Tinubu Sends South African Envoy To Foreign Affairs Ministry

President Bola Tinubu declined to personally receive a South African delegation sent over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans, directing the envoys to Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry instead.

The delegation, led by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, arrived in Abuja with a message from President Cyril Ramaphosa. Tinubu asked Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye to meet the team and brief him afterwards.

Daily Trust reported that Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the decision. Onanuga said the envoy arrived on Friday without prior notification to the Nigerian government and insisted on meeting the President to personally deliver the message.

Punch also reported that the delegation arrived on July 24 and remained in Abuja through the weekend. The report said Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was away on official engagements in Addis Ababa, had advised that it was not an appropriate time for Tinubu to personally receive the delegation while attacks on Nigerians and their businesses were still ongoing.

At the Abuja meeting, Enikanolaiye said Tinubu had asked him to exchange views with the envoys on how to address the attacks. Lamola said Ramaphosa sent him to deliver a message to Tinubu and reaffirm South Africa’s opposition to xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance.

The diplomatic visit came after recent violence in South Africa led Nigeria to approve evacuation flights for citizens who wanted to return home.

Punch reported that Lamola’s trip was meant to reduce tensions before an African Union meeting scheduled for Angola in late August. Nigeria has also warned that further diplomatic steps remain possible if the attacks continue.

Sources: Daily Trust, Punch