Nigeria's historical role in fighting apartheid and current xenophobia in South Africa
via Punch Nigeria8 min read
Nigeria played a significant role in the fight against apartheid in South Africa, providing financial, material, and diplomatic support to the African National Congress. This included contributions to the South African Relief Fund, the 'Mandela Tax' on Nigerian workers' salaries, and training for the ANC military wing. Nigeria also led a boycott of the 1976 Montreal Olympics in protest of apartheid and nationalized British Petroleum and Barclays Bank in 1979 to pressure the UK government. Diplomatic relations with Israel were severed due to its ties with apartheid South Africa. Despite this history, South Africa has experienced xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other black Africans, which the author notes have been attributed to economic interests. The author highlights Nigeria's past actions, such as the evacuation of its citizens from South Africa in 2019, and criticizes the South African government's response to these attacks. The article suggests that if post-Thabo Mbeki governments had invested in their population, many involved in xenophobic attacks might have been uplifted. The author also appeals to Nigerians to avoid illegal relocation and emphasizes the need for Nigeria's government to focus on national development and security.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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