Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said South Africa would not have ended apartheid when it did without Nigeria’s support for the struggle against white minority rule.
Obasanjo said Nigeria’s involvement in the anti-apartheid campaign was driven by the belief that no Black person should be treated as an inferior human being because of their skin colour. He said Nigeria supported the struggle without seeking personal or national gain.
“We were not doing what we did in South Africa or in Southern Africa or decolonisation anywhere for our personal gain or for our country. We did it for our race. I believe that no Black man anywhere or Black person anywhere should be regarded as an inferior human being because of his colour,” he said.
“That was the principle; we stuck with it and fought for it.”
Speaking in an interview on C-Suite Cafe, hosted by Ikem Okuhu, Obasanjo described Nigeria’s contribution as “enlightened self-interest” and said the country should be proud of its role in the struggle.
“And for me and I believe for Nigeria at that time and even now we should be proud of what we did because without Nigeria, South Africa would not have got rid of apartheid when it got rid of it. That is true,” he said.
He also condemned xen%phobic att@cks against African migrants in South Africa, saying migrants who violate immigration laws or commit crimes should be dealt with through the law rather than having their homes and businesses attacked.
“There are criminals among the illegal migrants, but I do not believe that you use illegality to treat illegality,” he said.
Obasanjo said South Africa’s leaders should address the frustrations of ordinary citizens through proper policies rather than allowing att@cks on migrants.