Fani-Kayode Defends Nigeria’s Global Achievements, Warns Against Anti-Nigerian Sentiments
Fani-Kayode Defends Nigeria’s Global Achievements, Warns Against Anti-Nigerian Sentiments
…Former minister says Nigeria’s contributions to education, peacekeeping and Africa’s liberation deserve respect, not hostility
Former Minister of Aviation and Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has defended Nigeria’s historical achievements and contributions to Africa, warning that growing anti-Nigerian rhetoric in South Africa undermines decades of solidarity between the continent’s two leading nations.
In the fourth instalment of his opinion series titled “A Bond That Must Never Be Broken,” Fani-Kayode argued that recent anti-Nigerian sentiments in South Africa ignore Nigeria’s longstanding contributions to African liberation, education, peacekeeping, culture and economic development.
Continuing his response to recent remarks by South African Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the former minister said Nigeria has consistently been at the forefront of Africa’s political, educational and military development.
He highlighted what he described as Nigeria’s pioneering role in higher education on the continent, listing several Nigerians and people of Nigerian descent among the earliest Africans to study at prestigious British universities, including Cambridge and Durham.
According to him, Nigeria has produced generations of distinguished scholars, lawyers, academics and professionals whose contributions have shaped Africa’s intellectual development for more than a century.
Fani-Kayode also pointed to Nigeria’s religious diversity, noting that the country is home to Africa’s largest populations of both Christians and Muslims, a reflection, he said, of its unique national character and cultural diversity.
On security and regional stability, he said Nigeria has remained a leading contributor to peacekeeping operations across Africa through the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and other multinational interventions.
He cited Nigeria’s military roles in restoring peace in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Chad, Congo, Somalia and São Tomé and Príncipe, while commending the country’s Armed Forces for ongoing operations against terrorism, insurgency and violent criminal groups.
The former minister described Nigeria as a resilient nation that has continued to defend its sovereignty while contributing significantly to regional security and stability.
Beyond politics and security, Fani-Kayode highlighted Nigeria’s global influence in entertainment, literature and sports.
He described Nollywood as one of the world’s largest film industries and praised Nigerian musicians for their international success, citing artists whose works have gained global recognition.
He also celebrated the achievements of Nigerian writers, actors and combat sports champions, arguing that the country’s creative and intellectual contributions have earned it global respect.
According to him, Nigeria’s achievements across multiple sectors contradict attempts to portray Nigerians as criminals or drug traffickers.
He maintained that while every country has criminal elements, it is unfair to stereotype an entire nation based on the actions of a few individuals.
The former minister lamented what he described as the growing hostility towards Nigerians in parts of South Africa despite Nigeria’s historic support for the country’s struggle against apartheid.
He recalled that Nigerians demonstrated solidarity with black South Africans during the apartheid era, including nationwide protests following the Soweto uprising and other acts of support for the liberation movement.
Fani-Kayode expressed concern that many younger South Africans appeared unaware of Nigeria’s sacrifices during the anti-apartheid struggle, saying this historical disconnect has contributed to rising anti-Nigerian sentiment.
While praising South Africa’s global leadership on issues such as the BRICS alliance, the G20 and its advocacy for Palestine at the International Court of Justice, he said it was contradictory for the country to champion justice internationally while African migrants continued to face hostility at home.
The former minister criticised anti-immigrant groups, including March on March and Operation Dudula, accusing them of promoting xenophobic rhetoric capable of inciting violence against foreign Africans.
He specifically questioned why authorities had not taken stronger action against individuals allegedly making inflammatory statements against Nigerians and other African nationals.
According to him, hate speech and incitement should be addressed through the rule of law before they escalate into wider violence.
Fani-Kayode further called on South African authorities to investigate organisations promoting anti-immigrant campaigns and determine whether external interests were exploiting such movements to undermine African unity.
He warned that unchecked xenophobic rhetoric could damage the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, stressing that both countries remain indispensable to Africa’s political and economic future.
The former minister concluded by urging leaders in both nations to preserve the spirit of Pan-African solidarity and ensure that historical bonds forged during the struggle against apartheid are not weakened by division, misinformation or hostility.
By TimesNG