Tola Shoile endures Johannesburg like a mental wound. Twelve years after he relocated to the South African capital to make ends meet, the city seems poised to end him.

“Jo’burg has taken too much from me. It cost me my business and bankrupted me. I lost everything in the xenophobic attacks of 2022,” he said, recalling how two members of his staff led an assault on his auto dealership in Cleveland, Johannesburg. Click link to continue reading.

Shoile disclosed that it took him a long while to recover from the shock of the betrayal. “I was very good to them. And I gave them bonuses even when they hadn’t earned it. Yet, they led a mob to burn down my shop. They burnt about 50 cars,” he said. “They accused me of taking their jobs but how is that possible when all I did was provide them employment? Now, they have started again,” said Shoile, bemoaning the recent wave of xenophobic attacks spearheaded by the Operation Dudula movement.

Shoile’s fears are accentuated by the sad fate of fellow migrant, Ifeanyi Obi. Few months ago, Obi encountered terror in common hours. The 41-year-old had gone to the Jeppe Clinic with his wife and daughter for a post-natal check-up. While in the clinic, he stepped outside to “receive a package” from a client with whom he had previously fixed a meeting.

“On my way out, I saw a crowd assembling at the hospital entrance and I suspected that it was the Dudula gang. But I had to get the cash from my client. I discharged him immediately and
returned to get my wife,” he said.

But as he approached the clinic, Obi saw that the crowd, previously scattered and ragtag, had coalesced into an organised mob: men and women from Operation Dudula milled around the hospital chanting “Foreigners must go!”

As tensions intensified, the mob prevented Obi and a few others trying to access the clinic. To their chagrin, security personnel watched unperturbed as mothers with babies and other patients identified as foreigners were shoved back into the street.

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A section of the mob surged towards him and Obi scampered to safety. From a distance, he craned his neck to see if his wife, Bridgette, would emerge with their daughter pressed safely to her chest. But she didn’t.

“I went back later, after the mob dispersed, but I couldn’t find them. I dialled her number unsuccessfully and called our friends but none of them had seen her. I was so scared,” he said.

Bridgette would later reach out to him from the outskirts of Johannesburg via a terse message. “I am at my cousin’s,” she said. She subsequently called him at midnight to tell him that: “A man like you stayed back to help me.” Since then, they have been estranged from each other.

The Obis represent a fragment of a wider migrant community afflicted by South Africa’s xenophobic rage. Across Johannesburg’s inner-city tenements and the scattered townships of Gauteng, several migrant families, grapple with the consequences of xenophobia and other forms of anti-immigrant hysteria. Husbands vanish in street attacks and wives retreat to safer districts or back across the continent.

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For Rotimi Adegboye, the experience has been both “good and bad.” According to the 48-year-old, who hails from the Omowumi Abisogun Royal Family of the Iru/Ilashe kingdom in Eti-Osa area of Lagos State, since he relocated to South Africa in 2006, he has met with lots of wonderful South Africans who accepted and befriended him without discrimination.

“On the other hand, I met with some South Africans that get intimidated because I am Nigerian. These ones attack you verbally, directly and indirectly, labelling you a drug mule or a scammer,” said Adegboye, adding that he has never suffered any grievous xenophobic attack.

Yet, Oyindalopo Muyiwa, 46, recalled how her Zimbabwean neighbour was hacked in broad daylight, and the night a Malawian acquaintance’s cries carried through the alley as he was burned to death by people who used to be their neighbours.

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She subsequently relocated from her “toxic neighbourhood in central Joburg” to the northern part of the city, and subsequently, “a more friendly environment in Ontario, Canada.”

South Africa, according to Muyiwa, is fast becoming a graveyard for African migrants and she didn’t wish to become a random casualty of xenophobic attacks by natives who think of immigrants as criminals and social parasites stealing their jobs and medicines.

The hospital, internet as battlefield
Through it all, the Operation Dudula movement has found a new stage for its campaign of erasure: the public health system. Hospitals and clinics, once sanctuaries for healing have been turned into scenes of exclusion. Recent viral videos circulating online, show men and women storming waiting halls and commanding patients to stand if they are foreign, demanding proof of their citizenship before they are allowed access to treatment.

