Ensure peaceful co-existence with your hosts, Consul General tells Nigerians in South Africa

In a bid to stave off xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreigners, Mr Andrew Idi, the Consul General of Nigeria to South Africa, has admonished Nigerians living in the country to continue to obey the laws of the land.

According to him, as Nigeria’s “ambassadors” in South Africa, they must refrain from activities that can cause friction and violation of extant laws in the country.

Persecondnews recalls that both in Uganda and South Africa, xenophobic attacks are prevalent due to grievances over existing socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, poverty, income inequality, access to property and high crime rates.

Between 2019 and 2022, xenophobic attacks got to a head with many Nigerians killed in cold blood.

Idi gave the advice in a statement by the Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA) emailed to Persecondnews that in the quest for peaceful co-existence with their hosts and other foreign nationals, held their maiden cultural festival, tagged “Naija-Fest’’ in South Africa.

Naija-Fest, held under the auspices of Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA) was to create a platform where social cohesion between Nigerians living in South Africa, other foreign nationals and the host community, would chart a way forward for peaceful coexistence, fight against crime, collaboration in business, education and arts.

Idi commended the efforts of the NUSA President, Collins Mgbo and the executive committee at large for organizing such a laudable program meant to create a conducive environment for social cohesion.

He also thanked South Africans for being good hosts in spite of challenges which both Nigerians and South Africans were facing in the country.

Mgbo noted that the occasion afforded participants the opportunity for introspection, to point out whereas a migrant community, they went wrong and how to redirect their steps towards a better future in South Africa.

“We are here also to point out how we have been wronged, victimized, prejudiced, etc… by the host community and how those anomalies can be corrected in the future for the purpose of progressive individual communities and the society at large.

“We are here to give a listening ear to our lovely host, South Africa to express or tell the migrant community in general, and the Nigeria community in particular, how they have been offended by the activities of some foreign nationals and Nigerians.

“Thirdly, one of the major reasons for the event besides the cultural exhibition is to collate our concerns and structure a way forward as to how to deal with the concerns raised going forward, and that is why the Police, Nigerian Mission, Africa Diaspora Forum, the Media, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and different community leaders here today,” he said.

Mgbo noted that Naija-Fest which coincided with African Month 2023 was somewhat deliberate, saying that African Month was celebrated in commemoration of the formation of the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU) in 1963 by 32 Heads Independent African States in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by different organizations and institutions across South Africa and Africa.

He said that Africans would not achieve meaningful peace for progress in all spheres if first, they could not love each other at the grassroots level and recognize first and foremost that they were humans and then Africans.

Different Nigerian culinary and dressing cultures were also on display at the NIFEST.