President Bola Tinubu on Monday declined to receive a special delegation sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He directed the team instead to meet Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
The South African group, led by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, arrived in Abuja on Friday, 24 July. It carried a message from Ramaphosa. Presidency sources confirmed the visitors sought an audience without prior notice.
One source stated, “They actually came here on Friday wanting to see the President. But there was no prior notice. And we said we can’t just allow you to see the President without first asking him if he is available. So we asked, and the President said they could come on Monday. But when Monday came, he simply said they should go and meet the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Enikanolaiye, and whatever they discuss, the Minister would come and brief him.”
Meanwhile, another official added that the meeting with Tinubu was not on the schedule.
The decision followed renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa. These attacks forced the evacuation of nearly 600 to 1,500 Nigerians.
Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, then in Addis Ababa, advised against a presidential meeting while the violence continued.
Enikanolaiye received the envoys in Abuja. He said Tinubu directed the engagement to resolve the crisis. “It is with profound pleasure that I welcome our brothers from South Africa. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had actually asked us to meet with you and exchange views and perspectives on how to address and resolve the ongoing Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, of which Nigerians, and other citizens of Africa, have been victims,” he stated.
Furthermore, he noted a pattern of attacks since 1995. “It is on record that from 2022 alone, 98 Nigerians have died in mob actions,” Enikanolaiye said. He recalled Nigeria’s support for South Africa’s liberation struggle and urged due process for accused persons rather than mob violence.
In response, Lamola said Ramaphosa sent him to reaffirm opposition to xenophobia. “We have been outspoken against any intolerance, including xenophobia, racism, homophobia, violence, discrimination directed at individuals within our borders,” he said.
He added that South Africa would enforce immigration laws and called for joint action on continental migration challenges.