“If you know yourself that you are not a South African, please stand up,” one Dudula leader barked menacingly at the Roodepoort Clinic. “Don’t try us. We will check everybody.”

The viral video of a defiant Nigerian woman being chased from a South African clinic and the euphoric approval by South Africans of the treatment meted to her further accentuates the wider climate of anti-Nigerian sentiment that has long simmered in the country’s streets and now thrives in its digital commons.

Clutching her infant daughter in one arm and medical documents in the other, she dared her assailants to assault her even as she hurriedly left the hospital – without seeing the doctor – for her safety and that of her child.

But rather than show compassion for mother and child, most South Africans on the comment thread attacked her.

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“Her bold attitude would have helped her in Nigeria, but no, she chose to come to SA to fight for her wrongs,” wrote @andiswatembela4942. His words setting the tone for many others who framed the woman’s presence in the hospital as an unwelcome intrusion.

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@NtombiMaseko-m7d was blunt: “Let them go,” and @PenelopeNgqumaza insisted, “Go and shout in your country.”

The repeated use of “makwerekwere,” a slur for foreign nationals, underscores hostility. “Makwerekwere hasihambeni,” posted @LinaAkokwa. “Hambani makwerekwere,” echoed @sisterashericharmaine1602.

For many, Operation Dudula embodies patriotic action. “Viva Dudula and March on March,” declared @thabojosepgsekhabisa9593, while @LizaMashaba celebrated: “Viva Dudula viva.”

@BulelwaMatiwana-q9k added, “Thanks, viva Dudula vivac,” and @mrscashqueenb8855 endorsed the group’s stance: “They are doing a great job… even in Nigeria there is no free clinic and hospital.”

Beyond nationality, some reduced the woman to a caricature. “They always shout. Fighting. Imagine this Nigerian oooo,” wrote @PenelopeNgqumaza. While others framed her “boldness” as arrogance. For @andiswatembela4942, her assertiveness was evidence that she didn’t belong.

The stereotype of Nigerians as combative, disorderly, and unwilling to assimilate saturates the views while the struggle over scarce resources was a recurring theme.

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“There is a Nigerian who was talking on TikTok who said they have free hospitals in Nigeria lol, so my question is why they come to SA manje?” asked @triston9618.

“Why would you have multiple children in a country you are not familiar with and you weren’t born in?” questioned @NomalwandleNdlovu, who acknowledged trauma for the woman’s children but still placed blame on her choices.

The rhetoric sometimes turns chilling. “Uyazi lezizinja zama Nigeria kumele kezifundiswe isifundo,” posted @MarrySithole, adding that “These Nigerian dogs must be taught a lesson.”

Yet amid the hostility, a few commenters pushed back. “This aggression of yours bro, is not necessary,” countered @rejoicevuragu651.

“It’s painful though,” admitted @phumilushaba4892. “Chasing poor women and children is wrong,” said @PaulineVeremu.

@brewedcoffee727 struggled with ambivalence: “This feels harsh and it’s pulling on my heart strings… painful to watch. But it has to be done… there needs to be order.”

A broader reflection came from @TinasheManuel: “South Africa is isolating itself from a future that is united.”

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Some redirected their frustration toward the South African government. “Ma South Africans, let’s fast move this issue yamakwerekwere, so we can proceed to fight this Cape Independence. The country is going thanks to ANC & DA,” posted @ndukhumalo7794.

The hostile commentaries illustrate how Nigerians are perceived as invaders by members of their South African host communities. The widespread support for the Operation Dudula shows how the sentiment is deeply entrenched in everyday discourse. While a handful of voices call for empathy, they are drowned out buy a swell of resentment.

Nigerians on the receiving end…
Few Nigerians will forget in a hurry, the South African assault on immigrants, in 2019. The attack started from the suburbs of Johannesburg on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

READ ALSO  ‘Nigeria Must Go’: South Africans Renew Anger Against Nigerians in Fresh Attacks

By Monday, September 2, South African men and women wielding clubs and stones were marching through the central business district chanting war songs. In the melee, they looted and burned more than 70 businesses owned by Nigerians, Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, among others, to the ground.

In the wake of a previous attack few months earlier, precisely July 2019, the then President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmed Lawan, condemned the persistent attacks and killings of Nigerians in South Africa, warning that further attacks won’t be tolerated.

