The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has called on South Africans not to forget so soon that Nigeria helped their country to fight the apartheid regime that led her to become a democratic country in 1994.
The traditional ruler said this while reacting to the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners living in South Africa.
According to him, the attack was a shameful act, and unacceptable to the black race in Africa and in the Diaspora.
He also advised Nigerians alleged to have embarked on reprisal attacks on South African companies to stop forthwith and allow peace to reign.
Withinnigeria recalls that at least five Africans have been killed in attacks on foreigners in South Africa this week.
The monarch, speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday said, ”This attack is a shame on the black people, we all need to come together and see ourselves as one.”
“We must erase the ongoing xenophobic killings in Africa, we only have artificial boundaries. We are all the same. Whether Nigeria or South Africa.
“Also, we must not forget so soon that Nigeria helped South Africa to fight the Apartheid regime that led her to becoming a democratic country in 1994.
“That development led to the late Nelson Mandela emerging as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.”
He added: ”What is the percentage of those people’s business in the economy of South Africa? It’s very minute.
“They are attacking their fellow brothers. Nigeria did a lot for South Africa back then.
”Our heritage and culture are factors that bring us together as members of the same family
” The attacks on one another is mere ignorance and unacceptable. We should come together as one unified force.”
