Anyaoku condemns xenophobic attacks in South Africa

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has condemned the reported xenophobic attacks against African nationals in South Africa, describing them as distressing and regrettable. Anyaoku expressed sadness that South Africans, who endured years of apartheid and received support from across Africa in their struggle for liberation, were now turning against fellow Africans from other countries.

The 94-year-old statesman spoke in an interview on the sidelines of the MasterClass on Penetrative Leadership in an Increasingly Chaotic World Order in Abuja. He recalled his role in efforts to end apartheid and facilitate negotiations between the former white-minority government and the country’s black majority, saying the current attacks were particularly painful given the sacrifices made by other African countries.

“The attacks are regrettable,” Anyaoku said, recalling how he worked to secure support from Commonwealth leaders for efforts to facilitate negotiations in South Africa following the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990. He recounted that Mandela visited Abuja in May 1990 for a meeting of Commonwealth foreign ministers responsible for South Africa and attended his first official dinner as secretary-general.

Anyaoku said the visit marked the beginning of a friendship with Mandela and his then-wife, Winnie Mandela. He explained that in 1991, he secured a mandate from Commonwealth Heads of Government to visit South Africa and explore ways to help the country’s then-president, F.W. de Klerk, organise talks aimed at ending apartheid. According to him, his meeting with de Klerk on November 1, 1991, focused on rebuilding confidence among South Africa’s major ethnic groups.

Anyaoku said de Klerk initially questioned how the Commonwealth could assist South Africa, given its support for sanctions against the apartheid government. He said he explained that the Commonwealth could help build confidence among the country’s black, white and Asian communities, using the diversity of his delegation as an example. Anyaoku added that he intervened when the negotiations threatened to collapse, helping to keep the process on course.

He recalled that the agreement concluding the negotiations was signed at 3:30 a.m. on November 17, 1993, in his presence. Shettima warns against misinformation At the event, Vice-President Kashim Shettima urged Nigerian elites to exercise restraint in the narratives they promote about the country, particularly in the age of social media and artificial intelligence.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr Tope Fasua, Shettima said the rapid spread of digital information made it necessary for citizens to verify claims before sharing them. “Digital success is an asset. It gives Nigerian businesses access to customers, young people access to opportunities and citizens access to information. But it also places a greater responsibility on all of us to distinguish reliable information from manipulation,” he said.

Adesina stresses national reputation Also speaking, Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Mr Kola Adesina, said reputation was built on three pillars: performance, character and goodwill. He urged Nigerians to pay greater attention to how their actions and public communications shape the country’s image. Adesina said younger generations could learn valuable lessons from experienced leaders such as Anyaoku, particularly by studying their responses to crises and avoiding past mistakes.

He also cautioned against the tendency to share information instantly without verifying its accuracy. “Your reputation is a matter of choice; it’s a decision,” he said.