Free Monthly Newspaper
The Nigerian V ce
...A Nigerian Community Newspaper In South Africa
CULTURE: The Hausa
Cultural Marriage
(Northern Nigeria).
TOURISM: Ikogosi Water
Spring Resort.
Ekiti State
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EVENTS: Precious Little Miss
Chidera Christabel Amagba
Clock's One
New Yellow fever
Card from 1st
October 2013
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September 2013 ISSUE 11
FASHION:
Caftan And Bubu
– Revamped!!
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7
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Nigerian Professionals In South Africa
Impact to National Unity Part 1
Opinion: Olaniyi Thevoice Abodedele
In a speech recently made by
the Nigerian consul-General
Okey Emuchey at a dinner he
organized for Nigeria's Minster
of Health Prof. Onyebuchi
Chukwu in Johannesburg at the
Nigeria Consulate in South
Africa, the Nigerian Consular
puts the
population of
Nigerians in South Africa at
estimated figure of
400,000.“Though I am not sure
of the figure, some people say
the population of Nigerians in
South Africa is between
350,000 and 400,000 people,
with more still coming”.
``Nigerians are contributing to
the development of every
sector of the South African
economy, in fact if Nigerian
medical doctors pull out of the
South African hospitals the
country will collapse.
``And there is hardly any South
Africa university that you don't
have ten Nigerian professors,''
Emuchay said.
Despite the huge presence of
Nigerian professionals and a
large Nigerian community in
South Africa, the Nigerian
image is worrisome and its
c o m m u n i t y v e r y
dysfunctional. Most
worrisome is the aloofness and
Honorable Aminu Tambuwal Speaker Nigeria House of Representative at a dinner organized by
His Excellency Hon Okey Emuchey (MFR) Nigeria Consul-General during his visit to South
Africa in Johannesburg on the 3rd September 2013. SEE STORY ON PAGE 5
'I don't care attitude' of many
Nigerian professionals and
other well-meaning Nigerians
in South Africa. It is high time
that the decent and honest
Nigerians came together to
give meaningful and effective
leadership to the Nigerian
community in South Africa. It
is a known fact that the
economic potential that lay
within the Nigerian community
is enormous given its dynamic
population of more than
400,000 people. Some quarters
estimate Nigeria's population
in South Africa to be close to
two Million people. According
to an online post on Nairaland
Forum website, it is stated that
“at least 20 million Nigerians
[are] living outside of Nigeria.
This figure includes those that
only have one Nigerian parent.
Of course, I am basing this
entirely off shady estimates. I
know about Nigerian
population in Ghana (about 2
million), Ivory coast (a little
more than a Million), South
Africa (About 2 million) and
then at least 5 million in UK
and 4-6 million in America and
then the rest would come from
other countries. This figure
might be way off the mark. But
in all honesty, even the Federal
Government of Nigeria
couldn't give you an honest
estimate”.
The Nigerian community
needs to take a cue from other
organized communities in
South Africa to project a good
image for itself. As a concerned
community member, it is so
obvious that a lot is not right
with the Nigerian Community
and there is need to be worried.
The negative image has
overshadowed the positive
ones. Yet, the positive impacts
(as exemplified by the Nigerian
professionals) far outweigh the
negative ones. As thing stands,
it is as if it is a crime to be a
Nigerian and to carry the Green
passport. The question is: what
are the professionals and wellmeaning Nigerians in South
Africa doing about it? Do we
continue to allow our image to
be shaped, our identities to be
determined and our
personalities to be judged by
the few 'bad eggs' who have
continued to bastardize the
Nigerian image?
There are so many reasons why
the community needs to be
worried about its image. First,
as a Nigerian, it is extremely
difficult to rent an apartment in
Pretoria and some other
Continued on Page 4
Julius Malema Visits Nigeria
Debunk Xenophobic Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa
Popoola, Sunday O.
Julius Malema, Leader EFF
The leader of the Economic
freedom fighters (EFF) Party
Julius Malema visited Lagos
Nigeria recently to seek
guidance and blessing from
one of Africa's most wellknown spiritual leader Pastor
T.B Joshua.
Julius Malema was in the
Synagogue of All Nations in
Lagos from 10th to 15th
August, 2013. He expressed,
“ We a l l s e e k d i v i n e
intervention, blessing of
spiritual leaders and it
happened that this time we
came to TB Joshua and it
shouldn't be seen to be any
controversial activities”.
According to eNCA report on
www.enca.com, “Although
Malema would not say much
about his own tidings and what
counsel he received from the
spiritual leader, he expressed
his desire to emulate
Zimbabwean President Robert
Mugabe” He also reported that
the major reason for his visit is
to receive blessings for the
journey ahead.
Malema explained that
“Nigerians must take over the
ownership of the means of
production of their economy
and not allow foreign
multinationals to enjoy all
benefits”, on Monday 12th
August 2013 on his first
visitation to the most populous
black nation Nigeria.
As reported in brimtime.com,
he stated that Nigeria and
South Africa must unite “we
need to work together in issues
of common interest; we need to
be partners not only in growing
the Nigerian-South Africa
economies, but in building
friendship”.
Although he denied that
Nigerians are often maltreated
in South-Africa, saying
“Nigerians in South Africa are
enjoying themselves. They are
very influential. They relate
confidently in the society and
even when there were some
xenophobic attacks in South
Africa, Nigerians were not
casualty of such xenophobic
attacks” Julius Malema stated
Continued on Page 2
ISSN A 218-8592
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