{
  "id": 7334682,
  "title": "Obasanjo condemns xenophobia in South Africa, recalls Nigeria’s anti-apartheid role",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/obasanjo-condemns-xenophobia-in-south-africa-recalls-nigerias-anti-7334682",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T14:44:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/obasanjo-condemns-xenophobia-in-south-africa-recalls-nigerias-anti-apartheid-role/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the xenophobic attacks on African migrants in South Africa, emphasizing that illegal migration should be addressed through legal means rather than violence or property destruction. During an interview on C-Suite Café, he also highlighted Nigeria's crucial role in supporting the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa through financial and diplomatic aid.\n\nObasanjo explained that Nigeria's involvement was driven by principles of equality and opposition to racial discrimination, rather than any expectation of reward. He stressed that no black person should be treated as inferior due to their race. The former president further argued that Nigeria's leadership and interventions were instrumental in the eventual dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. He recalled collaborating with notable international and African leaders, including Andrew Young, James Callaghan, Samora Machel, and Kenneth Kaunda.\n\nAddressing the issue of undocumented migrants in South Africa, Obasanjo cautioned against responding to illegal migration with further violations. He stressed that authorities and citizens should not use \"illegality to treat illegality.\" Furthermore, he questioned the assumptions linking migrants to criminal activity and inquired about the proportion of foreign nationals involved in crime versus those contributing to the economy through job creation.\n\nObasanjo linked the resentment towards migrants to larger governance and economic challenges, suggesting that political pressure on African governments could fuel anti-immigrant sentiment when citizens' economic expectations were not met. He emphasized that violence against migrants contradicts efforts to promote African integration and economic cooperation.\n\nThese remarks come amid ongoing debates over the treatment of foreign nationals in South Africa, where tensions have arisen due to concerns over undocumented migration, unemployment, crime, and competition for economic opportunities. Recent research has even suggested that migrants can contribute to job creation and economic activity in the region.",
  "summary": "Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned xenophobic attacks in South Africa, recalling Nigeria’s key role in the anti-apartheid struggle. Read More: https://punchng.com/obasanjo-condemns-xenophobia-in-south-africa-recalls-nigerias-anti-apartheid-role/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Ashwin Desai on Steve Biko, apartheid detention and South Africa’s democratic anxiety",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/ashwin-desai-on-steve-biko-apartheid-detention-and-south-africas",
        "published": "2026-09-14T09:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Rio Times",
        "title": "Opening a Bank Account in South Africa as a Foreigner",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/opening-a-bank-account-in-south-africa-as-a-foreigner",
        "published": "2026-09-14T09:04:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Hyundai gives Stargazer right of view into South Africa in 2027",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/hyundai-gives-stargazer-right-of-view-into-south-africa-in-2027",
        "published": "2026-09-14T11:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "GBC Ghana",
        "title": "At least 21 killed in multi-vehicle crash in South Africa",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/at-least-21-killed-in-multi-vehicle-crash-in-south-africa",
        "published": "2026-09-14T11:19:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mail and Guardian",
        "title": "India, South Africa and the BRICS moment: From shared voice to shared power",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/india-south-africa-and-the-brics-moment-from-shared-voice-to-shared",
        "published": "2026-09-14T12:48:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "South Africa road accident kills at least 21 people",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/south-africa-road-accident-kills-at-least-21-people",
        "published": "2026-09-14T13:19:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Obasanjo condemns xenophobia in South Africa, recalls Nigeria’s anti-apartheid role",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/obasanjo-condemns-xenophobia-in-south-africa-recalls-nigerias-anti",
        "published": "2026-09-14T14:12:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}