Lawan, who hosted the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, said at least 118 Nigerians had lost their lives in xenophobic violence over the years, including 13 allegedly killed by the South African police.

“These killings must stop,” the Senate President said even as he cautioned that the circulation of graphic images of victims on social media could spark reprisals beyond the control of government, urging the South African leadership to urgently protect Nigerians living in the country.

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Lawan recalled Nigeria’s role in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, stressing that it was unacceptable for Nigerians to continue to die violently in South Africa given their history of helping the country in its time of need.

Nigeria repatriated more than 600 citizens from South Africa following the spate of deadly xenophobic attacks that left at least 12 people dead and scores of businesses destroyed.
The violence, which erupted in Johannesburg and Pretoria, targeted nearly 1,000 foreign-owned businesses and drew international condemnation.

Predictably, the attacks strained relations between Nigeria and South Africa, triggering diplomatic protests and calls across Africa for boycotts of South African interests.

In his remarks, Moroe expressed regret over the killings and conveyed his government’s condolences to the families of the victims. He said an inquest had been launched to investigate the xenophobic attacks and identify lasting solutions.

“Our government will continue to be committed to the good relationship with Nigeria,” Moroe said. “On behalf of the government of South Africa, we express our sincere condolences to the Nigerian government for this unfortunate incident.”
Yet, that grisly history is about to repeat. Against the backdrop of Operation Dudula’s campaign, the anti-immigrant rhetoric escalates like wildfire, threatening to ignite classrooms as it has ignited clinics.
From public officers to private citizens, many South Africans have lent legitimacy to the brewing xenophobic fervour. Some accuse migrants of turning Johannesburg into a “banana republic.” Others blame them for medicine shortages, crime surges, and even the instability of the state itself.
Evidently, their words are tinder, Dudula simply strikes the match.

 By Olatunji Ololade, The Nation

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The Presidency has announced major activities President Bola Tinubu would ahead of the October 1, Independence Day celebration.

Specifically, the President has arrived in Lagos on a working visit ahead of Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, with the Presidency outlining three key engagements he will undertake before the October 1 celebrations. Click link to continue reading.

Tinubu travelled to Lagos on Friday, September 26, following his attendance at the coronation of His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, in Oyo State. The coronation drew dignitaries from across the country.

According to the Presidency via X, Lagos will serve as the President’s base as Nigeria prepares for what has been described as a “low-key” Independence commemoration.

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Tinubu to meet private sector leaders While in Lagos expected to meet with senior government officials as well as key figures in the private sector.

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Presidency sources said the discussions will focus on strengthening the economy and creating a more conducive environment for investment.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said: “The President will use this time to engage directly with stakeholders in both government and business.

These conversations are central to his agenda for economic renewal.

Commissioning of the Wole Soyinka Centre

As part of activities lined up for Independence Day, President Tinubu will also commission the remodelled National Theatre in Lagos, which has been renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.

Bayo Onanuga confirmed the move, describing it as “a tribute to Nigeria’s cultural heritage and to one of Africa’s most distinguished literary figures.”

The 65th Independence anniversary is expected to be modest in scale but, according to the Presidency, symbolic of Tinubu’s pledge to place nation-building and unity at the forefront of his administration.

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Legit

The situation appears to be growing increasingly tense for the coalition party regarding the involvement of one of its prominent presidential candidates, Peter Obi.

Recently, the coalition party issued a demand for Peter Obi to fully transition to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has sparked considerable discussion and concern among his supporters. Click link to continue reading.

On Friday evening, September 26, the Obidient Movement Worldwide addressed the matter, emphasizing that Peter Obi has consistently made it a priority to seek extensive consultations before arriving at significant political decisions.

The Obidient Movement’s remarks come 24 hours after the opposition coalition directed its members, including Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to resign from their current political parties and fully join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which it adopted as its platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The directive was announced in Abuja on Thursday, September 25, by the ADC’s national spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, following a caucus meeting attended by senior party leaders and prominent political figures.

Pro-Obi group disagrees with ADC

Reacting on behalf of Obi, Yunusa Tanko, the Obidient Movement national spokesperson, said its caucus is “particularly concerned about how the party (ADC) intends to zone its presidential ticket.”

