Nigerians on the rampage!

View 77 comments | Comment on this story
By: JohanLombard
2012-03-09 15:28


Following the storm in a teacup reaction of the Nigerian government regarding the deportation of numerous Nigerians in Johannesburg, news24 and other websites were flooded with comments from South Africans and Nigerians, defending the position of their countries.

In the meantime, the South Africans have apologised for their behaviour and under normal circumstances, the story should now be left to die. However it seems that the Nigerian government has smelled blood, and various of their news sites are proudly proclaiming a victory over South Africa.

The comments section of amongst others the Vanguard news in Nigeria, is unbelievably arrogant and aggressive towards South Africans. Most people claim that they “saved South Africa from slavery”, and that should ultimately give them a free pass into the country without harassment. Unfortunately  it seems to be the attitude of their government as well. Furthermore they state that most South Africans are infected with HIV, so we should in fact get HIV certificates to enter Nigeria. They also claim that our business interests in Nigeria should be stopped and companies such as MTN and DSTV should close their doors. Nigeria is portrayed as the giant of Africa, while South Africa is diminished to a country of HIV infected people who bow down to their white masters. Then the comments about us being Xenophobic and intolerant has also been actively promoted.  More sinister motives are quoted, and it seems that there are some diplomatic issues boiling under the surface, such as power struggles within the African Union.

I prefer positive dialogue to mudslinging. However, I need to elaborate on some of these sweeping statements our brothers in Nigeria are making, and I sincerely hope that I can point out the logical flaws in many of their views. I hope that they can see this as not an insult to their country, but rather a basis to start looking at their own issues, and hopefully they will be able to understand the situation from the South African perspective.

Drugs, prostitution and kidnapping is rife and Nigerians in South Africa operate many syndicates. No South African in their right mind will blame all Nigerians for this behaviour, but unfortunately, most of us has had run ins with these individuals. This has led to police crack downs and a general mistrust of Nigerians living in South Africa. This is the cause for the suspicious attitude towards Nigerians in our country.

Secondly, I am not diminishing the role that Nigeria played to assist in the democratic election process of South Africa. The democratic election process was mainly developed through decades of talks and internal protests that came from within South Africa. The people who suffered the most under apartheid, was ultimately the ones that sacrificed their lives in order to establish a peaceful nonracial government. For the Nigerians to claim that they were the victors in this battle, without spilling one drop of blood is not only ignorant, but extremely arrogant. The struggle was won from within.

Race issues will not be understood by Nigerians, as much as we don't understand issues between Christians and Muslims in their country. Our constitution views all our citizens as equal, being white, black or Indian. This is the way we operate. We are all Africans in South Africa, and to mention that blacks bow down to whites, and that only whites are active in the economy is false information. It is a complex situation at times, and we have so much to overcome, but we are working amongst ourselves to better the lives of the underprivileged in the way that we see fit.

In terms of trade partners and the role of Nigeria on the South African economy. There has been direct threats that Nigeria will investigate the role South African companies play in Nigeria. They specifically mention MTN and DSTV. We have many multinational companies operating on our shores, and elsewhere in the world. We are not only about DSTV and MTN, so I am sure our economy can survive even should the Nigerians be so petty to relook their position.

I still maintain this is a storm in a teacup and our actions were not malicious. You must respect the rule of law if you travel abroad. We are yellow fever free, and we would not like to introduce the virus into our country again. I myself have a yellow fever card. It is one injection, once in your life. I use it to travel all over Africa. You need this if you travel to Kenya, Tanzania etc. The fact that I am a fellow African does not give me free entry into any other African state. Easy as that!

And the comments about HIV and Aids are unfair and unjust. Our average life expectancy is very low at an average of 51.6, but Nigeria (without HIV) is even lower at 50.6. So both countries have to work on Health issues.

Hope we can understand and learn to respect each other.


http://m.news24.com/news24/MyNews24/Nigerians-on-the-rampage-20120309

Next time they will have better manners.

These two countries should work together to propel Africa to greater heights, not bicker about things that are not really important.

Beaf:

Next time they will have better manners.

Spoken like a true small minded cretin.

Kilode?!:

Nigerians on the rampage!

View 77 comments | Comment on this story
By: JohanLombard
2012-03-09 15:28

We are yellow fever free, and we would not like to introduce the virus into our country again. I myself have a yellow fever card. It is one injection, once in your life. I use it to travel all over Africa. You need this if you travel to Kenya, Tanzania etc. The fact that I am a fellow African does not give me free entry into any other African state. Easy as that!

[b]And the comments about HIV and Aids are unfair and unjust. [/b]Our average life expectancy is very low at an average of 51.6, but Nigeria (without HIV) is even lower at 50.6. So both countries have to work on Health issues.

Hope we can understand and learn to respect each other.
http://m.news24.com/news24/MyNews24/Nigerians-on-the-rampage-20120309

i dey laff.
so nigeria is not yellow fever free abi?
so it is okay to deport nigerians based on that even though the country has been yellow fever free since 1995?
how is it unfair to demand hiv/aids free certification from a south african in this case?
this is what i call seeing the speck in my eyes while ignoring the log of wood in yours. 

The truth is that they were not expecting Nigeria to react this tough. . . But thank God for the presence of a senator among those deported. Next time they will think twice before embarrassing Nigerians. We may have our internal wranglings within. . but will surely rally around if we perceive a slight on our common sovereignty as a nation. Thumbs up to Ambassador Ashiru.