The clandestine traveller speaking to DJ Nyaami On SVTV Africa narrated how he survived through to Argentina.
“I made my first trip at age 17 with influence from a friend. We were told the ship was going to Philadephia (Yanki), and having a foreknowledge of the ship’s destination alone was my biggest motivation hence, smuggling my way in by any means."
"Unfortunately, we were seen in our hiding place and we were eventually brought back to Ghana. Here in Ghana, I had to live with my grandmother in a house made up of many other girls. I didn’t feel very comfortable so I thought of moving out; same time, a friend of mine influenced me to make my second trip’.
"Together, with him, we prepared and sneaked into this ship which we thought was going to either Europe or America. Unfortunately, the ship’s final destination was Togo, and unluckily for us, we were caught and brought back to Ghana," he said.
According to him, this second trip was one he wished he never had, the reason being that, the ship did not go to Europe/America as perceived.
To him, living in ‘’Yanki’’ has always been his dream hence he will keep trying until that goal is reached.
Here comes another trip, and this time it was South America, Argentina precisely. His third trip on the same path, but with a different ship; different method.
This ship set off, and as he has always entered illegally, it was not different, just that this time, with different people, of same Identity, Ghana for that matter. I mean they were nine Ghanaians who entered illegally but with one goal; thus to go and reside abroad.
As a family, not necessarily by blood, they put their food together for safety's sake. However, with little selfishness and misunderstanding, their unity was broken and they now call for the same people (Shipmasters) whom they have been hiding from.
“We had been on board for two weeks with no intention of revealing ourselves to the “shipmasters” because we believed, the earlier the see us, the faster our dream get cut off’’. He said.
He added, that they were hiding in the engine room, a place the shipmasters don’t come due to the heat.
According to him, when they (Shipmasters), finally saw them and asked them to come out one by one, he thought they were going to be killed just like the deadly voyage story, so he was very afraid.
Adding that, aside from the nine Ghanaians on board, there were other two Nigerians who were illegally put in by the shipmasters.
“We were stripped naked before these Chinese shipmasters. For some reason, the Nigerians who were illegally put in by these same Chinese were also stripped naked but luckily, we were not killed as thought. Instead, we were put in a cell inside the ship and we were fed from time to time until we reached Argentina’’.
According to him, when they reached Argentina, the older ones amongst them were sent to the capital city and the younger ones which he was part of were sent to the villages.
‘’I had heard from history that Argentina, during the slave trade, had killed all blacks who were brought to their country, so I was afraid we were going to be killed," he stated.
He said, he lived in Argentina for over a decade, learned Spanish, but flew back to Ghana just because he did not have papers.
When asked why he did not fight for papers during his stay, he said: “I did not see the relevance in the green card until today’.
Watch the full interview below.
