…Identify multiple factors as causes_
…Say African leaders must rise up, develop Africa
…Ask leaders to convert regional bodies to wealth creating entities
…Advice South African Government to educate citizens on Pan-Africanism
The League of Nigerian Columnists (LNC) has highlighted some of the issues and statistics it says may have led to xenophobic attacks on other African nationals in South Africa.
These attacks have resulted in several deaths, displacement, economic losses and evacuations by affected countries.
This is just as the group urged participants to look at the issues from different perspectives to be able to proffer implementable solutions to the problems.
Speaking at a forum with the theme, “From Mayibuye iAfrika to Abahambe! South Africa and Other African Countries: Reflections on the Trajectory of a Relationship,” held at the Common Wealth Institute of Professional Studies (CIAPS) in Lagos, yesterday, the Vice President of LNC, Elder Ray Ekpo, said that what is happening in South Africa is condemnable.
He pointed out that the attacks on fellow Africans by South Africans while the the government watches on, does not speak well of the relations that was built over the years before and after South Africa gained independence.
Ekpo stated that there are multifarious issue that may have led to the issues at hand.
One of such issues, he said is the literacy level.
Adult literacy in that country, he said is between 90 per cent and 95 per cent for people aged 15 and above.
Citing UNESCO statistics, Ekpo said this is the second highest adult literacy rate in Africa, next only to Seychelles.
Ekpo, who birthday was celebrated at the event yesterday by LNC members, participants and the media, pointed out that though it sounds strange, South Africa ranked last out of 57 countries in the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study.
He added that the other issue to examine is the unemployment level.
Ekpo stated that according to statistics, South Africa’s official unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2026 is 32.7 per cent up from 31.4 per cent in the last quarter of 2025.
These figures, LNC Vice President, said translate to these: 8.137 million people were jobless in quarter one of this year, adding that youth unemployment (15-24 years) is 60.9 per cent while those aged 25-34 years is 40.6 per cent.
Ekpo opined that these are figures that can cause concern to not only the government but especially to the governed, wondering if that is the cause of the crisis?
On the poverty level in South Africa, Ekpo said that it is between 37.9 per cent and 55.5 per cent of the population.
He informed that the World Bank and Statistics South Africa says that millions of South Africans face severe daily financial and food hardships.
The food poverty figure, he said is between 10.8 million people and 13.8 million people,adding these people cannot afford basic food daily.
About 23.2 million people, Ekpo said lack adequate money for both food and essential non-food items and that ver 71 per cent of poor individuals are under 35 years of age.
Dare Babarinsa,a member of the LNC, called on Africa as a continent to learn to take care of itself.
He argued that what is happening in South Africa is not new,adding that it happened to former President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, happened in Nigeria,which was tagged, “Ghana must go.”
Babarinsa contended what happened in South Africa will continue to happen until African leaders decides to develop their respective countries politically and economically.
“Our leaders must rise up and transform the continent. We have created Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS),Economic Community of Centra African States (ECCAS), East African Community(EAC),Arab Maghreb Union(AMU) among others but we have not been able to convert them to entities that can compete favourably with other entities in other parts of the world
“African leaders must transform regional bodies such as ECOWAS, SADC into viable entities. African can create entities that will be respected all over the world. China used to be divided before but today, the country is united. We can create many entities to make wealth,” Babarinsa said.
Also speaking, the General Secretary of the LNC, Prof. Anthony Kila, who also condemned the killing of Nigerians and citizens of other African countries and setting their properties ablaze, wondered where the South Africa Government was when these South Africans went on rampage.
According to him, ” Where was the South Africa Government when its citizens where killing migrants from other African countries all in the name that they criminals and drug traffickers. Even if these individuals were criminals, the people of South Africa don’t have the right to take laws into their hands.”
“Are there no laws that regulates migration in South Africa? If the South Africa borders are porous and citizens from other countries are using the opportunity to migrate to South Africa, the people should blame the government . The people can also sort this issue out by using the ballot,” Kila said.
