“Who is South Africa to humiliate Nigeria?”
Posted on March 1, 2017 by Linus Unah
Attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa have
prompted an angry backlash back at home.
Students protest against the recent violence in South Africa.
Outbreaks of xenophobic violence in South Africa are now frequent
enough that they follow a familiar pattern. Riots targeting
foreign-owned shops are followed by clashes, dispersed by security
forces with the likes of stun grenades, rubber bullets and water
cannons.
This was the case in 2008 as over 60 people were killed in xenophobic
attacks. It happened again in April 2016 as at least six people lost
their lives. And the past two weeks have seen anti-foreigner violence
erupt once again with protesters accusing non-South Africans of
stealing scarce jobs and bringing crime.
However, this time, there appears to be a particularly strong emphasis
on Nigerians. On 24 February for instance, protesters wielding sticks
and pipes in Pretoria marched to the foreign ministry with a petition
in hand. Amongst other things, the document claimed of non-nationals:
“They are arrogant and they don’t know how to talk to people,
especially Nigerians.”
Statements such as these as well as media claims that Nigerian
businesses have been particularly targeted in the attacks have spurred
outrage back home.
In Abuja, for example, Nigerian students retaliated by marching on the
offices of South African businesses such as mobile phone giant MTN and
television network DStv. According to an MTN spokesperson, the
demonstrators stole phones and tablets, vandalised vehicles, and
destroyed office equipment.
“We are saying that enough is enough as South Africans have openly
attacked and bullied Nigerians,” said Aruna Kadiri, president of
National Association of Nigerian Students, which organised the
protests.
In a later press conference, he warned ominously that South Africans
in Nigeria must leave immediately because their security can no longer
be guaranteed, saying: “It is in their interest to keep themselves and
whatever businesses they may have safe by leaving our country”.
Other groups have also marched on the foreign ministry to demand
concrete actions and expressed their outrage, while some have
suggested actions such as boycotts. Lashley Oladigbolu, a media and
public health practitioner, told African Arguments: “I have decided to
stop using MTN phone line and other products of South African
[businesses].”
Shaky diplomatic relations
In South Africa, it is of course a tiny minority that is directly
engaging in the xenophobic protests, and many have condemned the
attacks.
For instance, Thabiso Mondlane, a student of the University of Cape
Town, says of the episode: “South Africa stands before the African
community naked and exposed. Today is not a good day to be South
Africa.”
The South African government has also denounced the violence. But, at
the same time, said it will “respond to the concerns” of protesters
and recently deported 97 Nigerian nationals for a range of offences,
including lack of documentation.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, special assistant to Nigeria’s president on
diaspora matters, has heavily criticised the South African
government’s suggestion that diplomacy is the solution to the attacks,
noting that several Nigerians have lost their lives in the past few
years. She also condemned the deportations of Nigerians, saying: “They
have been arbitrarily raided”.
Relations with South Africa dominated proceedings in the senate this
week as lawmakers decided that they would not sever diplomatic
relations, but send a delegation to South Africa to demand concrete
actions and an explanation.
“This attack has become one too many,” said Senate President Bukola
Saraki. “We must put a stop to these attacks. We must take the bull by
the horn. That is why we have resolved to meet with the South African
parliament.”
Nigeria has also urged the African Union to find solutions to halt
xenophobic attacks of other African nationals in South Africa.
Lost love
Analysts consistently maintain that cooperation between Africa’s two
largest economies is crucial for the continent’s overall wellbeing and
development. But despite the establishment of a bi-national commission
in 1999 to boost economic cooperation, the relationship between the
two countries has often been more defined by quarrels and diplomatic
spats than collaboration.
For many ordinary Nigerians though, it is the memory of solidarity
during South Africa’s experience of apartheid that makes the recent
anti-Nigerian attacks most frustrating.
Ngozi Obi-ani, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, says that
Nigeria put Africa at the centre of its foreign policy after its
independence and offered invaluable political and financial support to
the now ruling African National Congress to fight white minority rule.
