Breaking: Buhari Breaks Record, Recalls High Commissioner To South Africa

By Gideon Njoku

For the first time in many years, Nigeria has acted as a great nation that it ought to be. Each time the President Muhammadu Buhari government says, and/or promises that it would protect the lives and properties of Nigerians anywhere, especially, since the Xenophobic attack on foreigners, and Nigerians, in particular, began, the response from not a few Nigerians has been a cynical “for where?”. In fact, trending on Twitter is the hash tag: #WeNoGetPresident

But Buhari has now broken a record.

His government has matched its words with action.

Nigeria, on Wednesday,   recalled its High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Kabiru Bala. It has, also, cancelled its participation in the World   Economic Summit, WES, billed for Cape Town, South Africa. A couple of other African countries, including, Rwanda and Kenya, withdrew their participation in WES on Tuesday. It is billed for September 4 – 6.

The government’s actions, which has attracted applause from not a few Nigerians, is the consequence of the horrific xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in the past three days where South Africans not only looted their shops, razed them, but also killed and maimed many.

This has attracted angry reactions from Nigerians from all works of life. On Tuesday, angry youths trooped out in anger, in a bid to attack and loot what they actually thought were South African concerns in some parts of the country. They include MTN, Shoprite,  and Stanbic IBTC.

The irony,  pointed out a former Nigerian diplomat to South Africa, who spoke to this magazine, is that these concerns are, actually, owned by Nigerians.

For example, MTN is listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE, and, the investors are Nigerians. Same goes for the Stanbic IBTC.

SHOPRITE is a mall. The shops there are owned by Nigerians. It is unlike the Nigerian shops in South Africa, where South Africans have no interest.

For Nigeria, therefore, he pointed out, it is  double jeopardy.

They lose in South Africa,  and They lose at home. Head or tail,  Nigerians lost.

However, many say the Federal Government’s action is a breath of fresh air, and want it followed up by asking the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Bobby Monroe, to go back to his country for briefing. Some others want Nigeria to suspend its diplomatic relationship with South Africa.

On Monday, SHOPRITE   malls and MTN offices across the country were shut, and under heavy security by the Nigeria Police.