Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has condemned recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa, recalling Nigeria’s significant contributions and sacrifices towards the country’s liberation from apartheid.
Gatekeepers News reports that Tuggar spoke on Thursday in Lagos at the Bridge Club’s end-of-year event, which focused on xenophobia and Pan-Africanism.
He described the recurring attacks against foreign nationals, particularly fellow Africans, as troubling, considering the historical support Nigeria provided to South Africa during its struggle against racial oppression.
The former minister highlighted Nigeria’s contributions, including the provision of scholarships to victims of the 1976 Soweto massacre, support for liberation movements in Namibia and Angola, and hosting of the World Conference Against Apartheid.
He said Nigeria maintained its commitment to the liberation struggle despite periods of economic hardship, stressing that successive governments and ordinary citizens made considerable sacrifices in opposing racial discrimination.
Tuggar noted that understanding present-day tensions in Africa required examining the lasting effects of colonialism and apartheid on African societies.
However, he cautioned that historical circumstances should never be used to justify discrimination, xenophobia or violence against fellow Africans.
Identifying economic integration as a practical approach to strengthening Pan-Africanism, Tuggar called for increased industrialisation, regional market integration and expansion of intra-African trade.
He described the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a critical platform for translating the ideals of continental solidarity into meaningful economic cooperation.
According to him, the free movement of labour is also essential to the success of an integrated African trading system.
The former minister further called for closer examination of the funding and organisational structures of anti-migrant movements, including March and March and Operation Dudula.
He questioned whether external influences and coordinated social media campaigns were contributing to the spread of hostility against migrants.
Tuggar warned against allowing domestic tensions and external narratives to undermine diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, emphasising that cooperation between both countries remained crucial to Africa’s future.
He also advocated greater engagement with think tanks and intellectual platforms to preserve institutional knowledge and harness the policy experience of former public officeholders.
The event featured a keynote address by P.L.O. Lumumba, while Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), was recognised for her contributions to protecting Nigerians living abroad.