Amongst other things, Nigeria chaired the United Nations special
committee against apartheid. And at one point, public servants in
Nigeria committed to donate 2% of their monthly salaries to help the
struggle.
“Who is South Africa to humiliate Nigeria?,” asked Kadiri. “They
forget things so soon, let them go back to history and records to see
how much financial assistance and what the country did to save them.”
More demonstrations on the horizon?
According to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, it is on
red alert in the southern state of Bayelsa after intelligence reports
suggested some Nigerians are planning reprisal attacks on MTN
facilities.
At the same time, trade unions, civil society organisations and
Nigerian students have made clear their anger at the violence in South
Africa, suggesting there are likely to be further protests. With
tensions running high, there are concerns these could degenerate into
the destruction of property belonging to South African businesses.
As Oluyemi Fayomi, an international relations expert, notes, the
attacks against Nigerians in South Africa have had a deep impact –
politically, economically and socially – on both countries, from the
highest level down to the grassroots. Unless this is resolved quickly,
the rift will only deepen.
“Continued xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals
in South Africa will definitely create tensions and lead to unrest and
uproar in [both] South Africa and Nigeria,” she says.
Linus Unah is a Nigerian journalist based in Enugu, Nigeria.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or
subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your
feed reader.
This entry was posted in African Politics Now, The Nigeria Forum.
Bookmark the permalink.
18 thoughts on ““Who is South Africa to humiliate Nigeria?””
Chike Chiemela Elizabeth says:
March 1, 2017 at 8:47 pm
Sunbae Linus, this is a beautiful article, I read it till the last
full stop. I enjoyed every bit of it.
Keep leaving marks for me to follow.
I’m so proud of you.
Besides, I don’t support South Africa’s attitude towards Nigeria.
I sincerely hope this issue is resolved without further violence.
Indeed, those who fail to know their past are doomed to fail.
South Africa, be wise!
Lionel says:
March 1, 2017 at 9:32 pm
The Ruling party is the cause of all xenophobic acts. I’ve heard a
man from another African country who said that the only country you
can get away with crime in Africa is South Africa. Are there
individuals producing illegal drugs and selling it to young kids among
foreigners? Yes, but the South African government is not combating
crime and so the people are taking the law into their own hands. Same
issues with attacks on Farmers; the South African government hasn’t
taken concrete steps to resolve this plague. People will get tired and
start taking matters into their own hands.
Rita says:
March 1, 2017 at 10:13 pm
Nigerian Lawmakers are afraid to confront any situation head on
because, they don’t want to lose their stolen wealth in the event of a
war. They would rather sacrifice their own citizens and continue
business as usual. Otherwise, why would every cricket on the planet
continue to bully and denigrate Nigerians? Because, the Nigerian
government does not value its own people. If this is not lack of self
worth, I wonder what is!
Ismail Rajab says:
March 1, 2017 at 10:41 pm
As an African, a Tanzanian, I am outraged by these xenophobic
attacks on Nigerians and other Africans – black Africans – in South
Africa. And I fully support the position taken by some Nigerians in
Nigeria, asking South Africans to leave the country.
It may be a radical move but necessary because the South African
government has done nothing, virtually nothing, to stop the attacks.
The violence perpetrated against black foreigners is nothing new in
South Africa since the end of apartheid.
Africans from other countries on the continent are resented and
even hated by many South Africans including some highly educated ones.
They don’t appreciate the sacrifices we made to help them during the
struggle against apartheid. Other African countries should respond in
kind.
The Pan-African solidarity that was preached and practised by our
leaders such as Nkrumah, Nyerere, Azikiwe, Sekou Toure, Kaunda, Obote
and others means nothing, absolutely nothing, to many South Africans,
probably millions.
Prajwal Shrestha says:
March 2, 2017 at 1:11 am
South Affrians are very fools for fighting the finger that feed
them when there was nobody to do that for them
maduagwu nkemakolam says:
March 2, 2017 at 2:05 am
The bane of African continent is education, not literacy, because
there is quite some ‘sizable’ literate Africans. Because, the way and
manner the African leadership and elites react to issues is quite
baffling.
