The Founder, School of Politics, Policy and Governance, Obiageli “Oby” Eze
Ezekwesili, in a post addressed to Tinubu on her X page on Monday, described the President’s decision to embark on a three-nation trip amid reported attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as a total absence of leadership.
In the post entitled ‘Return home, Mr President: the Nigerian government must stop treating the killings and attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as routine diplomacy’, the former Vice President of the World Bank stated, “President Tinubu, it is a total absence of leadership to set out on a three-nation junket to France, Kenya and Rwanda while the bodies of our citizens lay slain in South Africa and the rest hide from a raging mob.”
The former Nigerian minister said the Federal Government’s response, which she described as summoning envoys, issuing advisories, asking Nigerians to remain calm and evacuating some citizens, fell short of what was required.
She said, “Nigerians in South Africa, at this moment, deserve measurable protection, not recycled outrage by our citizens and anodyne diplomacy by Government@NigeriaGov.
“The Federal Government must immediately demand and publish a full account of reported attacks, injuries, deaths, destroyed businesses, arrests of suspects made by the Government of South Africa, @GovernmentZA, prosecutions commenced, compensation claims and unresolved cases involving Nigerians in South Africa.”
According to her, the killings have escalated to confirmation that the Nigerian state does not value the life and dignity of its citizens, whether at home or abroad.
The Chair of the #FixPolitics Initiative called on the Federal Government to press the South African Government for a time-bound justice framework addressing investigation, prosecution, restitution and public reporting, warning that anything less would reward impunity.
Ezekwesili also called on Tinubu to strengthen Nigeria’s consular protection system across all Nigerian embassies, so that citizens abroad would know how to report danger, access emergency assistance and receive a clear commitment on what action the government would take on their behalf.
Recalling Nigeria’s role in the anti-apartheid struggle, she said the recurring attacks on Nigerians in South Africa dishonoured a shared history.
“Nigeria did not stand aside during apartheid. Through the Southern Africa Relief Fund, ordinary Nigerians gave from their meagre incomes to support the liberation struggle. Nigeria provided financial, diplomatic and moral leadership to the African National Congress and other movements when it mattered most,” she said.
Ezekwesili urged Tinubu to leverage that history to compel South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to take decisive action, stating that Nigerian resolve would make the difference.
“Tinubu would get his counterpart, President Ramaphosa of South Africa, to act decisively and end the killings of our citizens once they can see that Nigeria is ready to deploy everything possible to protect its citizens living in their country,” she said.
The Tinubu administration’s failure to defend Nigerians abroad, Ezekwesili added, weakened its authority and compounded its “legitimacy deficit.”
She stressed, “President Tinubu, rethink the unnecessary trips, return home and take on your constitutional duties of care to defend and protect your citizens as the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces
