Life is the chief value. In the Africa value system, it is seen as sacred. So, any target against it should and ought to be frowned at. It is inhuman to use death as a message or sign of superiority. There are better ways to settle conflicts than killing. Don’t start what you can’t finish.
Recently, South Africa appears to be a major destination for economic migrants from other parts of the continent, including the Southern Africa region, with many moving from neighboring Lesotho, Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda and Zimbabwe in search of work.
Following records, there are about 2.3 million immigrants living in South Africa, This number includes other Africans, China, Bangladesh, Indians, Middle Easterners and Europeans who are not born in SA. Out of this number, only 1.6m are Africans, this 1.6 million, mostly run Small and medium-sized enterprises {SME’s} which lay claim to 0.00001% of South African wealth.
While the whites in South Africa makes up about 8.7% of the population and controls over 85% of the SA wealth. So when one hear South Africans saying that other migrant African countries are competing and wants to take over there lands in there state, one gets confused although it’s obviously a hate speech for allowing grasses grow under their feet, other African countries don’t own lands there, they don’t run companies, they don’t own mining companies, of course, they succeed and fend on through their SME’s.
Those who support this evil Xenophobic act should note the following:
1. South Africa couldn’t have ended the apartheid and achieved Black rule if not for the role Nigeria played.
2. Beyond political support, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the first leader to provide direct financial aid to the ANC from the early 1960s. At the height of the liberation movement in the 1970s, Nigeria alone provided $5-million annual subvention to the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) annually. That amount would be in the billions if converted at today`s rate.
3. The military administration of General Obasanjo contributed $3.7 million to the fund. Moreover, General Obasanjo made a personal donation of $3,000, while each member of his cabinet also made personal contributions of $1,500 each. All Nigeria`s civil servants and public officers made a 2% donation from their monthly salary to the SAFR. Students skipped their lunch to make donations, and just in 6 months, in June 1977, the popular contribution to the fund reached $10.5 million.
4. As for trade, Nigeria had refused to sell oil to South Africa for decades in protest against the white minority rule. As a result, Nigeria had lost approximately $41 billion during that period.
5. Between 1973 and 1978, Nigeria contributed $39,040 to the UN Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa, a voluntary trust fund promoting the education of the black South African elite.
6. From 1960 to 1995, Nigeria has alone spent over $61 billion to support the end of apartheid, more than any other country in the world, according to the South African Institute of International Affairs
7. It’s also pertinent to know that, of the 3 Presidents who ruled South Africa after Apartheid, two of them once lived in Nigeria under Asylum. Both Nelson Mandela (60s) and Thabo Mbeki (70s) lived in Nigeria before becoming president of SA, I think my country gave financial support, human support, boycotted an Olympics and our politicians, musicians and activists campaigned relentlessly.
8. They should also remember what happened sometime in 2012 when they deported 125 Nigerians because of yellow fever card, in retaliation, Nigeria deported 84 South Africans same week, we also told them we could cut ties with their country to show how you must never treat Nigerians bad in Africa.
A few days later, their government apologized and stopped the harassment of Nigerians flying to South Africa (Long Live Gen. Goodluck Jonathan, and then president).
This same afternoon at Apapa Lagos, angry Nigerians has started retaliating by shutting down South African biggest telecommunication company (MTN), some have started protesting at SHOPRITE, some broke and shutdown DSTV stores and dealers.
Now, the question is: “Is that what we want as Africa, to fight and kill each other, instead of looking forward on how to control the world economy and power?”
There is no justification for the madness that South African’s are exhibiting in their country against their fellow Africans.
Two wrongs cannot make right. But, between two wrongs, a more strategic one can make right. If the Nigerian leaders can make an executive order that demands the return of all Nigerians and disbursement of all South African companies to indigenous businessmen and investors, that will send a strong message to the country.