The Nation Newspaper

Tag: South Africa

  • Xenophobia: Falana threatens legal action against South Africa

    Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), on Thursday asked President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to identify suspected perpetrators of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans living in that country for prosecution.

    The request is contained in a letter he wrote to President Zuma titled: “Request to identify perpetrators of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, bring them to justice and provide adequate compensation to victims.”

    Falana also asked the South African leader to promote and ensure access to justice and the right to effective remedy and reparations to victims.

    The lawyer said he would sue the South African government if it fails to stop the xenophobic attacks as requested.

    He said, “Take notice that if the xenophobic attacks continue unabated we shall be compelled to drag your government to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights for appropriate legal redress.

    “Since 2008, the xenophobic violence and other criminal acts have continued to occur across South Africa claiming lives, displacing tens of thousands of people and leaving countless victims injured and robbing them of their property.

    “Although some arrests have reportedly been made, many perpetrators are yet to be brought to justice while the victims continue to be denied access to justice and their internationally recognized right to an effective remedy and reparations.

    “We believe that it is the failure of your government to bring perpetrators to justice and protect the victims of the xenophobic attacks that has resulted in a vicious cycle of attacks and impunity.

    ” These xenophobic attacks and violence are not only human rights violations but also criminal acts, and the persistent failure to proactively address the problems is a serious affront to the rule of law, and directly breaches your government’s international human rights obligations including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, particularly Article 12 on the right to movement.”

     

     

  • Xenophobic attacks in South Africa

    Xenophobic attacks in South Africa

    South Africa has been very much in the global news in recent weeks, but  for the wrong reason. It was because of the massive xenophobic attacks in some key urban areas of the country by black South Africans on African immigrants from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Ethiopia, Somalia and some other African countries. Shops and businesses owned by  immigrants from these countries were attacked and willfully destroyed by hordes of black South Africans, wielding guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons.  Scores of fatalities were recorded in these wanton, premeditated and barbaric attacks, casting a slur on South Africa’s claim to be a ‘rainbow’ country in which all races and tribes live peacefully together and in harmony. This new wave of xenophobic attacks was perhaps the worst in the long history of attacks on African immigrants by black South Africans. And because of rising tensions it is not likely to end soon.

    These attacks, though more vicious, were really not new. Even before the fall of the apartheid regime in South Africa in 1997 and the assumption of power by Nelson Mandela there had been reports of attacks by black South Africans on African immigrants in the country. They have since continued almost with unabated fury and vigour, each succeeding attacks being more vicious than previous ones. Between 2000 and 2007 over 100 fatalities were recorded from these attacks. In 2008 alone 62 deaths were recorded. In 2015 another round of attacks with scores of casualties led the governments of Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia, South Africa’s neighbours, to withdraw their beleaguered citizens from South Africa. The bloody attacks strained South Africa’s relations with its African neighbours and weakened SADDC, the Southern African economic community organisation.

    Global response to the new wave of attacks was swift and strong with many foreign governments and international labour and human rights organisations condemning it as a violation of the declarations of the United Nations on the rights of migrant workers to protection in their host countries. Nigeria also expressed deep concerns over the attacks which appeared to centre mainly on Nigerian immigrants, their families and businesses. The South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Nguni, was immediately summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Abuja where Nigeria officially made very strong representations over the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. He was told that Nigerians living lawfully and peacefully in South Africa had a right to the protection of the South African government and that such xenophobic attack on immigrants could no longer be tolerated or accepted. Shehu Sani, the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs visited the South African High Commissioner and conveyed to him in very strong terms the concerns of the Federal Government over these attacks from a country that Nigeria considered friendly. An official delegation from the House of Representatives, led by Mr. Gbajabiamila, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations, decided to go to South Africa to assess the situation there. The visit is unlikely to be of any effect. A few days later some demonstrators attempted to break into the South African owned MTN, the giant telecommunications company in Nigeria, but were driven back by the Nigerian security forces. There were a few minor protests and demonstrations in Lagos and other major cities in Nigeria over the xenophobic attacks. Despite the justified anger in Nigeria, we must discourage retaliatory action, threatened by Mr. Gbajabiamila, as it does not serve our economic interests.

    The South African government does not yet have a handle on the problem. In 2007, when a similar xenophobic attack on black immigrants occurred in South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, then the South African president, dismissed media reports of the attacks as ‘exaggerated and false news.’ That was an open invitation to future attacks. But this time virtually all South African leaders, including President Jacob Zuma, denounced the attacks as shameful and disgraceful. Shoprite, the South African owned retailing business in Nigeria with many super markets, also denounced the attacks as deplorable. It has to be admitted that this time the South African security forces, though overstretched, acted swiftly to bring the attacks under immediate control. Several arrests of the perpetrators were made and many are being taken to the courts for trial. In the past the South African Police had secured some convictions of those involved in the attacks on immigrants.

