Xenophobia: Nigerians Are Becoming Sacrificial Lambs -By Promise Eze

The Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission , Abike Dabiri – Erewa, when sounding a note of warning to South Africa on the recent wave of xenophobia sweeping across the nation estimated that a total of 206 Nigerians have been slaughtered in South Africa since 2016.

In recent weeks Nigerians have been subjected to gruesome and brutish treatments in South Africa. On June 12, a Nigerian insurance officer, Mrs Obianuju Ndubuisi-Chukwu, was murdered while attending a conference there. On August, a 43-year-old taxi driver, Benjamin Simeon from Okposi, Ebonyi State was allegedly shot by yet to be identified gunmen in Johannesburg. The headlines never ceases to amaze us: “Two Nigerians killed In South Africa,” “Five Nigerians Survive Attacks With Serious Injuries,” “Nigerian Student mobbed.” The situation keeps festering as the days go by. This question comes to mind: Why are Nigerians still running to a country where they are being and lynched?

A survey suggests that “unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.10 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 22.70 percent in the second quarter of 2018.” There is no job for the jobless. Corruption is at its peak and infrastructure meant to enhance welfare are nonexistent. Nigerians are moving out in their numbers, illegally and legally to seek green pastures and they are being slaughtered for trying to fight poverty.

It is not xenophobia that is the worst crime. It is the situation dragging Nigerians to South Africa where they are seen as bugs and pests that should be fumigated. At the wake of the gruesome incidence Nigerian politicians ranted empty threats at an enemy far away from their palatial mansions. That’s the best they can do. They can only condemn attacks and write condolence pieces on social media but nothing is being done to alleviate poverty or to provide job opportunities for the teeming population of young Nigerians. We hear of leaders stashing millions of dollars in water tanks and “Ghana-must-go.” It is these same politicians who are feeding the god of corruption that is coming out to condemn these attacks.

It is Nigeria that is slaughtering her own people. It is Nigeria that is tying and laying her citizens for South Africans to slay on the altar of xenophobia. If things were really going fine here only very few people will nurture the thought of settling in South Africa. According to the BBC, “local media reports suggest that 800,000 Nigerians live in South Africa, official South African records say the number is about 30,000.” Which ever the case, these figures prove that Nigerians are leaving Nigeria in their numbers. They wouldn’t leave if there were no erratic power supply to enhance their business. They wouldn’t elope if they were sure of clinching a good job after school. They wouldn’t leave if the minimum wage is more than a paltry sum. They would stay. They will be motivated to remain. They would stay. They will be motivated to remain. But they are not staying and are being treated like ceremonial lambs abroad.

The president of Nigeria is yet to provide an official response on the situation. To the consternation of Nigerians he even “smiled” as he shook the hands of the president of South Africa in Japan. Nigerians can only hope that the planned meeting between the duo wouldn’t be one that will feature unnecessary talks and foods.

Nigerians are not lambs for slaughter. Conditions at home should be made favourable so that they can stay back and improve their father land.