.. Prof Bolaji Akinyemi
“These attacks have been happening since South Africa became independent and I can understand why Nigerians should feel that South Africans are ungrateful because of the sacrifices we made for them. There are South African investments in Nigeria that the Nigerian government can target. I am not advocating for retaliatory violence; I am advocating government actions in terms of blocking of dividends, blocking influx of things coming from South Africa to Shoprite and what they can do to MTN and all the other investments.
“You must protect your own country by targeting the investments of people who are hostile towards you. And even though these would have no direct economic impact in the pockets of black South Africans but those who own those companies would then have to talk directly to their government about putting in place measures that would prevent attacks on Nigerians and other Africans who have investments and who are residents in South Africa.
“This is not going to be the last time this is going to happen. It has been happening and it will continue to happen until South Africa itself sought out its own domestic economic issue with its own citizens. But South Africa must be made to pay a price and a heavy price for that matter if this continues. And I hope I am not micro managing Nigeria Foreign policy. I hope the Nigerian government would put in place measures that can be taken that would really affect South Africa economic interest negatively in order to stress whatever message is being put across.”
Former Minister of External Affairs and Professor of political science, Bolaji Akinyemi