    What are the causes of these bloody attacks by black South Africans on black immigrants in South Africa? The attackers complain about African immigrants taking jobs away from black South Africans. It was also claimed that some of the immigrants were bringing drugs and prostitution into South Africa. Post-apartheid South Africa has not been able to fully confront the challenges of job creation for the teeming blacks in South Africa. Political freedom and the fight against racism may have been won, but this has not led to the creation of jobs fast enough for the blacks in South Africa who remain largely marginalised in the domestic economy. Currently, there is rising anger and tension over this, as well as the pervasive corruption in South Africa’s public and private institutions. This competition for jobs in South Africa has no doubt contributed to the xenophobia against African immigrants in the country.

    But the fact of the matter is that African immigrants constitute only four per cent of the total work force in South Africa. Most black immigrants do not enter the South African public service. They are to be found mainly running retail businesses where they employ thousands of black South Africans. In fact, as is usually the case, an investigative commission by the South African government into the economic activities of black immigrants in South Africa reported that they contribute a lot more to the South African economy than they draw in terms of the provision of social services. But this is not all that apparent to the black South Africans who readily find scapegoats in black immigrants from other African countries. Obviously, these black South Africans attacking black immigrants are ignorant and misguided.

    In 1982, or thereabouts, we in Nigeria also made the same mistake when we expelled thousands of ECOWAS citizens from Nigeria with the excuse that they were putting pressure on social services and on the domestic economy. At the time I was serving as Ambassador at the United Nations in New York. I found it disturbing. I knew we had made a terrible mistake and that it had badly damaged Nigeria’s international image almost beyond repairs. It took us years to live down that image. Right now the ECOWAS workers we expelled are back fully in Nigeria and are making positive contribution to our country in all spheres. So, while we have every right to be angry with South Africa over these attacks, we should also treat it as a learning curve for South Africa.

    South Africa, with its long coastline, alluring beaches, affable weather and striking mountain ranges, is a very beautiful country, in which comparatively better economic opportunities appear to abound for African immigrants, particularly from its black neighbours. But all that glitters is not gold. It has always been a violent and bloody country. Even long before the adventure and entry of the Dutch into the territory in the 15th century the blacks, in a wave of massive migration towards the Cape Colony, were already competing for land and massacring one another in a violent and no holds barred competition for land, in what became known as South Africa. The arrival of the British and the Boers intensified the struggle over land among the blacks and whites leading to many bloody wars in the country. In fact, apartheid was initially constructed to prevent the blacks encroaching and seizing land from the whites. It was much later on that it was erected into an obnoxious political, religious and social dogma. This is the terrible legacy inherited by post-apartheid South Africa. Throughout the long struggle against racism and the apartheid system in South Africa the black South Africans  inflicted more fatalities on themselves than they did on the whites. Even today more blacks get killed by blacks than whites. South Africa is one of the most violent countries in the world. It is this terrible bloody legacy that is currently being reflected in the wave of xenophobic attacks on black immigrants by black South Africans.

    What is to be done? In the case of Nigerians, both the Nigerian and South African governments should work together to resolve this nasty problem. This can be done under the aegis of the Nigeria-South Africa Bilateral National Commission that needs to be re-activated urgently. The framework for a settlement should include the right of documented immigrants to the protection of the South African security forces. Those not documented should either regularise their stay, or leave the country. They should be repatriated by our Federal Government as is being done with some Nigerian immigrants in Libya. The Nigerian government should also enlighten would-be Nigerian emigrants about the risks of leaving their own country for foreign lands where they cannot count on the protection of the host governments. But we must also create in our country the economic and social conditions that will make emigration by our people to other countries in search of economic opportunities less attractive.

    It is with some pain that I write this. In my career in the Nigerian diplomatic service I was involved both at home and abroad in the struggle against apartheid South Africa. My professional colleagues and I were totally committed to the struggle. I had hoped that Nigeria and post apartheid South Africa, the two largest economies in sub-Saharan Africa, would work closely together to lift the continent up. We must not let these unfortunate and regrettable attacks on Nigerians by black South Africans destroy this positive prospect. Strategic cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa is in our mutual interests and the collective interest of Africa.

  • Xenophobic attacks in South Africa

    South Africa has been very much in the global news in recent weeks, but  for the wrong reason. It was because of the massive xenophobic attacks in some key urban areas of the country by black South Africans on African immigrants from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Ethiopia, Somalia and some other African countries. Shops and businesses owned by  immigrants from these countries were attacked and willfully destroyed by hordes of black South Africans, wielding guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons.  Scores of fatalities were recorded in these wanton, premeditated and barbaric attacks, casting a slur on South Africa’s claim to be a ‘rainbow’ country in which all races and tribes live peacefully together and in harmony. This new wave of xenophobic attacks was perhaps the worst in the long history of attacks on African immigrants by black South Africans. And because of rising tensions it is not likely to end soon.