A member of the LNC, Martins Onoja also condemned the attitude of the South Africans to their fellow Africans while the South African Government look the other way .
He pointed out that despite the killings,the burning down of properties belonging to Nigerians and other African citizens and forceful eviction from their various houses with a deadline to leave the country, he lamented that the Nigerian media have not given foreign affairs matters and particularly the Xenophobic attacks enough coverage.
He said that the media has to do better and that Nigerian and African leaders must take the issue serious and resolve the them with the urgency it deserves.
“Our leaders should take this matter serious.”
Onoja also noted that as it is currently, AU, ECOWAS and other sub- regional groups in the continent are not in the equation.
Speaking further, Onoja said, “African leaders must develop their countries politically and economically. Nigerian leaders must develop the “giant of Africa ” to make Nigerians remain in the country. We in the media must wake up to inform Nigerians of the undercurrent.
Onoja wondered what happened to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Africa’s own development blueprint created by African leaders, for African countries in 2001
He stated that the goal of NEPAD was to eradicate poverty, promote sustainable growth and development, integrate Africa into the global economy.
He said these are some of the issues that make people to migrate from Africa to the parts of the world.
On his part, the Communication Secretary of LNC and a former Editor with Independent newspapers, Ikechukwu Amaechi, frown at attempt by a South African Parliamentarian to rationalise the actions of South Africans, which he described as barbaric.
Like others who spoke before him, Amaechi also condemned the unnecessary lost of lives,setting of houses and properties ablaze .
On the argument that Africans migrate to other parts of the world due to economic reasons, Amaechi argued that that people do not necessarily migrate because they are poor or because they cannot survive the economic hardship in their respective countries but that some people migrate just to travel out of their country of origin .
The former Editor contended that what is going on in South Africa has gone beyond the allegation that migrants are taking up jobs meant for South Africans citizens or are drug traffickers.
He blamed the President, Cyril Ramaphosa led administration for the seeming lathergy
in addressing the issue.
According to him, “Ramophosa will not do anything. The South African Government is complicit. The ANC led government is afraid that if it goes against the individuals and mobs that are carrying out attacks, the party may not be voted for in Zulu land.”
“Governments have right to regulate how people come into their countries . So, if South Africa borders are porous, the government should blame,” he added.
He described what is happening in South Africa as animalistic,saying that nobody should support those taking laws into their hands.
Other participants such as Prof. Shephed Mopfu from South Africa, Dr. Bravious Kahyoza from Tanzania and Wanza Kioko,Kenya, who contributed to the discussion virtually, also berated the South Africans for what they did to their African brothers and sisters while the government took little or no action to address the situation.
Prof. Mopfu, submitted that one of the reasons why other Africans migrate to South Africa is because it is very attractive.
He said that the country has put in place infrastructure in education, health,sports and other areas.
This development, he said makes the country attractive to migrants.
He, however pointed out that it does not give licence for South Africans to put laws into their hands by killing nationals from other countries.
He wondered what Pan-Africanism means to those who are protesting against migrants.
Bravious Kahyoza, said that people across the continent are angry with what South Africa has done,as there was no protection for the nationals of African countries that were affected..
She said that there was institutional failure as the government failed to stop the xenophobic attacks.
Kahyoza called on the South African Government to educate its citizens on the importance of Pan-Africanism, adding that the entire Africa continent was there for them during the apartheid regime,wondering why nationals from other African countries should be treated inhumanly .
“It is failure of the South African Government and that of others Africans,” she pointed out.
On her part, Wanza averred that one of the issues that gave birth to the violence, is the question of ‘why are these Africans coming to take our jobs?
She said that what the South Africans have done is condemnable in all ramifications.
Wanza said that people migrate as a result of displacement, citing the example of Somali that has been engulfed in war.
She argued that what South Africa has done does not encourage African free trade .
She called on all the regional bodies to interact on how to develop Africa economically, as according to her, the development of the continent will reduce migration by Africans
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