Over the Last weekend till this time the recent Xenophobic attack and mindless killings of Nigerians staying in South Africa seem to be news of the world. Though the xenophobic attack on Nigerians staying at diaspora is not a new topic. But this renewed killings and destroying of properties belonging to Nigerians in South Africa was beyond ordinary hatred for our people over but a great lesson for our country if we don't know.
According to the Oxford dictionary meaning of Xenophobia defined it's as a strong feeling of dislike or fear of people from other countries. Though I'm not supporting the South African for this Xenophobia act towards Nigerians, even if they want to chased our citizen out of their country, not to that extent of killing brutally before they can do that. I strongly condemned that way of demonstration.
But to be candid with ourselves the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians is telling us we should go back to our country and fixed our dwindling economy. That's just the message and lesson from the Xenophobia boiling issue in South Africa.
In 1983 when Sheu Shagari was the president of Nigeria an executive order was given to expelled over 2 million west Africa immigrant out of Nigeria which mainly they were Ghanaian and Ghana must Go revolution started until Ghanaian returned back to their country. But then Ghana was attracted to Nigeria because of the oil market in the 70's until 1983 when Ghana must Go revolution was launched because the economy had weakened.
Now the same thing is happening in South Africa because Nigerians there have taken larger percentage of their economy. Nigerians over there have big businesses they run even which citizen of South African can't afford to have. Though aside from the Africa immigrant living in South Africa there are also white people who run businesses there but why does South Africa want only Nigeria out of their country?. The answer is simple and which have said earlier.
Since the Xenophobia attack on Nigerians started our citizen was no longer safe and there was fear in them. Now, the Federal Government have started evacuating Nigerians on special convoy airline trip back to Nigeria. According to news, No fewer than 400 Nigerians will return on the first batch trip to Nigeria by Wednesday and the number of numbers who are willing to return have started proper registration to leave South Africa. Like Yoruba people would say in their dialect" ile Omo baba ki n ba omo leru". Out of no choice, they have to return and save their dear lives.
Well, President Muhammadu Buhari on that side must have done very good to send down special convoy down to South Africa for the evacuation of its a citizen. On the other hand, definitely, we will be having more numbers of the population.
After we chased Ghanaian back to their country, they survived it and strive to have a better economy. Now Ghana is doing fine with the little resources they have even better than us. We aren't ashamed yet Nigerians still found themselves in Ghana struggling to make a living. Certainly, the citizen doesn't have confidence in their country anymore.
Personally, I keep imagining the period whereby citizen from other countries will start whisking their country to survive living here in Nigeria and be proud of its economy like our people do at diaspora. Despite the Xenophobic threat in South Africa and the help from our president to evacuate Nigerians out of that country, believe me some Nigerians prefer to die at that foreign land than to come and begin another suffering life In Nigeria. They wouldn't just love to return because of fear of hungryphobia.
In conclusion, today It is Xenophobia In South Africa tomorrow it might be another name in other countries just because they don't want us in their country. Then if to say we don't want here and there, we should strive to make our economy more booming and Nigeria comfortable for ourselves to reside without any fear of poverty. Then our citizen at diaspora would be proud to come back home and invest more in our economy. Then everyone can smile and say this is my beloved country!.
Olaifa Tobiloba writes in from Abeokuta.
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