All over the world ,whether under a democracy or a dictatorship,the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of the lives and properties of her citizens,as well as the protection of the territorial integrity of such state.These are vital or core interests
which violation either singly or in combination leads nations to war.

For decades Nigeria’s foreign policies have been African centered,so much so that it got to the height of its apogee during the Murtala/ Obasanjo regime of 1975/76.Nigeria’s foreign relations became so radicalized that we spent Millions of Naira and in fact,billions of dollars in cash and materials to help liberate African countries under colonialism and apartheid domination.Nigeria supported and fought for the liberation of South Africa from the strangle- hold of the white Boers led by F.W.Declerk and Pietha Botha. Nigeria stood by the icon of South African freedom struggle in the person of Nelson Mandela for the 27 years of his illegal incarceration.

Also,in playing the big brother role as the giant of Africa,Nigeria stood by Angola in the days of the NPLA and UNITA struggles capped by the efforts if Jonas Savimbi,to ensure her liberation from the clutches of death.Up till the I980’s ,the Rhodessian struggle,nay Zimbabwean independence remained a mirage without Nigeria’s support.In fact,this vilified country today,whose citizens are being slaughtered by South Africans in Johanesbourgh,Natal and Soweto,fought with all her resources,cash,kind and even culture,as was demonstrated by the Musical albums of Sunny Okosun( Fire in Soweto and Break down the walls) to extinguish racism ,segregation and mans inhumanity to man in South Africa and its entire region.

In 1980,Nigeria boycotted the Moscow Olympic games in defiance,at her own peril to further drive home her points against racism and apartheid regime in South Africa.

The blood and voice of late Steve Biko,the echoes of Bishop Desmond Tutu and milliions of black South Africans,killed,maligned,brutalized by the wicked police and army of the white colonialists reverberated the Nigerian landscape and trumpeted to the world by successive Nigerian regimes,until freedom came to South African blacks.

Alas!!!! This generation of South Africans have ignored history,even their elders have developed short memory or amnesia.Out of the nearly 3 million foreign immigrants there,with half that being Africans across the continent,they have singled out Nigerians in the xenophobic attacks,killing and maiming them as well as ,burning their business outfits.

The question is ,why? Is it bad to do business in a foreign land when all the taxes are being paid and laws being kept and obeyed.
Last Sunday,on the 1st of September 2019,the world woke up the destruction of billions of dollars worth of properties in South Africa,belonging to Nigerians,without provocation.Their reason being that Nigerians have taken not just their jobs but also dominated their business districts with their entrepreneurial spirit and wizardry.

Now the main issue. What has our government done all these years in response to the xenophobic attacks,killings and arson.Little or nothing short of lip service,for almost a decade,2011 precisely.We have had Abike Dabiri’s special adviser on diaspora matters tame reactions.Lame,not because she hasn’t been upbeat about it,no,,indeed she has been the lone voice.But only a few days ago did we hear our foreign minister,Sir Geophery Onyeama blow hot about the whole murder becoming enough and that Nigeria would take a definitive action.



This reaction it seems is the barking of toothless bulldog.Nigeria is treating the death of hundreds of her citizens with a moral barometer of complaint,that it was bad.Meanwhile,realists like Hans Morganthau has since cautioned that there is no morality in international politics,instead a relations dominated by power play and use if force.In 1984,the then Buhari and Idiagbo. in military uniform responded to Britains seizure of Nigerias airways flight at the Heathrow airport London,by holding a British plane down. here in Lagos.Tit for tat.Is the president still at his wits?

In 2011,Hamas held captive a 27 year old Israeli soldier on the Lebanon –Isreali border post.What followed the refusal to release the soldier was the decimation of half of Lebanon and Hezbollah.It was deterrence at its peak.The world converged at the military behest of Israel to stop the onslaught..

While,this piece is not advocating war,it is pointed about the fact that Nigerias foreign policy makers must know that the lives of Nigerians anywhere in the world and its protection falls within her core or vital interest.

Increasingly,Nigeria ‘s High Commission complex was besieged in Congo DR and South Africa,with impunity,and we have been clapping with morality in our hands.

Where is South Africa’ s ambassador to Nigeria,,in Abuse or back home with a stern message.What happened to recalling ours from South Africa.Are there no embargoes that Nigeria can impose? Are there no taxes to be hiked on South African economic concerns here? How has the Nigerian government treated MTN,Shoprite,DSTV to mention a few?

Levity!Inaction.They best describe Nigeria’s reaction to the mindless killing of her citizens,not just at home,but now abroad.Too bad.From the USA,Malaysia,Saudi Arabia,to South Africa,it appears that a policy of population reduction has been approved for Nigeria.

Adindu Nwakwuribe ,
Political Scientist and
A principal Lecturer.