Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has finally reacted to xenophobic
attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
Obasanjo in a letter written to the founder of the Inkatha Freedom
Party, in South Africa, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi on Tuesday, urged
Nigerians and others African countries whose citizens were affected by
xenophobic attacks to report to the African Union.
The former president further described xenophobic attacks on
foreigners by South Africans as a great disservice to Africa, NAN
reports.
Obasanjo called for urgent reconciliation between the countries
affected and South Africa, adding that repatriation and revenge was not
the best solution.
The letter read, “For any African country to encourage or allow or
not seriously sanction xenophobia against Africans in their country is a
great disservice not only to the country where xenophobia takes place
and the countries of the victims concerned, but also a great disservice
to the whole of Africa and black race.
“At this juncture, there is need for fence-mending, reconciliation
and wound-binding between South Africa and the countries whose citizens
have been victims of xenophobia and afrophobia in South Africa.
“As a suggestion, South Africa should send emissaries to the
countries concerned to explain, apologise and agree on the way forward
for mutual understanding, accommodation, reconciliation, and binding the
wound to promote unity, concord, and brotherhood in Africa.
“Repatriation of Nigerians from South Africa is obviously not a
permanent solution. At best it is palliative. But the hurt will still
remain for some time. Neither is revenge a desirable solution.
“Mutual understanding and acknowledgement of what needs to be done on
all sides is imperative and getting down to doing them is the solution
that will serve Nigeria and South Africa and indeed Africa well
particularly in this era of Africa Continental Free Trade Area
opportunities.
“Nigeria and South Africa must stand together to champion African
cause and to jointly shepherd African development, unity, cooperation,
security, and progress to make the 21st century Africa’s century.”