RACISM, TRIBALISM, AFROPHOBIA TAKE MORE LIVES THAN COVID-19

There should be no debate about the deadly cost of Covid-19. Physical distancing, masks and hand washing became effective mitigation for the deadly virus. Whereas the immediate and proximal solution for tribalism, xenophobia, hate, lack of tolerance and accommodation, especially when exacerbated by the excessive force of constituted authorities, have eluded us for too many […]

Rape and Racism – Who to call out!

Ending rape is not a protest against men by women or against women by men, lest it becomes another gender war, another division, like racism, like xenophobia. It is fine that we call out the evil excesses of men to men, but it is finer that we take cognizance of the institutions that strengthen these […]

The Viral Blame Game: Xenophobia, Attribution and Coronavirus

Moralising the way diseases and viruses are transferred is a very human, and particularly nasty trait. “We don’t need this kind of riff-raff on our shores,” screamed The New York Times in 1892 in response to Russian Jewish immigrants arriving at Ellis Island by boat. (The occupants hosted lice which, in turn, led to typhus.)   Italian immigrants […]

South African police arrest 100 people in protest against xenophobia

Around 100 people were arrested on Wednesday as part of an operation to disperse a group of refugees and asylum seekers who had staged a prolonged sit-in near the United Nations refugee agency in Cape Town, South African police said. The refugees and asylum seekers have been camping outside the offices of the UN High […]

Association decries fresh attack on Nigerians in South Africa

The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA) has condemned fresh attacks on Nigerian own businesses located in Witbank Mpumalamga in South Africa, saying it is worrisome. The President of NICASA, Mr Ben Okoli, who made this known in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, described the attack as criminal act. […]

Xenophobia: Buhari, Ramaphosa endorse early warning mechanism against reoccurrence

President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday in Pretoria, South Africa endorsed the establishment of an Early Warning Mechanism  as a preventative and monitoring platform against the recurrence of attacks. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this known in a joint communique issued in Pretoria following the State visit of President Buharito […]

S. Africa to redouble efforts against gender-based violence, xenophobia

South Africa’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says her country will redouble efforts to tackle gender-based violence. Naledi Pondur was addressing the United Nations General Assembly Saturday. “The incidents of violence and looting that erupted in parts of our provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were regrettable and shameful for a nation with such […]

Nigeria, Xenophobia and Ramaphosa’s apology

We are told that South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa apologised on Saturday for the xenophobic attacks against foreigners living in South Africa, particularly persons involved in business who are seen by the ordinary South African as enemies. He reportedly did this in Harare, Zimbabwe, at the funeral ceremony of former President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. […]

Xenophobia: S/Africa denies Air Peace plane landing permit to evacuate 2nd batch of Nigerians

The evacuation of the second batch of Nigerians from South Africa owing to ongoing xenophobic attacks, suffered an interruption on Tuesday following the delay in granting landing permit to Air Peace. The airline has volunteered to evacuate Nigerians willing to return to the country following the recent violence against foreigners in the southern African country. […]

Xenophobia : Obasanjo breaks silence, sends letter to South Africa

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has finally reacted to xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa. Obasanjo in a letter written to the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party, in South Africa, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi on Tuesday, urged Nigerians and others African countries whose citizens were affected by xenophobic attacks to report […]