Nigeria, SA pretend relation is normal, but citizens are tensed

As tension between Africa’s most influential nations’ rise following spiraling cases of violence and strained co-existence, the constant aggressive behavior meted by South Africans towards Nigerian is brewing anger among those who frequent the country on business or tourism.

On Thursday, last week, visitors who made reservations at the Flame Lily Inn located in Randburg, South Africa had their travel itinerary muddled as the hotel cancelled the bookings with this statement embedded in an email: “We regret having to inform you that due to Ebola health risks to ourselves and our guests, we have no alternative but to cancel your reservation with us…You could try one of the other guest houses in the area.”

This is one out of many recent incidences surrounding South Africa’s refusal to grant Nigerians access to accommodation on their soil based on the need to prevent the spread of Ebola in spite of publicly celebrated reports by World Health Organization certifying the country free from the disease is generating fury across the continent.

In view of the fact that Nigeria’s gross domestic product closed at $522.6 billion at an annual growth rate of 6.54 percent at the end of the 2013 financial year and South Africa’s dipped slightly at $350.6 billion at an yearly growth rate of 0.6 percent at the end of the same year, according to statistics generated by the World Bank, this brings to question the basis of the often public disputes.

Reacting to this development, Folusho Phillips, the chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and executive director of Phillips Consulting posited, “I know of one or two business colleagues of mine whose visit to South Africa was cancelled because of Ebola but the key thing about it is that you find that basically the South African at the grass root level have no affinity for Nigeria and [this is] to a great extent because they have xenophobia.

“Having said that, Nigerians are very welcoming to South Africans at any level but I cannot say that is the same with South Africans. That is why you would have people at the immigration in South Africa being a bit negative towards Nigerians,” he concluded.

Also expressing his grave displeasure over the antipathetic conduct of the former apartheid-afflicted region, Austin Nweze, a public analyst at the Pan-Atlantic University posited; “It is quite unfortunate that South Africa is behaving the way they are behaving. I remember in the past, South Africa used to be the focal point of Nigeria’s foreign policy as we fought to support the end of apartheid.”

While most struggle to come to terms with the reality of the frequent disregard and even outright rejection by the Jacob Zuma-led country, the rift does not appear as one which will abate soon.

Responding to these reactions, Hloni Pitso, the trade relations manager for East and West Africa at the South African Tourism board chose not to answer most of the questions posed by BD Sunday but rather referred the reporter to the South African embassy for answers.

However, Hloni was quick to emphasize the increase in influx of Nigerian tourist in his country based on a third-quarter immigration report formulated by his government. He said, “The arrivals from Nigeria to South Africa has been growing and it has been a positive sign for us hence we came to open an office here just to show that commitment to say that we realize that there is value in this market and we are serious about marketing tourism.

“From the time when the 2010 world cup took place we were sitting around 45,000 arrivals from Nigeria to South Africa and last year (2013) we achieved about 89,000 – this shows that it literally doubled. And we are hopeful that by the end of this year, there would be over 100,000 arrivals.”

Addressing the parasitic tendencies

Although the southern country has documented a rise in the number of Nigerian visitors, evidence shows a rapid clamour by their nationals seeking to tap into Nigeria’s buoyant market with a carrying capacity of over 150 million prospective customers. 

The biggest entrants are found in the banking, food and communications sector. Some of them include cable television company DSTV, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Sabmiller breweries, Shoprite stores, PEP stores, Protea Hotel, Dimension Data, Eskom Nigeria, MTN Nigeria and countless others.

At the end of the last quarter of 2013, South African-owned telecommunications company MTN Nigeria accrued about N749 billion from doing business in-country alone.

In view of the massive interests expressed by South African’s in the oil-producing country, when asked if his country has taken into cognizance the rise in the migration of his countrymen west-ward, Hloni said, “From a tourism perspective, we haven’t recorded anything because we haven’t been on the ground. Aside from the presence of corporate organizations like MTN, I would not have a clear answer for you on that one.”

While the other nations strive to make positive in-roads into Nigeria’s economy through the proliferation of multi-national conglomerates seeking to take advantage of the large market base, some stakeholders have impressed the need for the country to explore avenues that export its businesses and culture.

Buttressing this point, Folusho stated, “I believe that we have got to try and start looking at the things that we do well. South Africans have done by doing their wine nights and trying to show South African culture. I think we should try and do a lot more of that whereby a contingent of Nigerians will take our music and theatrical production to South Africa.

“I think we too need to have some initiatives where we force South Africans to listen to us, to understand us and to see the level of sophistication that we have as well. They have this mentality that one is coming to sponge off them so that is why they behave like that sometimes.”

Resisting the bully

The most dramatic scenario in the row between both nations played out in 2012 when 125 Nigerians were deported for alleged failure to provide genuine Yellow Fever vaccination documents.

Also, widespread fury was sparked when a plane carrying a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was asked to turn back or be impounded over her a similar examination matters.

At a press-briefing granted at the time of the event, Group CEO/President of Arik Air, Dr. Michael Arumeni-Ikhide, said, “We are not prepared to stand-by and watch as our passengers reach their destination after an over-night flight only to be met with a protocol and procedure that is at best haphazard and at worst discriminatory to many of our passengers.”

In light of the constant insults received by the West-African state, retaliative actions were taken as international airports across the country began shutting its doors to the erring party.

Following the consistent maltreatment of Nigerians not just in South Africa but all over the world and the low response rate of the Nigerian government to abusive cases particularly after it is reported to its ambassadors and the diplomats situated in these countries, concerned citizens have begun to impress the need for the government to rise up and defend its people as well as enforce cautionary measures on defiant countries.

They state that this will serve as a means to curtailing trend of disrespect faced by its populace and place a value of importance value of their lives.

Further speaking this issue, Phillips posited, “Our nation has got to make a conscious decision to always take care of Nigerians wherever they are. I have heard of instances where our embassies have found it difficult to stand up and defend Nigerians”

South Africa’s excuse

Even as diplomatic relations between both countries undergoes a strain, unfavourable actions by a handful of Nigerians may have served as a propellant for their conduct.

On the 5th of September, two Nigerians were arrested by the South African government at the Lanseria Airport, northwest of Johannesburg for allegedly smuggling about $9.3 million as part of funds to be used in an arms deal.

Barely four weeks later, $5.7 million which was wire-transferred to south-african bank was also confiscated by the same government in spite of the Nigerian leadership indicating the money for use in the fight against terrorist insurgents attacking the northern part of the country.

The unexpected collapse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations which left about 87 South-African’s dead and the bureaucracies associated with retrieving the bodies of the deceased has also been bitter pill for them to swallow.

If things are expected to change, these unfortunate incidences will have to be properly tackled.

Rita Ohai