‘There’s Hate In The Atmosphere’: Nigerian Returnee Recounts Xenophobic Experience In South Africa

 

A Nigerian returnee from South Africa, Sunny Usoro, has recalled his experience of xenophobic attacks, saying he felt unsafe and had to go back home. 

Usoro spoke on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he said he was emotionally affected by the development. 

“You know, when it comes to abuse, there are people who leave only when it gets physical. Some leave when it’s emotional. It all depends on how you have programmed your life.

“So, in my own case, leaving South Africa was more because of emotional abuse than physical abuse. I mean, I lived in an area called Sandton. The march didn’t even get there, you know.

“However, I do mission work in South Africa. For the past 16 years, I’ve been doing mission work in South Africa. Most of the places where we go and minister to people are in the townships—places where we have to engage mostly with local South Africans.

“So, even though I had security where I lived, I felt like there was a lot more to the country than just where I lived. So, I didn’t want to wait until maybe I got caught up in it because there’s hate in the atmosphere.”

Recalling an experience with a cleric, Usoro, who is also a pastor, said there are “cool” people in South Africa who “understand what it means to integrate with other foreign nationals,” “but at the same time, the majority are xenophobic.” 

“They may not get to the extent of being physically violent, but you can feel it in their body language and in the way they relate to you at certain times.

“At one point, there was even a pastor who looked at me and said, ‘No, you guys cannot hold a service in this place. You bring your strange churches from outside South Africa down here.’”

In the wake of the renewed xenophobic attacks, the Federal Government repatriated Nigerians from South Africa. 

It also condemned the spate of attacks on foreign nationals, especially Nigerians in South Africa. 

Reacting to this, Usoro thanked Nigerian authorities “because the government did so well in the repatriation process. They really did well”.

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