    These attacks, though more vicious, were really not new. Even before the fall of the apartheid regime in South Africa in 1997 and the assumption of power by Nelson Mandela there had been reports of attacks by black South Africans on African immigrants in the country. They have since continued almost with unabated fury and vigour, each succeeding attacks being more vicious than previous ones. Between 2000 and 2007 over 100 fatalities were recorded from these attacks. In 2008 alone 62 deaths were recorded. In 2015 another round of attacks with scores of casualties led the governments of Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia, South Africa’s neighbours, to withdraw their beleaguered citizens from South Africa. The bloody attacks strained South Africa’s relations with its African neighbours and weakened SADDC, the Southern African economic community organisation.

    Global response to the new wave of attacks was swift and strong with many foreign governments and international labour and human rights organisations condemning it as a violation of the declarations of the United Nations on the rights of migrant workers to protection in their host countries. Nigeria also expressed deep concerns over the attacks which appeared to centre mainly on Nigerian immigrants, their families and businesses. The South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Nguni, was immediately summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Abuja where Nigeria officially made very strong representations over the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. He was told that Nigerians living lawfully and peacefully in South Africa had a right to the protection of the South African government and that such xenophobic attack on immigrants could no longer be tolerated or accepted. Shehu Sani, the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs visited the South African High Commissioner and conveyed to him in very strong terms the concerns of the Federal Government over these attacks from a country that Nigeria considered friendly. An official delegation from the House of Representatives, led by Mr. Gbajabiamila, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations, decided to go to South Africa to assess the situation there. The visit is unlikely to be of any effect. A few days later some demonstrators attempted to break into the South African owned MTN, the giant telecommunications company in Nigeria, but were driven back by the Nigerian security forces. There were a few minor protests and demonstrations in Lagos and other major cities in Nigeria over the xenophobic attacks. Despite the justified anger in Nigeria, we must discourage retaliatory action, threatened by Mr. Gbajabiamila, as it does not serve our economic interests.

    The South African government does not yet have a handle on the problem. In 2007, when a similar xenophobic attack on black immigrants occurred in South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, then the South African president, dismissed media reports of the attacks as ‘exaggerated and false news.’ That was an open invitation to future attacks. But this time virtually all South African leaders, including President Jacob Zuma, denounced the attacks as shameful and disgraceful. Shoprite, the South African owned retailing business in Nigeria with many super markets, also denounced the attacks as deplorable. It has to be admitted that this time the South African security forces, though overstretched, acted swiftly to bring the attacks under immediate control. Several arrests of the perpetrators were made and many are being taken to the courts for trial. In the past the South African Police had secured some convictions of those involved in the attacks on immigrants.

    What are the causes of these bloody attacks by black South Africans on black immigrants in South Africa? The attackers complain about African immigrants taking jobs away from black South Africans. It was also claimed that some of the immigrants were bringing drugs and prostitution into South Africa. Post-apartheid South Africa has not been able to fully confront the challenges of job creation for the teeming blacks in South Africa. Political freedom and the fight against racism may have been won, but this has not led to the creation of jobs fast enough for the blacks in South Africa who remain largely marginalised in the domestic economy. Currently, there is rising anger and tension over this, as well as the pervasive corruption in South Africa’s public and private institutions. This competition for jobs in South Africa has no doubt contributed to the xenophobia against African immigrants in the country.

    But the fact of the matter is that African immigrants constitute only four per cent of the total work force in South Africa. Most black immigrants do not enter the South African public service. They are to be found mainly running retail businesses where they employ thousands of black South Africans. In fact, as is usually the case, an investigative commission by the South African government into the economic activities of black immigrants in South Africa reported that they contribute a lot more to the South African economy than they draw in terms of the provision of social services. But this is not all that apparent to the black South Africans who readily find scapegoats in black immigrants from other African countries. Obviously, these black South Africans attacking black immigrants are ignorant and misguided.

    In 1982, or thereabouts, we in Nigeria also made the same mistake when we expelled thousands of ECOWAS citizens from Nigeria with the excuse that they were putting pressure on social services and on the domestic economy. At the time I was serving as Ambassador at the United Nations in New York. I found it disturbing. I knew we had made a terrible mistake and that it had badly damaged Nigeria’s international image almost beyond repairs. It took us years to live down that image. Right now the ECOWAS workers we expelled are back fully in Nigeria and are making positive contribution to our country in all spheres. So, while we have every right to be angry with South Africa over these attacks, we should also treat it as a learning curve for South Africa.

