By Paul Arhewe, Online Editor
Many recurring incidences in time past have shown that our South African brethrens have consistently display aversion for Nigerians living in their country. This prop up tendency to set aside the brotherhood characteristics we share, and forgetting the past how Nigerians have supported the fight against apartheid when it lasted.
In May last year, some South Africans embarked on xenophobic attacks that were aimed at foreigners, including Nigerians who they perceive as competitors for the dearth jobs and business opportunities that should be their birthrights. About 23 people were killed, though, President Yar’Adua admitted that no Nigerian was killed, but affirmed that properties and business centres belonging to Nigerians were burnt and destroyed. However, information disclosed in some other sources show that some Nigerians on their way to church and those seeking refuge in places of worship were actually among those victims. With these constant attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa, it shows some South Africans posses short memories and myopic sense of reasoning on the fact that their fellow indigenous brethrens are not only living in Nigeria and earning their livelihood, but that reprisals could easily erupt.
Recently, the trio criminals who murdered the South African reggae legend Lucky Dube, before court gave its verdict for life sentences for the crime, made statement that should not be seen as too flabbergasting, but one that has since characterised the path many South Africans have chosen against Nigerians and other foreigners in their country. The trio admit that they had thought Lucky Dube was a Nigerian that was why they attack to rob and kill him. Some South Africans reacted by saying “does Dube look like a Nigerian”? This act alone is enough to justice the height of hatred some South Africans have for Nigerians. Assuming those criminals were aware Dube was not a Nigerian, by now we would still be enjoying the presence of one reggae legend that is cherished globally. This is to say those criminals did not only kill the reggae legend but also killed a Nigerian, for this was their motive of attacking and murdering him in the presence of his little son.
Nigeria openly fought against apartheid in South Africa while it lasted. Our government provided safe haven for many present South African leaders who were on self imposed exile when the heat from apartheid was still hot. I remember many releases of Nigerian musicians in the 80s and early 90s were not complete without a track or two dedicated to the fight against apartheid. The Ras Kimonos, The Evi Ednas, The Orits Wilikis, The Mandators, and their likes championed the anti-apartheid course for blacks in South Africa. If Nigerians possess the same hatred that is assuming great propensity in some South Africans, the reprisal of many abuses and death of Nigerians in time pass would have brought a colossal damage to the existing brotherhood in our black race. Nigerians have large heart for welcoming strangers, and in most cases giving them more respect and favours to the detriment of their fellow indigenes.
Where did this hate culture spring from in South Africans? The root of hatred for Nigerians is not tied to a singular factor. In his article ‘Why Does the black community hate Nigerians’ one Dr.Odaibo traced this to the overbearing self confidence that Nigerians possess. Other blacks with their different experiences and backgrounds are suspicious of Nigerians, and thus become uncooperative and non-supportive to their course. This goes on to breed the growth of loathsome reactions against this overbearing self confidence that Nigerians display. Nigerians whichever country they reside stand to quickly blend with the system and display ample understanding of the societal workings, by virtue of their education, experiences and worldview. To this, other blacks have interpreted as sign of too much aggression. Does it mean Nigerians posses the aptitude to get acculturated better and faster than other Africans, and this is a source for envious loathsomeness?
Another reason for this hate culture is traceable to the corrupt and fraudulent tendencies of some Nigerians that have smeared the rest of us, which is now a basis for stereotyping.
Outside Nigerian borders, the first impression people form when one discloses his or her identity as a Nigerian is that you have an inclination to defraud, and special care and attention should be applied in dealing with you. This is also not uncommon with our black brethren from South Africa and other African countries. One Nigerian professor on a trip to Cape Town board a taxicab, and the driver knowing his identity told him in South Africa the Somalis businessmen are well respected because of their honesty than their Nigerian counterparts. The wide spread of scams and ‘419’ activities had never helped Nigerian image in this regard; as internet frauds is growing in proportions, where many Nigerian youths spend all day in cyber cafes and in their internet connected systems at home seeking for ‘mugu’ to hoodwink.
In the real sense of it, the perception formed from this stereotyping of Nigerians as fraudulent is fallacious. Most Nigerians are hardworking people with the sense to excel through diligence and honesty at their given professions. Nigerians maybe loud and assertive in wherever they find themselves, this should not be misconstrued for vulgarity. They may choose to conduct their activities and arguments in a rambunctious manner; such should not be used to becloud their real potentials of strong intellect, fun, sense of humour, which unusually characterise their loud partying with lot of show off. To those South African brethren who chose to hate, their mentality and psychologies may have being fragmented by their previous experiences during the suppressive colonial/ slavery apartheid era? This has gone a long way to given them a culture which is subservient and disposed to fright during competition they see coming from Nigerians curving a living from their soil. Truly Nigerians also tasted the bitterness of colonialism, but the hangovers of its effect is having little toll on our contemporary way of living. Nigerians are known to be competitive and enterprising. Our South African brethren should not take this for hostility. It is admonished that ability to cohabit and have an open heart to enterprising foreigners is a way to building and developing a strong and vibrant economy. No country is an island to itself; that foreigners are in South Africa should be seen as an avenue for consolidating and developing the different economic sectors of the country and not to wreck it. I think if this perception is formed among those South Africans on the path of loathsomeness, not only would African economy greatly benefit from this, but xenophobic attacks would be a forgone issue in the country. Also I think Dora’s ‘Nigeria Rebranding’ programme is a weapon to be extensively apply in dousing the effect of negative perceptions used in stereotyping honest Nigerians outside the shores of our country.
