Follow Us on Google
From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Human rights lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the Nigerian government to quicken whatever steps it is currently taking to protect its citizens in South Africa, where xenophobic violence is reportedly ongoing.
Ejiofor, in a statement yesterday, reminded the Nigerian government that one of the foremost constitutional obligations of every responsible government is the protection of the lives, dignity and interests of its citizens, wherever they may be.
“When those citizens are threatened beyond the nation’s borders, diplomacy must cease to be ceremonial and become purposeful, assertive and result-oriented. A sovereign state owes its citizens more than sympathy; it owes them protection and justice,” he said.
Speaking further, the lawyer advised the federal government to emulate the Ghanaian government, which he said had made it clear to the South African authorities that they owe Ghanaians in their country the duty of protection.
“Rather than issuing routine expressions of concern, the Government of Ghana unequivocally condemned the killing, describing it as part of the disturbing resurgence of xenophobic violence against African migrants in South Africa.
“It demanded an immediate, transparent and comprehensive investigation as well as the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. The government demanded stronger protection for Ghanaian nationals resident in South Africa.
“Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria equally lodged a formal diplomatic protest, while the matter has reportedly been escalated to the African Union Commission for continental attention.
“That is how a nation announces to the world that the life of every one of its citizens matters. Sadly, this cannot be said with equal conviction for Nigeria.
Ejiofor said that over the years, numerous Nigerians, including professionals, entrepreneurs and other law-abiding citizens, have reportedly lost their lives in repeated waves of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
“Yet, beyond condemnations and the occasional evacuation of distressed citizens, there has been little to suggest a sustained, strategic and robust diplomatic response capable of deterring future attacks.
“Airlifting victims back to an already distressed economy may provide temporary relief, but it does not deliver justice. It neither prosecutes murderers nor deters future killers. It merely transports grief from one country to another.
“The irony is painful. The so-called champions of African solidarity continue to hunt fellow Africans while the economic architecture from which they daily benefit remains substantially influenced by interests far beyond the continent. One would have imagined that Africa’s greatest threat would be poverty, unemployment and inequality, not Africans turning against Africans.
“As Nigerians await a firm and unmistakable response from their Government over the killings of Big Joe and many other compatriots whose lives have been violently cut short, Ghana has demonstrated that diplomatic protection is not an abstract constitutional ideal but a solemn national obligation.
“Nigeria must now move beyond expressions of concern. It should vigorously pursue every legitimate diplomatic and legal avenue available, insist upon credible investigations and prosecutions, demand concrete guarantees for the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa, and work with regional and continental institutions to ensure that xenophobic violence never becomes an accepted feature of African coexistence.
“Silence has never deterred violence. Weak responses have never inspired respect. Nations are judged not merely by the size of their population or economy, but by the value they place on the lives of their citizens.
The lawyer made it clear that time had come for the Nigerian government to rise to its constitutional responsibility of protecting its citizens, and that, according to him, must be done immediately.
“Equally, Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora, must continue to demand accountability, justice and a foreign policy that protects Nigerian lives with the same zeal with which other responsible nations protect theirs.
“The life of every Nigerian is priceless. The blood of our citizens must never become cheaper than diplomatic courtesies,” Ejiofor said.