    South Africa, with its long coastline, alluring beaches, affable weather and striking mountain ranges, is a very beautiful country, in which comparatively better economic opportunities appear to abound for African immigrants, particularly from its black neighbours. But all that glitters is not gold. It has always been a violent and bloody country. Even long before the adventure and entry of the Dutch into the territory in the 15th century the blacks, in a wave of massive migration towards the Cape Colony, were already competing for land and massacring one another in a violent and no holds barred competition for land, in what became known as South Africa. The arrival of the British and the Boers intensified the struggle over land among the blacks and whites leading to many bloody wars in the country. In fact, apartheid was initially constructed to prevent the blacks encroaching and seizing land from the whites. It was much later on that it was erected into an obnoxious political, religious and social dogma. This is the terrible legacy inherited by post-apartheid South Africa. Throughout the long struggle against racism and the apartheid system in South Africa the black South Africans  inflicted more fatalities on themselves than they did on the whites. Even today more blacks get killed by blacks than whites. South Africa is one of the most violent countries in the world. It is this terrible bloody legacy that is currently being reflected in the wave of xenophobic attacks on black immigrants by black South Africans.

    What is to be done? In the case of Nigerians, both the Nigerian and South African governments should work together to resolve this nasty problem. This can be done under the aegis of the Nigeria-South Africa Bilateral National Commission that needs to be re-activated urgently. The framework for a settlement should include the right of documented immigrants to the protection of the South African security forces. Those not documented should either regularise their stay, or leave the country. They should be repatriated by our Federal Government as is being done with some Nigerian immigrants in Libya. The Nigerian government should also enlighten would-be Nigerian emigrants about the risks of leaving their own country for foreign lands where they cannot count on the protection of the host governments. But we must also create in our country the economic and social conditions that will make emigration by our people to other countries in search of economic opportunities less attractive.

    It is with some pain that I write this. In my career in the Nigerian diplomatic service I was involved both at home and abroad in the struggle against apartheid South Africa. My professional colleagues and I were totally committed to the struggle. I had hoped that Nigeria and post apartheid South Africa, the two largest economies in sub-Saharan Africa, would work closely together to lift the continent up. We must not let these unfortunate and regrettable attacks on Nigerians by black South Africans destroy this positive prospect. Strategic cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa is in our mutual interests and the collective interest of Africa.

  • South Africa to appear at ICC over al- Bashir

    South African authorities have been asked to appear at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on April 7 over the failure to arrest Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir during a visit two years ago, a senior official said on Wednesday.

    Ayesha Johaar, the acting chief state law adviser, said Pretoria was asked to appear at the Hague-based court for failing to comply with a cooperation request from the tribunal, contrary to the provisions of the treaty establishing the court and which came into force in 2002.

    “It concerns an order of non-compliance by South Africa as a member state of the ICC and Sudan’s president,” she said.

    Reuters reported that Pretoria announced its intention to leave the ICC in 2015 after the tribunal criticized it for disregarding an order to arrest Al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide and war crimes.

    Bashir has denied the accusations.

    South Africa’s High Court last month blocked the government’s attempt to withdraw from the ICC.

    But Justice Minister Michael Masutha said the government would press ahead with withdrawing from the Hague-based tribunal, noting that the ruling was based largely on procedure – that the decision to pull out did not pass first through parliament.

    To comply with part of the court order, Pretoria has formally revoked its withdrawal from the ICC.

  • Group protests xenophobic killings in South Africa

    Group protests xenophobic killings in South Africa

    A group, Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre (HRDAC), has protested against xenophobic killings in South Africa. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

    They came chanting protest songs and brandishing placards and banners with inscriptions like “Stop all xenophobic attacks today” and more.
    The protesters under the auspices of Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre (HRDAC) stormed the Lagos head offices of MTN Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), calling for an end to the hideous act.
    Of the two protests, the one in front of the ECOWAS office drew greater attention from passers-by and motorists as the protesters faced the public and went very close to the road, singing their songs and brandishing their banners and placards.
    “We are calling on all, including the government, the African Union and ECOWAS, to take proactive steps to stop the xenophobic attacks on other Africans, especially Nigerians, in South Africa. No country can survive on its own without the contributions of others. Nigeria contributed immensely to the fight against Apartheid in South Africa; how come we are now the focus of attacks? This hideous act must end,” HRDAC President, Comrade Queen Rose Ameh said.
    With them was a letter addressed to the Chairperson of African Union, which they presented to the ECOWAS Head Liaison Officer, Mr Olatokunbo Okunola, who refused to address the press.
    On why the letter was presented to ECOWAS instead of AU, Ameh said: “We tried locating AU’s office in Lagos and could not; and so we thought it wise to also bring our campaign/protest to the ECOWAS office and drop the letter with them to help us take our protest to AU.”
    Mr Innocent Agbo of HRDAC condemned the attacks, which he said was an act against humanity. He called on the South African government to pay more attention to resolving the issues, noting that lots of innocent lives have been lost to the killings. “These attacks must stop. We are tired of these repeated attacks, while the perpetrators go unpunished. The perpetrators should be made to face the music to serve as deterrent to others.”
    In the letter addressed to the AU chairperson, signed by HRDAC President and Mr Agbo, the group called for speedy action by the Africa Union to end the act, while advocating “a long lasting solution for peace to reign”.
    It read thus: ‘’We the above named organisation seek to address the xenophobic attitude of the South Africans towards other Africans who have the right to live and associate freely in all countries in Africa without fear of intimidation or oppression for being foreigners.
    “The organisation of African Union has sincerely not dealt extensively with xenophobia. The continuous attitude of the South African people, to the best of our knowledge, shows a negative believe of the purpose of the union of African states.
    “Our expectation is neither different from what the right of the people is meant to be, the demand for fairness, justice and equity is what we request for our people and we will stand firm to our oat of conduct to always seek a dynamic and resourceful conflict management approach to resolving all matters of xenophobia. We condemn this attitude of the South Africa because it is contradictory to the peace and co-operative charter signed by member-nations of AU. HRDAC are human right campaigners that believe in equity, justice and peace. A mutual objective we have together with noble AU. So we expect you to take every measure to ensure and enthrone love and unity among African states.
    “We hope to get a responsive reply to our quest and believe that we will make progress for a better Africa, where all will love and respect each other in peace and harmony.”

