When things begin to fall apart because the centre refuses to hold, one thing takes a pivotal stance; Anarchy is loosed upon the land. This has been the situation in Africa’s Xenophobic Centre this past month.
The crisis that initially erupted on a smaller scale in January became full blown in April with many Nigerians at the receiving end. Properties worth millions have been lost to the South African madness that should have curtailed within Uselu, Aro and Yaba Psychiatric Hospitals, yet we are still counting. Imagine that we were Xenophobic too; I wonder what the outcry would be like or how fatal the blow would have been for South Africa if the same demonic attack was replicated by Nigerians on South Africa’s numerous investments. Yes! I mean Shoprite, MTN, Stanbic IBTC and Multi-choice, just to mention the notable ones. After all they say one good turn deserves another only that the incident in Africa’s second biggest economy is nowhere close to been a good turn. Albeit, retaliatory xenophobic attacks in Nigeria would have a far reaching devastating effect as compared to the profound effect it is likely to have on the South African commercial property industry and their already strained bilateral relationship with other African countries especially Nigeria in the coming days.
How much time did it take for South Africa to forget Nigeria’s contribution to the official end of the Apartheid regime in 1994 or are their brains conditioned only to keep details of good deeds within an 11 year period even if the good deed ended a whole lifetime of intimidation and affliction at their doorsteps? At least it proves their brains are like sieves. Regardless I will be a brother’s keeper by jogging their memory. Since their memories have gone Awol, let’s rake over the ashes.
During the apartheid era in South Africa, Nigeria was one of the foremost supporters of Black South African liberation movements including the African National Congress; the Nigerian government issued more than 300 passports to South Africans seeking to travel abroad. Sonny Okosun, a Nigerian musician, wrote the hit song “Fire in Soweto” in 1977 to commemorate the 1976 Soweto uprising against white-rule in South Africa.
Had Nigeria not thrown her weight behind South Africa against the Apartheid regime the rampaging V2 (Vultures and Vampires) would have remained in the captivity of their misplaced white dominus who knew too well their animalistic tendencies to have settled in and chosen their ruthless black enclave for their Apartheid rule.
Just before the official end to Apartheid rule in 1994, the Nigerian government championed the international struggle for the liberation of the same black South Africans that have suddenly developed selective amnesia and now see the same wanton killings, unalloyed intimidation, savagery and uncouth misdemeanor they suffered in the hands of their Dutch oppressors as a useful vice to display their demonic prowess.
The Nigerian Government who have become specialist in liberating and playing Jesus in the abode of other African countries even to the detriment of Nigerians were front liners to the racial mishap that found domain in the land of the great Rolihlahla Mandiba for almost 50 years.
Notable amongst Nigeria’s efforts at liberating Black South Africa from the Apartheid rule was the Nigeria led boycott of the 1978 Games in protest of New Zealand’s sporting contacts with apartheid South Africa, and 32 of 59 nations from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean joined in boycott of the 1986 Commonwealth Games due to the Thatcher government’s attitude towards South Africa. Nigeria, a member of the common wealth mobilized her diplomatic influence, and led majority of the common wealth countries to boycott these common wealth games as a show of solidarity to South Africa and to send a stern message to the white country members in the common wealth and in the world generally, that the nation with the highest convergence of black people will fight to her last pint of blood, to set our supposed brothers and sisters in South Africa free.
Nigeria even engaged Africa National Congress guerrilla forces in covert operations at the Kaduna first mechanized army division. And as I try to wonder with unspeakable vigour, how much money must have gone down the drain directly and indirectly while we offered our unflinching support to the South African traitors my subconscious nudges my senses to sane disposition and drags my thoughts away from the spirit of Xenophobia; “Am I becoming xenophobic yet?”
However it is important that we bring back the daggers wielding, blood thirsty black South Africans who would rather maim a fellow black African neighbour than slap a white man from the dark abyss they’ve thrown themselves. Lest they forget; no evil goes unpunished especially one against innocent Nigerians.
President Zuma must ensure that the blood-letting South African chickens must come home to roost if they want this bad blood that has been injected on inhabitants of the continent that has the greatest convergence of blacks to cease. They should also remember that the population of blacks in South Africa is nothing compared to what is obtainable in Nigeria just in case we choose to be xenophobic since that has been the excuse for the attacks.
A word they say is enough for the wise but I decided to write a message of 916 words to the losers in Durban because those vampires in South Africa ain’t wise; Go ask Cain what became of him when he killed Abel. I hope this meets South Africans well.
Lekan Linkin LofinjiMember of the Federation (MOF)
