The Nigeria – South Africa relation has displayed two contrasting faces over the last three decades or so. Nigeria’s flamboyant and frenetic African relations consistently reflect a strong sense of cooperation, solidarity and intoxicating big brother role and in contrast, South Africa speaks about Nigeria with unrealistic political ambiguity and diplomatic insensibility.
The current face-off over xenophobic attacks on Nigerian citizens and other African nationals had led to tensions in Nigeria- South Africa relations at citizens to citizens engagement.
Indeed, the question of xenophobia in contemporary South Africa discourse, in my view, is profound psychosomatic carryover and the blatant negative product of the humiliating apartheid regime that cannot be wished away from the collective consciousness of the people of the rainbow nation and the attendant dispossession of their existential pride which has often blurred the spirit of the African brotherhood.
The despicable and repugnant apartheid regime also bruised the ego and sense of humanity of these great Africans who became vulnerable and exploited in their own land, and the reality of these past facts has continued to obstruct the wheel of progress and development.
The political crisis of that dark era led to social dislocation, which in turn affected their economic means, attainment of educational levels attainment and the required skill sets that would have prepared them for high-level jobs and proper integration into a new democratic South Africa that promises a brighter future.
Similarly, Nigeria, with the treacherous military regimes over the years, has failed in its domestic management of petrol goodies and to a very extent, has not been able to translate its foreign policy aspirations into reality. Buhari will continue to confront major challenges ranging from security constraints at home to incomplete social engineering, true federalism, nagging resource nationalism and justice.
These challenges, in my view, have profound implications for Nigeria’s policy towards South Africa, given the close ties between the two countries over the past few years. The Nigerian policy makers should factor in these realities as they fashion next level Nigeria – South Africa relations.
The continued socio-economic issues are pushing the average South African into extreme poverty in the midst of plenty and there is a high level of dissatisfaction with the scheme of things after the fall of the apartheid regime. From 2008, there have been 135 separate violent incidents that left 62 people dead, at least 670 wounded and, unfortunately, dozens were carnally assaulted and many properties destroyed and looted without compensations.
Going forward, Nigeria’s diplomacy should not dwell much on the criticism of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, but rather concrete efforts should be made at home to create an enabling environment that would create jobs and livelihoods for the common people in Nigeria and, by extension, South Africa for its own people.
While it is not possible to eliminate social tensions in any country, it is expedient on the part of the South African government and its nationals to respect universal and regional treaties, declarations, norms, protocols and conventions rather than the horrendous acts that have outraged the conscience of Nigerians and indeed other Africans.
In the final analysis, Nigeria’s international public communication mechanisms and economic diplomacy must be hinged on dexterity and decency to safeguard our nationals wherever they are in the globe beyond the political tokenism that have trailed the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Samuel Orovwuje,
Lagos