  • Boy to get penis transplant in Niger

    Nine-month-old Buhari Muhammad, whose genital was cut off by his step-mother in June 2016, would undergo his next surgery when he reaches puberty.

    Muhammad had his first corrective surgery at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, Niger, in February.

    Mr Suleiman Makusidi, the Head of Medical Unit of the state Child Rights Protection Agency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Tuesday that the next surgery would be a penis transplant.

    “When the boy reaches puberty and when blood has started flowing through his penis, a transplant will be carried out; the transplant will be carried out either in Nigeria or abroad.

    “The corrective surgery that was done in February was to reopen the hole that was created for the boy to pass urine after it was discovered that the hole was closing back.

    “ The urinary passage, which was created like that of the female, is a temporary one to enable him pass urine.’’

    “The state government is making arrangements on how to bring medical experts to examine the boy and see if the transplant can be done in Nigeria.

    “If not, we will look at other options like South Africa or the U.S.

    “We are hoping that the transplant will be successful and that it will help his reproductive system because his testicles were cut off alongside his penis; only one testicle was left,” he said.

    According to Makusidi, Muhammad will use his penis effectively after a successful transplant.

    The Director-General of the agency, Hajiya Mairam Kolo, said the agency was partnering with the Community Training and Empowerment Project, a United Kingdom based NGO, to fast track the transplant process.

    “The agency is working toward the final operation.

    “The matter is a very sensitive one and there should not be mistake; the transplant will be carried out by experts in that field,’’ she said.

    NAN recalls that Muhammad’s genital was cut off by his 17-year-old step mother, Bara’atu Muhammad, when the boy was barely a month old.

    The incident occurred in Dafe community in Shiroro Local Government area of Niger in June 2016.

    The step-mother had confessed that she took the action because she was jealous and she also wanted to get back at the victim’s mother whom she claimed was always insulting her.

    Bara’atu was subsequently remanded in Minna Prison

    The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, told NAN that the suspect was still in Minna Prison, pending the conclusion of investigations.

    According to him, under the Police Criminal Law, the suspect is an adult who is above seven years and therefore can be tried for the offence.

  • Nigeria records increase of 6.5 per cent external trade in 2016 – NBS

    Nigeria records increase of 6.5 per cent external trade in 2016 – NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the value of the total trade at the end of 2016 was N17. 35 billion.

    The NBS said that the figure was 6.5 per cent higher than the value recorded in 2015.

    The bureau announced this in a report on“Merchandise Trade Intensity Index/Re-exports for fourth quarter’’, released in Abuja.

    The report, however, stated that Nigeria’s external trade in the fourth quarter of 2016 was valued at N5.28 billion.

    “The export component stood at N2.98 billion while the import component stood at N2.31 billion leading to a trade surplus of N671 billion.

    “Trade by sector showed that crude oil exports had the largest share of the total trade, accounting for N2.43 billion or 45.9 per cent trade in fourth quarter.

    “The second major contributor to total trade by sector was manufactured goods with N1.17 billion or 22.1 per cent of total trade,’’ it stated.

    The report stated that manufactured goods were followed by the non-crude oil products, which was also a major contributor to total trade in the quarter under review.

    “The non-crude oil products stood at N1.15 billion or 21.8 per cent while Agricultural goods accounted for N212.7 billion or 4 per cent.

    “Raw material goods accounted for N309 billion or 5.9 per cent and Solid mineral goods stood at N13.1billion or 0.3 per cent of total trade in the quarter.’’

    The report stated that Nigeria’s export intensity in the months of October, November and December 2016 was the highest for South Africa with export intensities of 8.9, 7.3 and 4.1, respectively.

    It stated that export intensity in the fourth quarter was also intense with India with export intensities of 5.8, 5.8 and 1.7 for the last three months of 2016.

    “ Spain and Netherlands also had high export intensities with export intensities of 4.8, 2.9 and 2.0 for Spain and 2.2, 1.5 and 2.2 for the Netherlands.

    “Although United States was one of Nigeria’s major trading partners, its export intensity was low with 0.6, 0.6 and 0.2 for the last three months of 2016.’’

    Meanwhile, the report stated that Nigeria imported mainly from China with total imports of N404.1billion or 17.5 per cent of total imports.

    It stated that China was followed by Belgium with N356.46 billion or 15 per cent while import trade with Netherlands which was the third highest was valued at N230 billion or 10 per cent.

    “ The remaining trading partners contributed relatively lower proportion of the total import trade.

    “United States accounted for N205.6 billion or 8.9 per cent while India accounted for N113.9 billion or 4.9 per cent,’’ the report stated. (NAN)

  • Xenophobic attacks will lead to calamity in Africa, says Obasanjo

    Xenophobic attacks will lead to calamity in Africa, says Obasanjo

    Former Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has critisised South African leaders for allowing xenophobic attacks to continue in the country.

    He was however quick to say that, if the leadership of the country allows its youths to continue killing other fellow Africans, it will be a calamity for South Africa and the African continent as a whole.

    The former President who featured on Kaduna based Liberty Radio Programme, Guest of the Week at the weekend said “it is understandable to say the South African youths are being childish, but it is unacceptable for their leaders to watch them go on rampage against fellow Africans.”

    He however stated categorically that any leader who allows xenophobic attacks to linger under his watch is not fit to be an African leader.

    According to Obasanjo who spoke extensively to Liberty Radio on the newly established Obasanjo Presidential Library, no African country can attain development in isolation.

    “They must move together as a continent if the desired development is to be achieved.

    “What all African countries must remember is that, Nigeria fought for
    decolonisation of most of that African countries. But, whether anyone
    remembers what Nigeria did for decolonisation of African countries or not is not even an issue, the issue, the issue is that any African must not be treated as unwanted in any part of Africa.

    “Any leader who allows xenophobic attacks to happen and linger under his watch is not fit to be an African leader.

    “If youths are behaving childishly, then, what is the leadership doing? It is understandable to see children behaving childishly, but if the leaders also behave childishly, that is a calamity for that country and for Africa”.

    Speaking about the Presidential Library, where he built a Church and Mosque, the former President said, as a leader of the country, he needed to lead by example, without bias to any religious group.

    He said he was raised in a community where Christian and Muslims co-exist
    peacefully and he had lived with that all his life, adding that, even as
    President of Nigeria, he used to fast during Ramadan and during lent.

    The former President however condemn the situation where people now kill one
    another in the name of religion, saying anyone who kills in the name of
    religion is an enemy of God.

    On the fight against corruption, former President Obasanjo commended
    President Muhammadu Buhari led administration on the anti graft war,
    reiterating that Buhari has not disappointed him, except that he is weak in
    the area of economy.

  • ‘Why Nigerians are endangered in South Africa’

    ‘Why Nigerians are endangered in South Africa’

    A security expert and Deputy Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, South Africa Chapter, Prince Debo Adesina , in this interview with Adeola Ogunlade spoke on the Xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa and the way out of the crisis. He also spoke about efforts of PDP members in the Diaspora to rebuild the party.

    Can you tell me about yourself?
    I am a private security expert. I do a lot of investigation and am involved in security management. I train security guards. I also look at immigration from the safety point of view. I was the first Secretary General of the Nigeria Union in South Africa. I stay in South Africa because it has one of the best security management systems in the world.

    What are the opportunities that you saw in South Africa as a businessman?
    I left Nigeria as a security expert and I left to expand my horizon and scope in the area of security.

    I’m stationed in South Africa because they have one of the best security outfits in the world.

    They are very good. In fact, we call them Europe in Africa because I have been to different parts of the world. The first time I landed in South Africa, I was surprised as I thought I was in Europe.
    We, Nigerians in South Africa, we are like brain drain and we decided that whether our government likes it or not, they have to look at the Diaspora because we assist the needy and better our governance.

    In South Africa, where we live, we see rule of law, good governance and how the citizens of that country are being looked after and support systems, which are readily available to the less privileged.

    They take care of their citizens because the oath of office that they took is to look out for the welfare of their citizens.

    The opportunities in South Africa are very large and we only appeal to our politicians back home to try and emulate some of the things they see in South Africa. In the area of infrastructure, they are the biggest in Africa and they are competing favorably with the rest of the world.

    We can use them as a guide and some day we will get there?

    South Africa has its own challenges, are you saying that they have a better democratic structure than Nigeria?
    South Africa still operates a one party state due to the legacy of Nelson Mandela. The Africa National Congress (ANC) has been in power since Mandela took over from the whites. The party is very prominent at the National level. Other parties like Democratic Alliance (DA) are also part of the structure.

    Just recently, DA won as Mayor of the city of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Their politics is that they don’t kill themselves to get into public office but to serve their people.

    Ministers walk on the street without any convoy. The challenge in South Africa is that they still hold the mentality of the white monopoly by which they were brought up. Apartheid brought about a lot of setbacks and the country is trying hard to change.

