Photo credit: BBC
Way back in the seventies, Africa was the cornerstone of Nigeria’s foreign policy. The military government of Murtala/Obasanjo had taken over control of government on July 29, 1975, having overthrown General Gowon in a palace coup.
The gangling Brigadier Joe Garba was the external affairs minister and Professor Akinyemi was the Director General of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs.
That was undoubtedly Nigeria’s finest period in international relations. To cap it all, Nigeria’s crude oil was fetching the country zillions of petro-dollars.
The southern African countries were then languishing under apartheid rule. Nigeria decided to put an end to man’s inhumanity to his fellow human beings.
I can remember that Nigeria nationalised some companies. Amongst them were She’ll Oil, British Petroleum, Standard Bank and Barclay’s Bank. The Nigerian government educated it’s citizens about the evil act, apartheid.
It even organized some stipends to be collected from workers as a form of aid for the countries under apartheid rule. Some of the leaders of southern African countries found shelter in Nigeria. They dared not go to their countries at that point in time.
One could go on and on!
One of the countries in Southern Africa is the country named South Africa. The country, like others, is now free from apartheid rule.
Conversely, Nigeria which helped it to conquer apartheid, is now in economic problems due to corruption, planlessness and misgovernance.
Nigerians are generally enterprising. Whenever they find themselves outside the shores of this country, they are extraordinarily industrious.
Should it then be Nigerians that South Africans should be transferring aggression to?
I understand they are claiming Nigerians are taking over their jobs.
If they are, is it lawful for individual South Africans to be attacking and killing Nigerians? They even go to the extent of burning some Nigerians’ properties.
I really don’t know how the devilish mobs will distinguish between Nigerians who are residing in the country legally and those who are not. By the way, if one is not a legal resident of a country, is mob attack a sensible punishment? I learn that in some cases, policemen will just turn a blind eye.
Yet, so much blame for the street gangsters of South Africa. If the Nigerian government had made this country habitable for most citizens, I’m sure the rush to foreign countries will be considerably reduced.
When one looks at the costs, both in cash and emotionally, of going to a foreign country, I tend to believe there’s no place like home. However, if one must travel abroad, they should make sure they are properly documented. In any case, I’m advising Nigerians against going to South Africa.
Meanwhile, the difference between apartheid and xenophobia is that between six and half a dozen!!!
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