TUGGAR CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON NIGERIANS, BLACK AFRICANS IN SOUTH AFRICA
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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has condemned the attacks and discrimination against Nigerians and other black Africans in South Africa, describing the hostility as a betrayal of the liberation struggles that united African nations against colonialism and racial oppression under the leadership of figures such as former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Tuggar made the remarks on Thursday at the 2026 end-of-year event of The Bridge Club, held at the Continental Hotel in Lagos, where he served as chairman of the occasion.
The keynote address was delivered by renowned Kenyan scholar and Pan-African advocate, Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba.
The former minister described it as unacceptable that Africans who benefited from the solidarity of other nations during the anti-apartheid struggle were now subjected to discrimination, intimidation and hostility within the same continent.
He warned that the development posed a threat to the ideals of Pan-Africanism, stressing that Africa’s aspirations for unity and shared prosperity would remain elusive if citizens were unwelcome in other African countries because of their nationality or origin.
Recalling Nigeria’s contributions to the liberation of Southern Africa, Tuggar said the country committed significant financial resources and diplomatic support to the struggle against apartheid and minority rule.
He highlighted Nigeria’s interventions, which included providing scholarships and assistance to victims of apartheid, particularly South African students who survived the 1976 Soweto massacre.
He also recalled Nigeria’s support for liberation movements and independence struggles in Namibia, Angola and other African territories affected by colonialism and racial discrimination.
Tuggar said his generation, which grew up embracing the ideals of African liberation, found it difficult to reconcile the current treatment of Nigerians and other black Africans in South Africa with the continent’s shared history.
He said, “These are but a very few of the reasons why Nigerians cannot fathom why they and other black Africans are being targeted in South Africa.
“Call it Afrophobia, which may be a better description than xenophobia, as non-black Africans appear to be exempted, or the more euphemistic framing of anti-migration protests; it is wrong and must be condemned.”
He noted that the hostility was occurring at a time when African countries should be strengthening their relationships to enhance collective economic power and influence in global affairs.
While demanding condemnation of the attacks, the former minister stressed the need to understand the historical factors underlying discrimination to develop lasting solutions.
He attributed the persistence of segregation and prejudice in African societies partly to colonial policies and the apartheid system, arguing that their psychological and social consequences continued to influence relationships among communities.
Tuggar called for stronger institutions, greater historical awareness and intellectual engagement to challenge attitudes capable of undermining African solidarity.
He further maintained that Africa’s commitment to Pan-Africanism must translate into practical economic policies, particularly industrialisation and the removal of trade barriers among African countries.
According to him, the continent would find it difficult to achieve economic independence if it continued exporting raw materials while depending on other regions for manufactured products.
Citing the ideas of Nigerian development economist, Adebayo Adedeji, and other African intellectuals, Tuggar advocated manufacturing, regional economic cooperation and the establishment of an African Economic Community.
He described the African Continental Free Trade Area as a critical framework for advancing the vision through increased trade, industrialisation and the movement of goods and services across the continent.
He added that the free movement of workers was equally essential to achieving the full benefits of continental economic integration.
Tuggar said, “The path to Pan-Africanism is through the continental free trade area.
“As the father of capitalism, Adam Smith, once opined, the free circulation of labour is the foundation of any free trade system.”
The former minister also expressed concerns about the possible involvement of external interests in promoting anti-migrant campaigns, calling for closer scrutiny of the organisations and funding behind such activities.
He warned that Nigeria and South Africa must not allow xenophobic attacks and mutual distrust to damage their bilateral relations, given their significance to the broader interests of Africa.
Tuggar recalled South Africa’s support for Nigeria’s international engagements, including its efforts to secure membership of the Group of 20 (G20).
Earlier, President of The Bridge Club, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), said the event’s theme, Xenophobia Contradicts Pan-Africanism, challenged African leaders and citizens to reflect on the disconnect between their declarations of continental unity and their treatment of fellow Africans.
Mustapha argued that Pan-Africanist ideals should be demonstrated through the everyday actions of Africans rather than confined to diplomatic engagements, political speeches and economic agreements.
He asked, “How can we genuinely aspire to a united Africa when an African is made to feel unwelcome, unsafe or unwanted in another African country simply because of nationality, ethnicity or origin?”
He stressed that Africa’s prosperity, security and dignity were interconnected, noting that no country could achieve sustainable development by undermining another.
Mustapha urged members of the club and other stakeholders to promote tolerance, mutual respect and understanding among people from different national and cultural backgrounds.
The event attracted professionals, business leaders, diplomats and other distinguished guests who deliberated on xenophobia, African unity and the need to build a more inclusive continent.
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