Recently, on the 2nd of September 2019, Nigerians living in Johannesburg, Pretoria and surrounding areas, were attacked by South Africans. Many suffered the loss of their businesses and homes, while some lost their lives. Nonetheless, several explanations have been given as liable, as to why Nigerians are attacked, the most humorous of which is the argument that South Africans involved in the attack are working on false information that foreigners, like Nigerians, stripped them of all the jobs available for the young men in the country, making the citizens jobless and Nigerians slowly taking over their economy.
There are numerous impacts of the Xenophobic attack on Nigerians. Firstly, this attack has created hate in the minds of Nigerians leading to Nigerians having a negative impression and don’t want to be associated with South Africans. Two of Nigeria’s leading artists, Burna Boy And Tiwa Savage, stated that they were boycotting South Africa in reaction to the unrest in Johannesburg, Nigerian Government declared on 4th September 2019 that it was boycotting the World Economic Forum on Africa currently being held in Cape Town to condemn the violence. South African music is no longer been played, listened to or danced to by Nigerians. one reason why South Africans should spare Nigerians and other Africans from their xenophobic attacks should be Nigerians ‘ contribution to the liberation of black South Africans during Apartheid White rule.
Secondly, the unemployment rate will increase as most South African owned businesses in Nigeria that Nigerians work for were destroyed by Nigerians as a reprisal for killing Nigerians in South Africa, while some shut down to avoid been destroyed for example the South African mobile company MTN. The implication of this is Nigerians working in this companies were displaced of their jobs leading to the increase in unemployment rate, aside from this reason, many Nigerians in South Africa have decided to come back home, and this will also increase unemployment as the educated Nigerians among them will join the unemployed wagon in the country. Life in Nigeria is very hard, it is very difficult to get a job with your academic qualification.
Moreover, no life deserves to be lost not even a soul, Xenophobic attack has led to the loss of many Nigerian lives, properties, homes and many of the lives lost are breadwinners of their family that left Nigeria because of the current economic problem to search for greener pasture in South Africa.
Some Nigerians in South Africa have refused to return home despite repeated xenophobic attacks. Citing unemployment, insecurity, kidnappings, poor infrastructure and epileptic power supply, and the reason is returning to the country is returning to a “hardship zone.”So, in my opinion, the government’s immediate response to the relentless xenophobic attacks on its people should be to devise measures that will make it easier for Nigerians to make a living here. Where jobs are available and the availability of business loans is not an issue, traveling to foreign countries for the purpose of basic economic sustenance and large scale direct foreign investment in the economies of other countries will be reduced.
