XENOPHOBIA: A POOR KNOWLEDGE OF HISTORY OR...
XENOPHOBIA: A POOR KNOWLEDGE OF HISTORY OR...
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
September 5, 2019
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To begin with, am disappointed with the successive as well as the present government of South Africa who have failed to"educate" their youth on the role played by Nigeria and other Africans towards their liberation from the Apathied regime of the minority white.
In my observation, Xenophobic attack is a product of either South African youth's "Ignorance"of their "History" and or "ungratefulness" to Africans, most especially Nigerians. Our forefathers had played a leading role in the struggles for their freedom. Only to be paid with Xenophobia!
However, In my view, attacking MTN, Shoprite, DSTV and other Businessess owned by South African people is not the best thing to do. Attacking the companies will amount to loss of "Jobs"as well as"Investments"by many Nigerians. Nigerian youth must be aware that, virtually all the workers of these companies here in Nigeria, from cleaners to branches's managers are Nigerians not South Africans. In addition, there are huge Investments of Nigerians in those companies.
However, this does not in anyway justify the perpetual "poor handling and or responses"of the South African government. There responses needed much to be desired. In my thought, a time has come when the Nigerian government should and or must take"serious" diplomatic measures that will hurt South African government if it continually fails to "sanction" its misguided Youth.
The Zulu youth who are the"attackers" often complained that, Nigerians and other foreign nationals have taken over their jobs as well as girls. The Zulu youth are allegedly described as lazy people who are not hard-working but want girls. It is allegedly said that the girls prefer foreigners because they could pay their bills.
However, the Zulu youth have failed to understand that the Jobs being allegedly taken away from them by foreigners are not government paid Jobs. Most Nigerians in South Africa are Self- employed. The Zulu youth should be educated properly to know that most of the people are not the in the payroll of South African government. On the other hand, there are allegations that, Nigerians in South Africa are into drug trafficking, and other criminal activities. Whether an allegation or the gospel truth, Nigerians must be law abiding wherever they are.
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa lobbied for the effective expulsion of South Africa under the Apathied government from the Commonwealth in 1961. Beyond political support, Sir Abubakar was the first leader to provide a 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. In 1976, Nigeria set up the Southern Africa Relief Fund (SAFR) destined to bring relief to the victims of the apartheid regime in South Africa, provide educational opportunities to them and promote general welfare.
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. The above mentioned are among the few brotherly love showed to majority blacks in South Africa by Nigerians.
As student of international relations cum Foreign Policy Analysis I want to suggest that, Nigeria as country must change its long held foreign policy which many scholars of International relations described as "Flamboyant" and or Father Xmas. Nigeria has assisted many countries in Africa without asking for anything. This perhaps is the reason why many countries have taking us for granted.
We helped Liberia, Sierra Leone ,etc without benefiting with anything. The western powers give foreign aid to poor nations and in return they benefit for it. Nigeria has restored peace in Liberia and Sierra Leone but did not gain anything for it, no even deserved respect.
May God bless Nigeria.