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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has slammed the South African government for xenophobic attacks on African migrants in the country, saying the leaders are not doing enough to tackle the problem.
The former president spoke in an interview at C-Suite Cafe hosted by Ikem Okuhu.
He said even if migrants have violated immigration laws or committed crimes, those violations should not be used to justify attacks on their homes and businesses.
“There are criminals among the illegal migrants, but I don’t believe you are using illegality to deal with illegality, asking and encouraging boys and girls in the area to break into their homes and break into their shops,” he said.
“I believe that what is happening in South Africa or Africa is not the best thing that is happening. What is the percentage of these immigrants? Additionally, some of them are job creators. Thirdly, how many of your jobs are they taking over, and if you take these people out, what is the overall impact on South Africa?
“I tried to find out, but people told me ANC [Ruling party in South Africa] is experiencing political problems in meeting the expectations of ordinary people. That may be true, and if that’s the case, it’s not the right way.
“This is not only happening in South Africa, but everywhere else. The expectations of the general public are not being met in Nigeria, Kenya and almost all countries in Africa. I believe that if we talk about integration, then we have to unite, I believe that using illegal measures to overcome illegality is not the way out.”
According to him, South Africa would not have ended apartheid if it had not been for Nigeria’s support in the struggle against white minority rule.
Obasanjo said Nigeria’s involvement in the anti-apartheid campaign was driven by the belief that no black person should be treated as inferior because of the color of their skin, adding that Nigerians supported the campaign without expecting any personal or national rewards in return.
“We didn’t do what we did in South Africa or Southern Africa or decolonization anywhere for our own personal or national gain. We did it for our race. I believe that no black person anywhere or any black person anywhere should be considered an inferior human being because of the color of their skin,” he said.
“That’s the principle; we stick to that principle and fight for it
Obasanjo, who served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1976 to 1979 and then as civilian president from 1999 to 2007, described Nigeria’s contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle as “enlightened self-interest.”
“And for me—and I believe for Nigeria then and even now—we should be proud of what we have done because without Nigeria, South Africa would not have been able to abolish apartheid when it abolished it. That’s true,” Obasanjo said.
He said Nigeria worked with several African and international leaders in opposing apartheid, including former US President Jimmy Carter, former British Prime Minister James Callaghan, former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere, Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda, former Mozambican president Samora Machel, and Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme.