The leaderships of South Africa must have on record the effort of
Nigerian leadership and the general mass of Nigerians played in the
liberation of South Africa.
Many of these so called elites of South Africa today went to
school on Nigerian govt scholarship. Nigeria is not saying ‘don’t
prosecute any Nigerian with criminal activity. No. If any Nigerian
runs fowl of the law, the person is on his or her own’.
But to destroy people’s hard earned properties because they are
foreigners is disheartening.
We Nigerians suffered and sacrificed for the well-being of South
Africans. And this is the payment.
Mark Alexander says:
March 2, 2017 at 6:53 am
The mass Zenophobia is just the tip of the iceberg. Foreign
nationals are robbed daily at Park Station by police. Robbing a
foreigner is easy especially since many are not there legally and so
can not go to the police for fear of deportation.
The ruling party the ANC is openly hostile to any who are from
other countries, not issuing them with work permits even though they
know that their people can’t do the work.
Wilfred says:
March 2, 2017 at 7:45 am
It is great madness for your own brothers (BLACKS )to attack and
even kill you!i would suggest that all other African Governments
should immediately resolve to severe links with South Africa,to send a
clear message to the South African Government and its citizens that
primitivity has serious consequences.By so doing,the problem will not
only come to an end in South Africa, but other countries will learn a
lesson as well.There is virtually no reason whatsoever for even one
person to die in such kind of attacks!
dangil says:
March 2, 2017 at 9:46 am
You are right Lionel,yes the government has not done much to stop
the violence,same like with the drug dealers.That is why these attacks
has started again.I feel sorry for the incomers who make an honest
living and the students but I feel the attacks against the drug
dealers,using their shops as decoys should not stop.They are killing
our people and promote prostitution.They must LEAVE South Africa.
If other South Africand are breaking the laws in other countries
they must follow the consequenses.
Jemine says:
March 2, 2017 at 11:20 am
If other Africa country can attack Africans, what message are they
sending to other races. Come to think of it, did Nigeria ask companies
in South Africa not to give their own citizen Job, this people must be
very stupid or they are jealous of Nigerians, otherwise i see no
reason why they will attack a black man like you, its pathetic, to the
south africa President i think he should just step down because he is
not a president. If they know the capability of one Nigeria citizen,
they will rush to put an end to this shame some illitrate citizen and
bringing upon the country. South africa my arse.
Chinny says:
March 3, 2017 at 11:04 am
The South African Business community in Nigeria (with MTN leading)
should put pressure on the South African Government & Parliament to
protect the lives and interests of Nigerians and other foreigners
living in South Africa. Also, the African Union should intervene as
this could impact on relations in Africa.
kwame 2389 says:
March 3, 2017 at 2:49 pm
South Africans are wrong to attack Nigerians and other Africans.
The Nigerian government must urgently address reputational issues that
have dogged Nigeria and Nigerians in China, India, UK, USA, Europe,
Canada, and basically throughout the world. It is not fair for
millions of law -abiding Nigerians to be tarnished by the criminality
of a deviant minority. It’s just the stench of scamming, credit card
fraud and cyber-criminality that wafts whenever the word Nigeria is
mentioned. Nigerians can no longer pretend that this is not part of
the problem in SA.
WG says:
March 5, 2017 at 10:50 am
Things are getting worse for ‘foreigners’ everywhere unfortunately
– speaking as a South African in Britain.