    We can emulate some of their values but not all. In terms of governance, they are better than Nigeria.

    Nigerians have become endangered species in South Africa. How did things get to this point?
    As the former Secretary General of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, I have consistency tried and my media presentations have been reechoed. I am not only fighting for Nigerians but the foreign nationals on Xenophobic through the United Nation.

    We have a group called Protection working Group. It is sad that in parts of Nigeria, the people are giving the country a bad name because they go to any length to make money. We are now seen as drug dealers, and fraudsters. Some Nigerians have forgotten that back home, they have limitation of what they can do; abroad, they don’t care, they just want to make money, drive big cars, send money home to show that they live abroad. This created the hatred, as we are seen as gold diggers, people who have come to make money from their country and leave them home and dry.

    So along the line, some of our people are victims of police brutality. The South African police kill Nigerians at will because they know that the justice system in South Africa is very liberal around drug activities.

    They don’t have death penalty and capital punishment. Once you have money, and with good lawyer, drug dealers come out on bail and once they come out on bail, the cases remain in court forever. There are lots of cases pending for a long time in court. We have lots of Nigerians in prisons. We also have some of us who are doing well in South Africa but we are not well pronounced. We have doctors, lawyers, top notch business men and security experts, but the bad ones have overshadowed the good ones.

    When you mention that you are a Nigerian, they ask you whether you are not a drug dealer or fraudster. This has affected the image of Nigerians in South Africa. We are organizing a movement we want to tag Nigerians lives matter. We are starting it from South Africa and would spread it across the world, including Nigeria. Nigerians are also suffering back home and their lives matter. We want to give back to good governance. We are Nigerians and Nigeria as a country will outlive Nigerians, so Nigeria will remain Nigeria, but the people will live and die one day, and what is important to Nigerians is that our people will live a better life and enjoy the best Nigeria offers without any intimidation.

    Are the narratives from Nigerians giving room for xenophobic attack?
    No, not at all. The problem is that when Nigerians leave the international airport, they forget everything called moral value and their aim is to make money anyhow.
    Even in London, United Kingdom, in Thailand and other parts of the world where you see Nigerians, they turn to tigers and they are ready to do anything for money. I travel most times and the immigration officials search me thoroughly just because I’m carrying a Nigerian passport.

    But I am proud to be a Nigerian and I refuse to be a citizen of any country other than Nigeria. I am so loyal to my country. I believe that the only advantage of being a citizen of America or any other western country is good governance and movement. I believe that one day; the world will respect Nigerian citizens and passport.

    A lot of people have lost their lives because they want to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Some Nigerians are in Libya, but the government careless. Back home, there is contribution of bad governance. The recession is a global recession; the current government of APC fails to really identify what Nigerians need. Nigerians are hungry.

    As the Deputy Chairman PDP IN South Africa, are you satisfied with the way PDP is led back home?

    To be honest, we in the diaspora, we have decided to come and change the mentality back home about the party.

    Because  many people believe that politics is a do or die affairs, they are not ready to serve. They want to be seen as oga and not as servant, so the issue of leadership in Nigeria has no face of the political party.

    It is the Nigeria thing; arrogance, impunity, and lack of respect for the rule of law. There are lots of cases against the federal government, the way they maltreat the opposition party. No freedom of speech. Recently, Tuface was planning to do something but the threat from some quarters made him to reverse his earlier plan but for him to have set the pace for the protest is commendable. I don’t pray for revolution like the way we had in the Arab Spring. Military forces will not be able to stop the hungry crowd when there is revolution because the people are ready to die. Fela Kuti sang in his song that Nigerians are suffering and smiling. The leadership in Nigeria has nothing to do with political party be it PDP, APC, AFGA. The leaders have failed to identify the real problems in Nigeria.  It is good to fight corruption but what next. Let food be on the people’s table while fighting corruption

    PDP was there for 16 years and has been accused to have contributed to the failure of the system?

    The word PDP is like an acronym PDP, is a political party. Almost 80 percent of APC leaders were part of PDP. The truth is like someone who wore Babaringa in the morning and went to wear jeans in the evening for convenience and to be freer. There is nothing like APC.

    Senate President, Senator Saraki, Former President Oluesgun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were in PDP for years, they only joined the ruling party to unseat President Jonathan by all means because he is from the minority and is not dancing to the tune of some cabal. They took the power from him and the only way they could succeed was not by power or gun but by election.

    Since Buhari became president, he could not appoint his cabinet members for six months which showed that they were not prepared to lead the country. I congratulated the president when he won, I want democracy, it is not about party, I am a PDP member, but that does not mean that I hate Nigeria.

    In America, when there is an issue that concerns the people, they forget party politics. That is the way it supposed to be. Nobody should silence the other person because he is speaking against the president.

    I want to suggest to Nigerians that the idea of shadow cabinet should be in place. The shadow cabinet will be in place to challenge the ministers in power so they can see better options and alternatives for good governance.

