VisionAfricaMedia

By Kofi Quaye

Most people in the streets, markets and other public places in African countries seem to have the uncanny ability of identifying returning immigrants in their midst. Returning immigrants in this context refers to men and women from the same country, towns and villages who have traveled abroad and live as immigrants in overseas countries.  They make it seem like all it takes is a glance and they have it figured out right away. More often than not, they are right on target. They see, sense something about returning immigrants that sets them apart from tho rest. In Ghana, you earn the label of a “borga”, meaning you are a Ghanaian who has returned home from an overseas country. You acquire that label whether you like it or not. Once you immigrate to and live in an overseas country, especially for an extended period, you become a borgata as far as they are concerned..

PAYING THE PRICE FOR BEING A BORGA

 Elevating returning immigrants to the lofty status of a borga puts them in a totally different category. As a borga, you’re no longer like the rest of the people, you cease to be like one of them. From that point on, everything changes. No matter what you’re doing, be it shopping in the markets, stores, meeting old friends and acquaintances, making new friends- everything moves up, to another level. All interaction occurs in a context in which you’re perceived as a “borga” who has something considered to be quite valuable in Africa, foreign money and can afford to pay extra or be charitable to people you encounter. It doesn’t matter whether you’re dealing with a trader in the market, a friend in the streets or even family at home.. Still, you have something most don’t have-dollars, euros, francs, pound sterling or some other form.of foreign exchange. Shopkeepers and other sellers also operate on the assumption that you may not know the real deal in terms of prices, or feel.the necessity to.engage in the process of negotiating to pay less, the norm in almost all transactions in Africa. It really doesn’t take long before you realize you’re being asked to pay more for services and merchandise simply for being a “borga”.

CAN BORGAS DO ANYTHING ABOUT BEING SCAMMED AND EXPLOITED?

Do “borgas” unwittingly set themselves up to be exploited?. Precisely what sets them apart?. Is it the way they walk, talk or look? Should they negotiate harder and longer, when they know all local prices are negotiable? Should they put more effort and energy into looking more like everybody else? If so, how? It’s been argued that more often than not, returning immigrants are to be blamed for making it easy for others to target them to be scammed or manipulated.  Can anything be done about it? Your guess is as good as mine on this one.