Makewetalknow

I have occasionally wondered whether the situation involving black South Africans and their attitude toward other Africans is a result of advanced witchcraft. A lot of damage was done to the black people in South Africa by apartheid. After decades of being enslaved, I don’t understand how someone can easily forgive their oppressor and then go after people who had nothing to do with their current situation. Is this a case of Stockholm syndrome or just plain stupidity?

I read many comments on social media and see a lot of hate directed at Nigerians. I try to locate the source of the issue and don’t see why this senseless behaviour is necessary. According to South Africans, Nigerians are drug dealers and internet fraudsters. Some of them even go so far as to point out that they are human traffickers who entice their women into prostitution.

In as much as I agree with South Africans to some extent, I don’t think it is enough to validate this hatred. One important thing to remember before I start is that there are many Nigerians living in South Africa. Most of them go to school, work, and run their own businesses. The claim that all Nigerians in South Africa behave in the same manner is therefore untrue.

In a broader sense, why do you specifically target Africans rather than Europeans when you claim that you want foreigners to leave your country? Whenever you hear about xenophobia in South Africa, your hateful actions never affect the Europeans. Black Africans are always the ones who suffer when you protest, burn, and loot stores.

While you’re looking for black bodies to rob and kill, you forget that people of other races are watching you. You’re mistaken if you believe that killing your fellow Africans is an attempt to take a stand. I’m telling you this because most Europeans that you try so hard to impress don’t even like you. According to what I’ve discussed with some, they believe that the typical Black South African is stupid and only succeeds at being lazy and pleading for government assistance.

While you develop so much hate for your fellow Africans, the real instigators of xenophobia are behind the scene pulling strings are laughing to the bank. And when I say “instigators,” I mean the media and other wealthy white elites who still run South African politics.

Have you ever questioned why xenophobia always seems to surface when the government is being heavily criticized? This happened when Jacob Zuma was president, and it’s happening again now that Cyril Ramaphosa is in charge. What you don’t understand is that running the government is a big business, and anything that keeps people from paying attention is very profitable. The government and powerful elites use xenophobia to deflect the nation’s attention from poor governance. 

Let’s concentrate on the numerous allegations made against Black foreigners, including Nigerians. South Africans claim Nigerians have a habit of engaging in all kinds of criminal activities, mainly drugs. Have you ever stopped to think about how this business of drug distribution works? The little guys are the ones who sell drugs on the street. This is why the law enforcement agencies in South Africa cannot do much because it is a massive web of operation. Everyone has a piece of the big cake. Those who manufacture and distribute these drugs across the country are the bigger players. If you say Nigerians sell drugs, have you ever thought about who gives them the drugs?

Knowledge is freely available, and I believe that the majority of Black South Africans struggle with critical thinking. This is one of the consequences of being marginalized for decades, as it impairs one’s judgment and capacity to think creatively. Most South Africans are unaware that secret drug labs are run throughout the country by white South Africans and other non-black foreigners. This explains why the primary perpetrators of any significant drug factory raid or seizure that is reported in the news are never Nigerians. They are either non-black foreigners or South Africans. If nothing else, the Nigerians you say are drug dealers are merely mules.

The drug trade is run by far more powerful individuals, not Nigerians, but wealthy South Africans and high-ranking government officials. Where do you suppose all the drugs that were seized, go to after being authorized for confiscation? Do you truly believe that they are destroyed? It is evident that Nigerians did not manufacture drugs; rather, the flow of drugs is a significant business that involves the government and influential organizations.

The animosity toward Nigerians is irrational, and South Africans should not target them as enemies. Nigeria is a former British colony, not a colonizer. Do not forget that Nigeria, like many other African countries, has problems with bad government. They are not the cause of South Africa’s high unemployment and crime rates. It is actually documented that Nigeria and other African countries led the charge to end apartheid.

If this is the case, then why not direct your hatred towards the white South African rather than Nigerians? Ninety percent of the wealth is owned by the white people, who denied the black South Africans any advancement. The only black person on the list of the ten richest people in South Africa is Patrice Motsepe. Isn’t that a shame? The Europeans are the only ones who benefit from our division. Instead of waste that energy on Nigerians, why not focus it on them?

The most crucial thing for Africa to continue concentrating on is what will enable us to advance immediately. Africans must force themselves not to see each other as enemies. The problem is not Nigerians, Zimbabweans, or Somalis. The real problem isn’t sitting next to you in your horrible, crime-filled shack of a slum; it’s in a nice, safe place. Target them rather than your fellow Africans.

I am aware that this article may not be to the liking of all individuals; however, I am encouraging gifted students of African history to take this into account. They’re laughing at us right now because we are too busy killing each other and can’t even get our house in order.