allAfrica.com: Africa: Anyaoku in South Africa (Page 1 of 1)

Chief Chukwuemeka Anyaoku who holds some of Nigeria's most prestigious national honors-

the Commander of the order of the Niger and the Commander of the Federal Republic is an international statesman of repute. His years in the Commonwealth of Nations as the Secretary General has become a benchmark in distinguish international statesmanship. Encarta English Dictionary in my HP personal Computer defines a statesman from two perspective namely; a leading politician, that is a senior politician, especially a man, who plays an important role in government or international affairs; and lastly as a respected impartial senior male politician that is a senior politician, especially a man who is widely respected for integrity and impartial concern for public good. This columnist aggress completely that Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the detribalized Nigerian of Igbo extraction who married a Yoruba woman (Bunmi) is a classical case of a statesman.

As one of the few of The Guardian Newspapers' Journalists that covered the ill-fated National Political Reform Conference in Abuja convoked by the immediate past maximum ruler General Olusegun Okikiola Mathew Obasanjo (RTD), I watched the performance of Chief Emeka Anyaoku at the event and I can attest that his participation at that conference was borne out of his undying zeal to work out, alongside other genuine and not so genuine patriots, workable political and economic formulae, for the radical transformation of the Nigerian nation state. His erudition and high sense of purpose shone like the bright stars whenever he stood up to make his contribution and he intermittently addressed some of us who were there to record the happenings at the conference for posterity.

But on Tuesday 22 of April 2008 when the highly respected statesman Chief Emeka Anyaoku traveled to South Africa and accepted from President Thabo Mbeki what is considered as the highest national honors meant for foreigners, I was devastated and hid my head in shame because I saw his acceptance of that award at this point in time as a national embarrassment and a betrayal to the thousands of Nigerians who are constantly facing tortures in the hands of the South African security operatives and from organized criminals who have decided that the best people to kill, main and intimidate are innocent Nigerians who are in South Africa.

Some Nigerian Newspapers quoting foreign Agencies reported that Chief Anyaoku was honored with the Order of the Supreme Companions of O.R. Tambo: Gold, in recognition of his contribution to the ending of Apartheid in South Africa. Anyaoku, a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth and one time Foreign Minister of Nigeria was rightly said to have worked relentlessly toward the enthronement of Democracy in South Africa. The South African Government believed that Anyaoku's association with the legendary Oliver Tambo dated back to 1963. Emeka Anyaoku was actively involved in the negotiations of 19991 to 19993 that paved the way for multi racial and multi party elections that saw the emergence in 1994 of the government led by the legendary Nelson Mandela of the African National Congress [ANC] which was rated by the western world including the United States and Britain as a terrorist organisation. To demonstrate that he is highly cherished by the South African establishment because of his pro-democracy credentials, the legendary Nelson Mandela wrote the foreword to Emeka Anyaoku's memoirs where he stated thus; "I am well aware of the need to avoid exaggerating the role of the individual in history. On the other hand, history is replete with examples of individuals intervening in situations and making all the difference. Emeka Anyaoku's intervention in South Africa's transition from Apartheid rule to a non-racial democracy was a decisive contribution which history, if properly nursed will come to acknowledge."

The conferment of that highest national honor on one of Nigeria's best known living legends and nationalists Chief Emeka Anyaoku should ordinarily be a thing of collective joy to all Nigerians but for the deep seated hatred of Nigerians harbored and externalized by most xenophobic South Africans. My first reaction when I read in the media that Emeka Anyaoku the man I hold so highly has gone to collect the highest national honor from the South African government I was shocked but on a second thought I said well as a statesman he will either reject the award in protest over the senseless killings of many Nigerians by the South Africans or at best he will use the occasion to public lash out at the South African notorious security operatives who have made it their pastime of harassing and intimidating innocent Nigerians in South Africa. Alas, our man not only accepted the award amid cheers from his close family members, friends and colleagues, he did not say anything to remind the South African Government that Nigerians are seriously disappointed by South Africans show of shame exemplified in their xenophobic attacks targeted at Nigerians living and doing business in that Country which Nigerians help to gain true independence from their Apartheid warlords. Though in my own side of the Country as in most other parts, it is considered a discourteous conduct for someone to reject a well bestowed honor from a people, but we are also encouraged strongly not to receive Greek gifts from our perceived oppressors. About the same time that our own Emeka Anyaoku was accepting the South African National honor, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs from Nigeria's National Assembly embarked on a fact finding journey to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the widely reported cases of organized racial and criminal attacks on Nigerians carried out by majority of South African security operatives and Armed criminals.

The Senators who were attending a meeting of the inter-parliamentary Union [IPU] which took place in South Africa said they took time off their schedule to hold meetings with some Nigerian community leaders and those Nigerians affected by the organized attacks targeted at Nigerians by South Africans and asserted that what they saw and heard alarmed them so much so that they contemplated summoning the foreign Affairs Minister Ojo Madueke who has so much mouthed [with little or no implementation] Government's resolve to implement what he calls CITIZENSHIP DIPLOMACY to hold talks with the South African Embassy officials to find quick and comprehensive solution to these ongoing attacks on Nigerians. It must be stated that this is the first time that members of Nigeria's National Assembly are doing and saying something that make sense to the generality of Nigerians and is indeed meant to protect and promote the welfare and security of Nigerian people which is the main theme of civil governance as provided for by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Not done yet, the Senators proceeded to pass a resolution [though, a non- binding resolution] warning Nigerian traveling to South Africa to be aware that they could be attacked by armed youth or the security operatives. The Law makers say the travel warning has become necessary in view of the strident attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. The motion in the Senate of the federal republic of Nigeria centered on reports of incessant attacks, intimidations and brutalization targeted at Nigerians who are resident in South Africa. The Senate directed its foreign affairs committee to investigate and get more information on the matter with a view to briefing the Senate in two weeks time, which is in early May 2008. Leading debate on the motion, Senator Grace Bent said the attacks on Nigerians had become so embarrassing that most Nigerians who traveled to South Africa are usually dispossessed of their valuable belongings. Though the Senators did not link the incessant robbery attacks on Nigerians by South African armed robbers to the South African Government, but the fact is that the xenophobic treatment meted out to Nigerians traveling to South Africa by the South African immigration officials encourages the armed robbers of South African extraction to view Nigerians as legitimate targets. Not too long ago, Wole Soyinka was turned back at the South African Airport because of concern over entry requirements even when there was an arrangement for him to obtain the necessary documentation on arrival. If Soyinka of all people could be so maltreated, how much more less profile Nigerian travelers to South Africa? There was the allegation that the Airport Immigration officials in South Africa usually tip off the criminals whenever Nigerian traveler carrying big cash arrives and the person ends up being robbed on his way out of the Airport. Although it is a thing of joy that Emeka Anyaoku traveled to South Africa on the invitation of the South African Government to be decorated with the highest national award, the South African Government should find a solution to the xenophobic attacks targeted at Nigerians otherwise it is not late for Emeka Anyaoku to return the national award giving to him by the South African Government because he is widely regarded and respected as a statesman in Nigeria by Nigerians including the Nigerian victims of these attacks in South Africa.

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