By Matthew Don
Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria’s overbearing influence may have contributed to the sudden show of remorse by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over xenophobic attacks meted to Africans residing in South Africa.
Obasanjo was said to have, not only written Ramaphosa on the dangers xenophobic attacks were capable of having on South Africa, but had advised him in Harare at the funeral ceremony of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on Saturday, September 14 in the presence of former Ghana Head of State, Jerry Rawlings to immediately show remorse.
Ramaphosa, it was learnt, bought into the advice and by Sunday, September 15, announced he was dispatching special envoys to the African countries that suffered the xenophobic attacks.
The Special Envoys including that sent to Nigeria was in Aso Rock on Monday to see President Muhammadu Buhari.
Obasanjo was one of the African Heads of States who committed human and material resources to ensure that Apartheid regime was dismantled in South Africa.
While receiving the South African envoy, Buhari reiterated that Nigeria’s commitment to the freedom of South Africa cannot be quantified.