It is a curious reversal of history. Ghana, a nation whose citizens have long sought opportunity in Britain, is now dispatching aircraft to rescue Britons stranded in South Africa. The reason: a wave of anti-immigrant violence that has left three dead and hundreds cowering in their homes.
As the British government fumbles with evacuation logistics, Accra has stepped forward with an offer of sanctuary. This is more than a diplomatic gesture. It is a stark reminder that the old certainties of empire have dissolved.
The Ghanaian high commissioner in Pretoria, Grace Obeng, stated plainly: 'We cannot stand by while people suffer on our soil.' The subtext is unmistakable. For decades, African leaders have begged Europe to do more for migrants.
Now, tables have turned. The 300 Britons awaiting evacuation include teachers, mining engineers and aid workers. Many have made South Africa their home for years.
But in the current climate of xenophobia, being white and foreign is enough to mark a target. 'I never thought I would need rescue from another African country,' one woman told me, her face still pale with shock. 'But Ghana feels safe.
It is a strange thing to say.' This is the human cost of a continent in flux. As European nations harden borders against African migrants, African nations are quietly offering refuge to Europeans.
It is a quiet, polite inversion of power. One wonders if the British government will remember this debt. Or will it, with typical amnesia, treat this as a one-off anomaly?
History suggests the latter. But for now, let us note the irony. The place once known as the Gold Coast is now a lifeboat for the children of the empire.
