Kalejaiye Condemns Xenophobic attack On Nigerians, Calls On FG To Sanction South African Govt

Akin Olayemi
A Lagos community leader, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye has condemned in strong terms frequent attacks and killings of Nigerians living and working in South Africa, saying the Federal government of Nigeria should break all diplomatic ties with the South African government.

Kalejaiye in an interview with newsexplorersng.com said lives are sacred and as such should not be taken for no just cause.
He said, “It is not enough for President Buhari to send envoy to South Africa on fact finding mission. This is getting out of hand and it should not be allowed to continue.

The best way around this is to severe diplomatic ties with South African government. Nigerians must be protected anywhere they are. They should not be allowed to be persecuted and treated as second class citizens on their continent.

This is also calling on the Federal government to provide adequate jobs and atmosphere that allows business to thrive so that Nigerians will not have any reason to leave their country for greener pasture outside of Nigeria .”

Kalejaiye disclosed that Nigeria is far better than South Africa in terms of natural and human resources, he however noted that bad leadership and corruption are bane on the country’s national growth.

He added, “ Nigerians have no business living and doing business in South Africa but for the long years of bad leadership and corruption which have impoverished and left Nigerians with no other options than to seek alternatives outside of the country. South Africa is not better than Nigeria especially in terms of opportunities.

Many of South African businesses here in Nigeria fund those in their country. The MTN, Shoprite are examples of this. We know the poor financial state of MTN South Africa before they were licenced to operate in Nigeria. We know how Nigerians work hard to boost the economy of South Africans.

So why the jealousy? Why are they killing Nigerians and destroying their property? For me, I want to suggest a break in diplomatic ties with South Africa for them to know the gravity of what they had done. Nigerians are not scapegoat and other government must not allow us to be treated as such.”

He however cautioned those Nigerians that go about looting South Africans businesses located in Lagos and other places to desist from doing so as he said doing so amount to inflicting harm on fellow Nigerians.

“We don’t have to pay evil with evil. What the South Africans did was condemnable but it is not also right for some Nigerians to burgle South African businesses in the name of retaliating. I want them to know that Nigerians have huge interests in these businesses too. It is not solely owned by South African.

Apart from this, Nigerians work in the business establishment. So I want to appeal to them to be calm and leave the government to handle the matter in the best way they can.”

Meanwhile, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday has said that the Federal government would ‘take up the issue of attack on Nigerians with South African government and ensure that such attack does not repeat itself.

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