Nigerian’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, in a meeting with South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, condemns xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals residing in South Africa.
Obasanjo on a courtesy call to the South African leader recently, said that Ramaphosa agreed that his country certainly got it wrong and his government was making frantic efforts to correct the mistake.
Obasanjo added that the South African leader agreed that an urgent Bilateral Commission between Nigeria and South Africa is needed to further strengthen the relationship between both countries.
Obasanjo spoke with journalists at his Pent House residence inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta on Saturday.
He added that he was told that no Nigerian lost his or her life, but scores lost their property.
“I believe the President of South Africa did the right thing to quickly send emissaries to apologise to the countries that are affected; countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique, and I think this was good.
Obasanjo took the opportunity of being in South Africa to pay a courtesy call on President Cyril Ramaphosa and he quickly granted me the opportunity. “One good thing I discovered among many is that the president said to me that “there are so much at stake and whatever mistake we have made, we have to correct it.
“And I think that was a very good statement and I know that he meant it because he immediately asked what can we do or should we do?
He opined that one of the things they are going to do between South Africa and Nigeria is they are going to have what was established during his term and called it ‘Bi-lateral Commission’.
“They have raised it during my time; it was at the second echelon level of vice-president, the deputy president. “But, now they have raised it to the president level and I understand that our president would be there within the first week of October.