Still on the Xenophobic Attacks against Nigerians in South Africa
230 viewsIt is disheartening that Abuja has so far responded with a soft, lukewarm and somewhat disinterested approach to the ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and their businesses in South Africa. Abuja’s near-silence on the matter has thus forced the Nigerian victims to resort to self-help (read self-defense), more so, as it does seem that South African authorities are not doing much to reign in their citizens carrying out these attacks.
Last week, there was a reprisal attack on the offices of South Africa’s telecoms giant, MTN, in Abuja – an obvious fallout of the lackadaisical approach of both South African and Nigerian governments to the attacks in South Africa.
Part of implementing the change mantra of the APC government is for Nigeria to move away from her extant timid status-quo foreign policy and begin to play citizen diplomacy
I say again that Abuja needs to wake up with a strong warning to the South African government. Part of implementing the change mantra of the APC government is for Nigeria to move away from her extant timid status-quo foreign policy and begin to play citizen diplomacy, and this entails protecting and defending the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians anywhere they may be around the world regardless of their status as against our current “afro-centric” foreign policy which only benefits other African nations and their nationals
While it may be easy for anyone to advise Nigerians in South Africa to return home, I expect that by now chartered aircrafts from Nigeria are already in airports across South Africa waiting to ferry Nigerians home. This in addition to the following recommendations of Abdul Mahmud which I fully support. Mahmud recommends:
- Recall Nigeria’s High Commissioner in South Africa;
- Withdraw accreditation to South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria;
- Close down Nigeria's High Commission and begin earnest evacuation of Nigerians in South Africa; and
- Close or nationalize South Africa investments in Nigeria.
Part of being a giant is to knock a few heads here and there, otherwise we will be labeled a giant with feet of clay.
I think it is about time we seriously look into Abdul’s recommendations. Haba! Let us for once live up to that dubious appellation of “Giant of Africa” with some muscle and brawn even if it is a pretentious one. Part of being a giant is to knock a few heads here and there, otherwise we will be labeled a giant with feet of clay. Ah ah kilode?
I say we need to knock South Africa’s head anytime and every time they refuse to dobale and start flexing their muscle against us. We cannot continue to ignore attacks on our citizens by these ungrateful envious people who lack self-confidence and therefore are afraid to compete.