XENOPHOBIA - the bugbear!

By O Bolaji Xenophobia. That is a word often uttered with bated breath by so many in South Africa. How do I feel about this, especially as a Nigerian, since apparently there is a strong bias against Nigerians by many? On a simplistic level, a genuine writer at heart cannot be xenophobic. Writers are generally broad minded, “citizens of the world” and click amidst each other immediately; eg SA writer Flaxman Qoopane’s closeness to me for decades. For years I have been what you might call a honorary member of many S.A writers’ families and houses, like the Mafikes, Motheanes, St George Vis, Lechesa, Rampai, Thaisi, Kunene, Nthejanes; and many others including white S.A writers. Actually, when people like me first came to live in S.A there was no xenophobia. I was given good, cheap accommodation in the townships from the outset, bed, furniture, regular gifts of food, provisions, and sometimes beer! (Laugh). Everybody wanted to be one’s friend and they were only too ready to help with small problems. I believe it is a fringe minority that revels in xenophobia, and not necessarily illiterates. I remember during the heart of the xenophobic attacks a few years ago, a simple man, seller of onions, oranges, etc threw his arms around me, crying. “I am ashamed of all this attacks my brother,” he said. “How can my people do this? We are not really like this.” Another guy that I used to meet occasionally at an eatery, wept buckets when he saw me. He cried so much that I was very worried and embarrassed. Then after a long time he told me this issue of xenophobia was breaking his heart... The thing is, if there is the perception that certain foreigners are involved in crime and nefarious activities, or specifically Nigerians, then the thing to do is round up such miscreants and lock them up; don’t tar everybody with the same odious brush. There are many criminals in South Africa, but that does not mean ALL the people are crooks! These unfortunate things are always perpetrated by a minority everywhere. It might well be that over the years, I have had another advantage that people have seen; that essentially I am a simple, fairly honest man, dedicated to arts. I have appeared in newspapers, magazines, countless times. Even those closest to me over the years, including more comfortable writers who visit me wherever I have stayed, become shocked when they see I hardly give a jot about material things, unless they are complements to writing and reading! Hence I have been flooded with gifts of computers, lap tops, phones, satellite TV etc over the years by South African artists of whatever colour I have stayed in the SA townships for many years, surrounded by love and respect, and that is the truth. People always come and tell me the latest stuff they have read about me from the media or internet. I remember a couple of years ago, a white journalist who was visiting me in the township was shocked to hear many young little boys and girls shouting – “Omoseye! Omoseye! This is Omoseye!” So at heart, from young ages people are often ‘good’ and friendly, though prejudices like xenophobia might afflict a few of them later on...