whose recipe is tastier.

+233 loves +234 music and +234 loves that they do though they would never admit it. When it's time for bants, they both engage but when serious issues like Nigeria's ENDSARS movement arose, Ghanaian Twitter along with most of Africa joined the movement. There are appearances from multiple Ghanaian actors and actresses in both old and new Nollywood movies. Currently, they are both resilient hubs of talent and unique energy despite nationwide dire economic challenges. They are anglophone countries surrounded by francophone countries and though two countries are situated between them, Ghana and Nigeria couldn't be closer in terms of culture.