TheCable

I started to keenly follow the ongoing xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans when it began to hit the airwaves some years back, but chose to be hushed on it, because I needed to find an answer to this question: “Why would Nigerians go and live in South Africa in the first place?” After getting an array of answers to the asked question, I have become angrier by the day. How can a nation that is destined to compete with great countries on earth; be allowed to descend so low—to the extent that our sons and daughters are now traveling to South Africa for greener paddock and fodder? It is a shame on us as a nation.

When the Union Jack was lowered on the 1st of October, 1960, Nigeria looked very promising and traveling out of Nigeria was not fashionable at all. Our currency was very strong and stable, until some political locusts destroyed it. Today, Nigerians consistently travel everywhere for survival. It is a shame on us as a nation.

For the umpteenth time, Nigeria was born to compete with first world countries, but greed, vision-less-ness and selfishness at the leadership level—have brought us to the ignominious room that we are currently occupying in the comity of nations. At the moment, our eagle is hobnobbing with chicken. It is a shame on us as a nation!

The day Ghanaians began to deport Nigerians from Ghana was the day we completely lost our place as the giant of Africa! Nigeria is no longer the giant of Africa. Let no one deceive you. We used to be one. Many of our people are in Ghana, schooling on the inside of universities that are yet to be accredited and certified, because of our diffident-education and countless strike actions that would not allow them to graduate when they are supposed to. As if that was not enough, in recent times, I was talking to a Nigerian parent—who took her daughter to Benin Republic for an admission into one of their universities! Benin Republic, you ask? Yes, you heard me right. If we are truly the giant of Africa, then other Africans are supposed to be coming to Nigeria to study, not Nigerians going to some countries that cannot even boast of three good universities!

Back to the ongoing xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and some other Africans, some hours ago, I felt so sad when I read that Baba is sending a special envoy from Nigeria to South Africa. What they are going there to do is what I do not understand, because a few days ago, PMB met with the president of South Africa and a few days after, our brothers and sisters were attacked, burning and looting their shops. What South Africa as a country needs from us are strong economic sanctions to send a clear message to them. And we need to quickly review the bilateral relationship that we have with them. The truth is; xenophobic attacks on our people and some other precious Africans are not going to stop, so barking without biting isn’t going to make any difference.

I heard baba said he would visit the Republic of South Africa next month. I guess he is at this time busy. The question is; busy doing what? The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting has been postponed twice—since his cabinet was formed, so what exactly is he busy doing when our people are being wasted in South Africa by some barefaced Black South Africans?

One of baba’s major assignments is to protect Nigerians—both home and abroad. On the condition that we have been living as we should as a nation, we are supposed to have become so powerful in every facet of life—to the extent of being able to summon the president of South Africa to Abuja within a few days, but decades of vision-less-ness and greediness have robbed us of our rightful position on the continent of Africa.

When the news of these new attacks began to fly on social media, I took my time to examine the photographs of those South Africans who attacked our people; I couldn’t see one White South Africans amongst them! This speaks volume. Some Black South Africans are not free yet. They are still bound by their past.

Some Black South Africans are complaining that foreigners are taking jobs meant for them. Why is it that White South Africans are not complaining like those misguided and lazy Black South Africans, who are completely bereft of creativity? There are so many things wrong with being Black. The earlier we admit this stark-naked-truth, the better for all of us.

Nigeria under the leadership of president Buhari has been a toothless bulldog. A toothless bulldog can only bark, but it cannot bite! After barking for years, I do not expect our leaders to start barking hopelessly again. A few hours ago, some serious African countries began to openly register their displeasure with what’s going on in South Africa. Zambia canceled an international friendly match with them. Rwanda, Malawi and DRC have all pulled out of the world Economic Forum (WEF) Summit being held in Cape-town this weekend. It’s a shame if Nigeria attends it!

While looking through some photographs of the ongoing xenophobic attacks in South Africa, I stumbled on some pictures of some children who joined them to loot shops of fellow Africans. What will become of those children in the days to come? They burnt fellow Africans right before the eyes of those Black children. If the dead do look back, Nelson Mandela should be crying right now.