A sincere hand of friendship to Nigerians in South Africa and in
Nigeria, for what it’s worth. I don’t know what’s going on in my
country (or the one I’m living in now) but I hope that reasonable
groups of people with empathy and understanding can work together to
stop things like this happening.
shola says:
March 5, 2017 at 11:47 am
Terrible, I watched a video where South Africans mobbed a
Nigerian(guy), he was shot multiple times. I’ve read several articles
of how Nigerians helped SA in the past. Apparently, the SA citizens
are not reading all these articles, only few knows their history. I
blame our rulers in Nigeria, because if they had built Nigeria without
blemish, our people won’t travel around the world seeking greener
pastures. Instead, they chose to enrich their pockets. Killing
Nigerians is an act of war. I think if you are a Nigerian in SA be
careful and try to defend yourself, be sharp and kill anything that
tries to harm you. I can’t ask you to come home, home is bad… until
our government makes meaningful moves to end this mess, I think they
don’t care. That’s it. Where is our Military? Silent I guess.. lol,
you can’t kill 100 Americans in a country and not be punished for it…
Nigerians should wake up and let’s better our country. Nigerians are
being humiliated everywhere… God help us all…
kwame 2389 says:
March 6, 2017 at 1:48 pm
Because of its immense oil wealth, Nigeria is potentially one of
world’s richest countries. Nigerians are also amongst the most
educated people on the planet, so why is Nigeria a failed state? Why
have Nigerians been humiliated, not on only in Africa, but in Europe?
It is largely due to spineless and corrupt politicians. Africans
continue to be amongst thousands of the fatalities as many take the
perilous journey across the Mediterranean into Europe, but the silence
of African leaders has been quite profound. Every African leader has
sat on the fence as their nationals perish in the Mediterranean sea.
Sharon says:
March 6, 2017 at 4:00 pm
Please stop this war, The Lord wouldn’t want it. Think of all the
little children innocent ones don’t need this,they want peace and
tranquility in there lives.
Remember the song We are the world,make it a better place to live
on. Everyone from any country must of heard that song go by it pls.
All music artists sang in it and got together to help Africans,
Nigerians. And all of Africa as mush as they could follow their song.
Thanks for hearing what I have to say.
Please stop fighting and reunite,and I heard Africa is a beautiful
place to visit,especially the safari area.
KING DESMOND NDUKWE says:
March 6, 2017 at 7:24 pm
Nigeria has been a huge blessing to all the African countries and
across. I wonder why South Africa could be so hardhearted not
reflecting on the financial benefits they gotten from Nigeria over
years. They should better stop this insanity because its going to
bring a lot of havoc between them and other African countries. I
vividly know that the reason why Nigeria is still not retaliating so
much on it is because they have made so much investment in their
country and made a lot of positive impact on their indegienes and THAT
had triggered envy and animosity from them to Nigerians. I have read
almost all the pages about this crisis online and I have not come
across any comment made by South African president relating to this
rebellion. My advice to my Nigerian brothers over there is to lie low
in prayer and allow God to take over the battle since the government
can not do anything about it. My condolences to those who have lost
their loved ones over the years through this.
Joseph says:
March 7, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Nigerians ,the truth is that keeping quiet and waiting for them to
adjourn their killing spree wont help to save our brothers.these pple
are so ungrateful .they are shamelessly displaying these awful
acts.how can u kill ur fellow man and post it on the net?keeping the
video as a trophy like a group of serial killers.dialogue cant solve
this.we aren’t bitter enough to get results.all we have been doing is
talking and that wont do us any good.i just watched a gruesome footage
of the killings.at first, i turned my face away.but then i realise the
perpetrators weren’t turning their faces away. they loved every second
of it.that was when i had the courage to watch every frame of the
video and it got me pissed.The government, the people and the country
as a whole has to take on the responsibility of taking this big step
in educating these ragamuffins.showing our enemies that we aren’t weak
because we prefer peace,we aren’t weak because we love and we aren’t
weak because we prefer to forgive their past trespasses.is this the
example we wish to set for the next generation?we are only saying
“kill us !!! as long as we shake hands afterwards ”
. but remember,violence isn’t always the solution. that is all i
have to say,NIGERIA.stay blessed
--
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob
View this message at
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"South Sudan Info - The Kob" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob.
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14ooc_Xrii_%2B-d6pr%3DwrN2mmm9%2BFEk3z9Hm77%3Dh%2B%2BMvrZHw%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
