The news of the on-going Xenophobic attacks in the Republic of South Africa against foreigners (including Nigerians) has been trending in the past couple of weeks.
Yes. It is true that Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and his key government officials have agreed to meet sometime in October with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. But many observers said that date is too far considering the urgency of the matter at hand.
In addition, the said evacuation of about 600 Nigerians from the Rainbow country was reportedly made so difficult because of deliberate ‘political gymnastics’ by officials of the country, Nigeria’s government has not responded to this in concrete terms yet.
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Special Assistant to Buhari on Diaspora issues has been doing her best in this situation. On Wednesday, when the first batch of returnees were being expected, she arranged for the Bank of Industry (BoI) to offer entrepreneurship programmes to returnees willing to learn one trade or the other or start a small business.
The major lesson Nigeria and its leaders need to learn are very numerous. The most important is that the country must institute good leadership. It is not ‘rocket science’ – if a country has properly structured economy, upholds right values and orientation, all will work in favour of the citizens.
Nigerians flock to South Africa because the economy of their country is in tatters. That is the truth. At a point, to get a US dollar, one needed almost 500 naira. Today, the exchange rate is still almost 400 naira to a dollar. Those who witnessed the golden era in those days passionately speak about when the ‘dollar was begging the naira for equality’!
The Xenophobic attacks should be used by those concerned to change their ways. Nigerian government must institute good government at all levels. Time to start this is now.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