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It said: “Considering that the presidency is currently held by the South, issues of equity and fairness must guide such decisions if the party truly aims to secure victory in the 2027 elections.”

The Obidients added:

“We are equally interested in how the party zones its principal offices within the coalition, as this will ensure justice, fairness, and inclusivity, factors that will enable us to mobilise effectively across the country.”

Legit.ng reports that apart from Atiku, those present at Thursday’s ADC meeting included national chairman David Mark, national secretary Rauf Aregbesola, former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai, ex-Sokoto governor Aminu Tambuwal, and former Rivers state governor, Chibuike Amaechi.

Since the coalition’s unveiling on July 2, a number of opposition leaders have defected to the ADC. However, many, including Obi and Atiku, have yet to formally join the party.

Atiku has left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but is yet to officially register as an ADC member, while Obi continues to maintain ties with the Labour Party despite aligning with the coalition.

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The situation faced by Nigerians residing in Canada is a poignant illustration of the challenges associated with migration. Individuals who left their home country due to poverty and economic hardships sought a more promising future, only to confront new adversities in their host nation.

Having fled difficult circumstances, these migrants encounter daily obstacles and unforeseen difficulties as they navigate life in a foreign environment… Click link to continue reading.

But like a flock of ducks desperately chasing bugs in a field, their survival is tied to the ease of doing business and other opportunities brokered by their attainment of legitimate resident status – a privilege many Canada-based Nigerians have been denied.

Interestingly, the number of people living in emergency shelters or on the streets surged in all regions of Quebec over the last four years but rose most sharply outside Montreal, a new report says. Commissioned by the province’s Health Department, the report found that “visible” homelessness in Quebec increased by about 44 per cent between April 2018 and October 2022, and by 33 per cent in Montreal.

The analysis by the province’s public health institute says Quebec is witnessing a “regionalization of street homelessness,” as the number of people living outside has become increasingly significant in regions such as Mauricie–Centre-du-Quebec, Estrie and the Outaouais.

In Quebec, one of the country’s largest cities, for instance, one in two homeless people can be located in rural areas in odd places. This is explained by Julie Bourdon, the Mayor of Granby, who noted that, “visible homelessness did not exist three years ago in Granby,” adding however that “rents are very high now compared to two years ago.”

As dire as economic situation in Nigeria is at the moment, not even dollar-a-day Nigerians at home are living in the kind of places some Nigerians are said to find as homes in Canada, all in the quest for ‘better’ living condition and jobs abroad.

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Due largely to the rent crisis arising from low housing supply and affordability issues which also define the housing market in Nigeria, some Nigerians who left Nigeria for Canada are now living in cemetery and streets—places that are odd and unimaginable under normal circumstances.

The streets of Canada and, in extreme cases, the cemetery have become top destinations for immigrants and refugees and it is reported that several immigrants, running into tens of thousands, are now pitching their tents in these places as their homes.

The housing situation in this North American country considered to be the second largest in the world after Russia, is such that, in January this year, the country revealed that it was considering limiting the number of international student visas, including Nigeria, as part of solutions to its housing shortages.

This was according Sean Fraser, the country‘s minister for housing, infrastructure, and communities, who noted that the sharp rise in the number of students was putting pronounced pressure on some housing markets.

It was reported that from January to June 2023, about 10,180 Nigerians moved to Canada, prompting a report by a renting agent in the country called Rentals.ca to note that “the growing number of students entering Canada has added further upward pressure on rents.”

These are, however, to be expected from a country which, in the last few years, has become a preferred destination for international students due to its immigration-friendly policies.

“Recently, the Canadian federal government announced an aggressive plan to take in 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025, with almost 1.5 million new immigrants coming to the country over the next three years. In 2022, the country welcomed 437,120 permanent residents, almost 8 percent increase from the total number of permanent residents in 2021,” the paper said.

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It quoted Fraser as saying, “immigration levels plan will help businesses find the workers they need.”

Like Nigeria, the housing problem in Canada has no immediate solution as it is reported that the country’s 2023 budget ignores its worsening housing and homelessness crises and fails to support those in greatest need.

The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) lamented recently that as communities across the country experience an increase in homelessness and an explosion in housing need, the federal government’s budget failed to do anything new to address the housing crisis.

However, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission(NiDCOM), has warned Nigerians against traveling abroad without proper documentation.

Dabiri-Erewa spoke when she visited some stranded Nigerians who violated Canada’s immigration laws.

The Nigerians, mostly youths, are currently living in a shelter for asylum seekers in Brampton.

In a video posted on NIDCOM’s X account, Dabiri-Erewa said the situation “really is not quite a pleasant sight to behold”.

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“We pray and hope that they get out of this situation,” she said, describing the majority of the asylum seekers as “young vibrant Nigerians”.

The NIDCOM chairperson thanked the Nigerians who have been supporting the illegal migrants, adding that the commission donated some items and provided counselling to the stranded citizens.

“But the key thing is I hope you get out of this, but for the next person planning to do this, it’s not worth it,” Dabiri-Erewa added.

During a counselling session, Bayo Adedosu, an immigration consultant, asked the asylum seekers to put their trust in God.

“You will need to endure, don’t have any expectations, the only expectation you should have at this point is God. Your case is in God’s hands – all of you,” Adedosu said.

He also asked the asylum seekers to refrain from painting Nigeria in a bad light while trying to process their papers.

Vivian Eruka, a pastor, who runs the Bethel food bank and works with those in shelters, informed that the mayor of Brampton has promised to make 800 more beds available and shelter.

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During a typical church service in Abuja, an unexpected and dramatic scene unfolded that left the congregation in disbelief.

Tensions escalated when the pastor’s wife confronted a young woman who was rumored to be involved in an affair with her husband.

The confrontation occurred in the middle of the service, catching everyone off guard. Click link to continue reading.

Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd as witnesses tried to comprehend the gravity of the situation. The pastor’s wife, visibly upset, demanded answers, while the young woman appeared taken aback.

The emotional clash not only shocked the attendees but also overshadowed the spiritual message of the service, leaving many to speculate about the implications of the confrontation on the church community…

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Eyewitnesses recounted that the service had been progressing without incident until the pastor’s wife abruptly rose from her seat.

Her demeanor indicated a mix of anger and frustration as she approached the young woman, who was seated near the altar.

As the confrontation began, it quickly escalated into a heated exchange of words filled with accusations and accusations, drawing the attention of the entire congregation.

Within moments, tensions flared, and both women engaged in a physical altercation that shocked everyone present.

Alarmed church members swiftly intervened to separate the two women, while several individuals pulled out their smartphones to capture the chaos for social media.

The incident left many worshippers, who came to the house of God for a peaceful service, utterly bewildered. Some expressed disbelief that such a scandal could unfold within the sacred walls of their church.

This incident in Abuja is not an isolated case; rather, it reflects a troubling trend in Nigerian churches. Just a few months ago in Port Harcourt, a similar scene played out when the wife of a well-known pastor confronted a female choir member, accusing her of having an affair with her husband.

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That incident also spiraled into chaos, interrupting choir rehearsals and prompting heated discussions among church members.

In Lagos, a pastor’s marriage teetered on the brink of collapse after his wife uncovered love messages he had been exchanging with a female usher. The shocking details of the affair became public when screenshots of the messages were leaked by neighbors, igniting a scandal that reverberated throughout the community.

Additionally, in Delta State, another incident occurred during a night vigil when two women were caught in a brawl over a bishop. The disturbance escalated to the point where police had to intervene to restore order.

Reactions to the Abuja incident have been swift and varied on social media. Some users called for accountability, insisting that the pastor should bear responsibility for allowing such drama to infiltrate his ministry.

Others criticized the pastor’s wife for her public display of conflict, suggesting that she had embarrassed herself in front of the congregation.

As the dust settles, church elders are reportedly convening to address the situation discreetly, aiming to resolve the matter quietly amidst the public outcry.

However, the video footage of the altercation has already begun to circulate widely online, capturing the fascination—and concern—of many Nigerians.

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Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, has made an inspiring announcement regarding her 65th birthday fundraiser, which has successfully raised N20.7 billion towards the completion of the National Library.

During a recent luncheon with the media at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, she emphasized the importance of this initiative and shared that the Oluremi@65 Education Fund account will remain open for contributions until December 2025. .…click link for full details here