    How best can PDP reposition itself?
    PDP’s strength is outside Nigeria. It is high time PDP mobilize and strategically include its members in the diaspora. It will add a lot of impetus to the party’s chances in the next election.

    It is sad that when PDP was in power, its members in diaspora were not given due recognition. My recent visit to Professor Jerry Gana was for PDP to be giving its members in diaspora an opportunity to part in the rebuilding process of the party.

    Let us come and help. They call us brain drain, but we are ready to come back with the brain instead of draining its abroad. We have lots of first class brain, and professionals who can make things happen in Nigeria. I am one of them.

    How strong is the PDP Diaspora?
    Nigerians in diaspora are very strong. We have been contributing to the PDP powerfully. At least every member of the diaspora has one family or other and they are paying bills which in way are contributing immensely to Nigeria’s GDP.

    But in the area of politics, PDP members in some countries are strong because they were stooge used in the hands of the power brokers, but for us in south Africa, we have remained stronger even after we lost the presidential election. We decided that this is a political party, not Jonathan. It is a registered party, we will not divorce our party, and we will remain in the party. We are not prostitutes. We will be there until PDP bounce back and take its rightful place in Nigeria.

    If the country decides to assist us by giving us the political power, we are ready to support them. My concern is that how can Nigerians in diaspora vote. I want to appeal that the PVC be extended to Nigerians in diaspora just like they did with BVN.  When Nigerians in diaspora are compelled to register, the Nigeria passport will be used as an identity card to vote.

    What are your plans for PDP back home?
    We want to help our people. They are angry. Our plan is not just about politics, though PDP is our platform and we want to use it to correct some things, especially some of the things that our party has done which was wrong. We believe that when you fall, it does not matter because we are loser today, but we will not remain a loser. We believe we will win again. The current President was a loser for three times. There is no shaking, we will come back strong.

    Frequent medical trip of President Buhari abroad?

    We are praying for the President. I am praying hard for good health. I want him to be strong and powerful and handover the way Jonathan handed over to him. He will hand over healthy and sound so that he can rest in his village in Daura. Let us pray for him to be strong and be in power till 2019 and hand over to people that can rule.

    We, in the diaspora, we don’t believe in politicians back home, as it is all about vendetta. Dasuki is an example. We want him back safe and healthy. It will be bad omen for the Northerners. No one should wish him dead. Anything that happens in Nigeria is endorsed by God. We pray God will give him good health. We don’t want continuity of slow motion.

     

  • Xenophobia: APC diaspora commends legislators for S/Africa trip

    Xenophobia: APC diaspora commends legislators for S/Africa trip

    A global affairs analyst and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Scandinavian chapter, Ayoola Lawal has commended the decision of the leadership of the House of Representatives to travel with the officials of Nigeria foreign affairs to South Africa to engage the parliament of South Africa on the senseless xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationalities.

    In a statement made available to newsmen Lawal strongly condemned the action of the South African people describing it as one of a troglodyte as well as the lackadaisical attitude of the President Zuma-led administration on the barbaric attacks on fellow Africans.

    It will be recalled earlier that Nigerian Senate strongly condemned the attacked and called on the federal government to review Nigeria’s foreign policies in the interest of Nigerians in diaspora.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Matters, Rep Rita Orji also condemned in strong terms and called the attention of Nigerians to the “alleged slothful attitude of the Federal Government towards the protection of Nigerians outside the country saying that the government paid more interest in remittance from citizens abroad and not their welfare”.

    Ayoola noted that even if Nigerians can be considered lawful in exercising “our voting right, it will be more unfair to the Nigerians in Diaspora if they cannot be fully protected and their safety assured in countries with Nigerian consulates.

    “I strongly share the same perspective on the questions credited to Hon. Orji; Are Nigerians in Diaspora dear only to the government of Nigeria because of their remittance to the country? Has the federal government taken any assured steps that incessant unlawfully killings of Nigerians abroad are being taken care of?

    “Why is the federal government not taking a critical look at what Nigerians in Diaspora face in the countries that they are while the government is over-protecting the businesses and interests of South Africans to the detriment of Nigeria? And why would this conspiracy of silence linger while blood is being shed; while Nigerians are being killed like chicken in various countries? Nigerians are becoming endangered species.“Must we protect the foreign interest to the detriment of Nigerians. These are incisive questions that deserve real but not political answers.

    “Must we protect foreign interest to the detriment of Nigerians. These are incisive questions that deserve real but not political answers. One thing I’m sure of with the American and the advanced countries’ government is they stand tall in the interest of their citizen first. Why not us? especially against the ingrate South Africans that we sacrificed several resources of Nigerians to liberate from the clutches of evil apartheid.

    “I implore the acting president to take the bull by the horn and do the needful by taking a decisive action in protecting the interest of Nigerians in South Africa now and in the future and look into the review of our foreign policies in the interest of Nigeria. I’m confident that our esteem legislators both in the senate and house of representatives will support him and expedite any action necessary from their part,” he said.