In May last year, some South Africans embarked on xenophobic attacks that were aimed at foreigners, including Nigerians who they perceive as competitors for the dearth jobs and business opportunities that should be their birthrights. About 23 people were killed, though, President Yar’Adua admitted that no Nigerian was killed, but affirmed that properties and business centres belonging to Nigerians were burnt and destroyed. However, information disclosed in some other sources show that some Nigerians on their way to church and those seeking refuge in places of worship were actually among those victims. With these constant attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa, it shows some South Africans posses short memories and myopic sense of reasoning on the fact that their fellow indigenous brethrens are not only living in Nigeria and earning their livelihood, but that reprisals could easily erupt.
Recently, the trio criminals who murdered the South African reggae legend Lucky Dube, before court gave its verdict for life sentences for the crime, made statement that should not be seen as too flabbergasting, but one that has since characterised the path many South Africans have chosen against Nigerians and other foreigners in their country. The trio admit that they had thought Lucky Dube was a Nigerian that was why they attack to rob and kill him. Some South Africans reacted by saying “does Dube look like a Nigerian”? This act alone is enough to justice the height of hatred some South Africans have for Nigerians. Assuming those criminals were aware Dube was not a Nigerian, by now we would still be enjoying the presence of one reggae legend that is cherished globally. This is to say those criminals did not only kill the reggae legend but also killed a Nigerian, for this was their motive of attacking and murdering him in the presence of his little son.
Nigeria openly fought against apartheid in South Africa while it lasted. Our government provided safe haven for many present South African leaders who were on self imposed exile when the heat from apartheid was still hot. I remember many releases of Nigerian musicians in the 80s and early 90s were not complete without a track or two dedicated to the fight against apartheid. The Ras Kimonos, The Evi Ednas, The Orits Wilikis, The Mandators, and their likes championed the anti-apartheid course for blacks in South Africa. If Nigerians possess the same hatred that is assuming great propensity in some South Africans, the reprisal of many abuses and death of Nigerians in time pass would have brought a colossal damage to the existing brotherhood in our black race. Nigerians have large heart for welcoming strangers, and in most cases giving them more respect and favours to the detriment of their fellow indigenes.
Where did this hate culture spring from in South Africans? The root of hatred for Nigerians is not tied to a singular factor. In his article ‘Why Does the black community hate Nigerians’ one Dr.Odaibo traced this to the overbearing self confidence that Nigerians possess. Other blacks with their different experiences and backgrounds are suspicious of Nigerians, and thus become uncooperative and non-supportive to their course. This goes on to breed the growth of loathsome reactions against this overbearing self confidence that Nigerians display. Nigerians whichever country they reside stand to quickly blend with the system and display ample understanding of the societal workings, by virtue of their education, experiences and worldview. To this, other blacks have interpreted as sign of too much aggression. Does it mean Nigerians posses the aptitude to get acculturated better and faster than other Africans, and this is a source for envious loathsomeness?
Another reason for this hate culture is traceable to the corrupt and fraudulent tendencies of some Nigerians that have smeared the rest of us, which is now a basis for stereotyping.
Outside Nigerian borders, the first impression people form when one discloses his or her identity as a Nigerian is that you have an inclination to defraud, and special care and attention should be applied in dealing with you. This is also not uncommon with our black brethren from South Africa and other African countries. One Nigerian professor on a trip to Cape Town board a taxicab, and the driver knowing his identity told him in South Africa the Somalis businessmen are well respected because of their honesty than their Nigerian counterparts. The wide spread of scams and ‘419’ activities had never helped Nigerian image in this regard; as internet frauds is growing in proportions, where many Nigerian youths spend all day in cyber cafes and in their internet connected systems at home seeking for ‘mugu’ to hoodwink.
In the real sense of it, the perception formed from this stereotyping of Nigerians as fraudulent is fallacious. Most Nigerians are hardworking people with the sense to excel through diligence and honesty at their given professions. Nigerians maybe loud and assertive in wherever they find themselves, this should not be misconstrued for vulgarity. They may choose to conduct their activities and arguments in a rambunctious manner; such should not be used to becloud their real potentials of strong intellect, fun, sense of humour, which unusually characterise their loud partying with lot of show off. To those South African brethren who chose to hate, their mentality and psychologies may have being fragmented by their previous experiences during the suppressive colonial/ slavery apartheid era? This has gone a long way to given them a culture which is subservient and disposed to fright during competition they see coming from Nigerians curving a living from their soil. Truly Nigerians also tasted the bitterness of colonialism, but the hangovers of its effect is having little toll on our contemporary way of living. Nigerians are known to be competitive and enterprising. Our South African brethren should not take this for hostility. It is admonished that ability to cohabit and have an open heart to enterprising foreigners is a way to building and developing a strong and vibrant economy. No country is an island to itself; that foreigners are in South Africa should be seen as an avenue for consolidating and developing the different economic sectors of the country and not to wreck it. I think if this perception is formed among those South Africans on the path of loathsomeness, not only would African economy greatly benefit from this, but xenophobic attacks would be a forgone issue in the country. Also I think Dora’s ‘Nigeria Rebranding’ programme is a weapon to be extensively apply in dousing the effect of negative perceptions used in stereotyping honest Nigerians outside the shores of our country.
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