XENOPHOBIA – the hatred for strangers and foreigners has become the most talked about in recent times. No thanks to news and pictures streaming live from South Africa. One begins to wonder if this is the same Nelson Mandela’s country, a country that owes its present rise in world status to the efforts of foreigners. First, with the whites who came from Europe and all over the world to do business and settle.
Next, is the rest of black Africa, with Nigeria at the fore front, fighting tooth and nail to get rid of the much hated apartheid regime. What an irony! That South Africans now ask foreigners to leave their country in the most uncivilised manner beats the imagination.The pictures are gruesome; humans roasted like rams, defaced and permanently scarred, such inhumanity of man to man is beyond reasoning.
As the world focusses on the happenings in South Africa, it is hoped that the officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) would have sent their representatives there to record details and ensure that the culprits are brought to justice. It is an international crime and they must act with dispatch. It is not only when it concerns Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries that we see the ICC flexing its muscles. It must take action now, so that it will serve as a deterrent against future attempts in that direction. South Africa is a relatively developed country and inhabits a reasonable population of whites, let us hope that the full weight of international justice will be brought to bear on the culprits. They did it in the open and their faces were live on television across the globe. If president Jacob Zuma refuses to present the culprits for prosecution, he should be held responsible.
Having made the above point, we must analyse how all of these concerns our country Nigeria, a country that is open to all – race, tribe, gender, nationalities – free entry and exit, open and friendly to strangers, the one that will carry the cross of any African country in distress, where ever that may be- Zimbabwe, Congo, Sudan, Liberia, Sierra leone, Cote d ivoire, South Africa, yes even South Africa, etc. A country that allows everyone to do business without restrictions, even simple businesses as Clearing and Forwarding are being done by foreign nationals like the Chinese, Lebanese and Indians. A country that allows foreigners to withdraw their investments overnight without restrictions, even when such actions cause the fall of the capital market and a huge devaluation of our naira, a country that allows foreigners to go directly to our retail markets like Balogun and others across the country to embark on direct retailing thereby eliminating the Nigerian middle men. It is an irony that citizens of this warm and friendly country are treated like outcasts in other lands.
Can Nigeria learn any lesson from this? Has providence given us the opportunity to correct our wrongs, especially as it concerns our foreign policies? What actions should be taken to prevent the harassment of Nigerians in foreign countries? Why are Nigerians always a target of xenophobic attacks? Where and whenever foreigners are maltreated, Nigerians are easy targets. The question is why? the answer lies in our adventrous spirit. The Igbo are traders, ao are the Ogbomosho Yorubas; the Fulani nomads are found in countries all over the world. So why do we not receive the same treatment and hospitality that we give to others? Is it that our foreign representatives are not doing their job properly? For example, Nigeria virtually threw her weight behind South Africa during the apartheid era, taking on mighty Britain and America in the process, granting asylum and scholarships to freedom fighters at considerable risk and cost, but what have we got in return? Jealousy and hatred. South African businesses thrive in Nigeria, creating a great boost to their economy but what do we get in return? Disrespect.
So, what is to be done? In strategy planning, we are taught to focus on our strength, have we used it to the advantage of our citizens living abroad? In international politics, there are reciprocal gestures, do our representatives insist on Nigerian getting it’s due reward or are we always the ‘fall guys’?
There is nothing wrong in people travelling out of the country, to explore, acquire education and do business but when a group of travellers are constitute themselves as nuisance to others, the authorities have a duty to halt the crowd. Simply put, Nigeria must start instituting structures that will attract our youths and encourage them to remain in the country, let us look inwards for solutions, potentials abound.
We needed to be relatively free economically. Countries like South Korea, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and others are basically free in this direction. Why can’t we do it with the abundance of talents we have here? When a country is truly independent, her citizens get respect abroad.
The only way to halt the drift is to create jobs for our youths. Time was in this country when European countries begged Nigerians to visit without visa. Until we learn to respect ourselves, we will not get the respect we deserve.
We need to begin to see Nigeria first as the foundation of our foreign policy before any other. We have served ECOWAS, the African Union, United Nations organisations in both war and peace times without reciprocal returns. It is now time to serve ourselves.
It is now also a challenge for our government to monitor the rate at which our youths drift out of the country. I still believe that so many opportunities exist in this country. It is left to our governments, federal and state to create the enabling environment.
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