Good Trade, Diplomatic Relations between Nigeria, South Africa will Pull Continent Up, Says Think Tank

Chiemelie Ezeobi in Johannesburg, South Africa 

Good trade, diplomatic and bilateral relations between Nigeria and South Africa have been identified by an independent international public policy think tank, as some of the key drivers that would pull the continent up to take its place in the comity of nations. 

Programme Head, African Governance and Diplomacy, South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Steven Gruzd, made this disclosure in a meeting with the third cohort of the MTN-sponsored Media Innovation Programme (MIP) at the SAIIA, University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. 

While speaking on “Assessing the Nigeria- South African Bilateral Relations and the Gains and the Losses”, Gruzd said “if South Africa and Nigeria are working together; if the relations are strong; if there is good trade; and if there is good diplomatic relations, it really makes a difference and it really can pull up the rest of the continent.”

Lamenting that there has been more attention on other things that get in the way of what really is a critical relationship for the continent, he added that “if we are at odds and at tensions, it makes things much more difficult for this continent to develop.

“There is much work to be done and we  call on our leaders to really make sure that this is a strong reciprocal relationship that can last for generations because it benefits the continent if both nations have the best relationship because they haven’t taken their place in the global stage.

“The South African Institute of International Affairs has a vision of a well governed, stable, peaceful continent and initiatives like this can really help us in that mission because we get to know Nigerians, we get to understand some of the issues that are motivating the media in Nigeria and it just helps us with creating a platform for dialogue which is what we are all about and it really gives us an opportunity to strengthen the relations between our two countries.”

On the thorny issue of xenophobia and the rivalry between South Africa and Nigeria, he said it lingered this long because the SA government had in the past been denying its existence. 

“The government kept denying it because they couldn’t bring themselves to believe it. Foreigners are blamed for crime and taking their jobs and some groups build their tickets on this anti-immigration, thus fueling the situation.

“According to a 2017 BBC World Service Poll, 53 percent of Nigerians view South Africa’s influence positively, with 27 per cent expressing a negative view. This is the lowest Nigerian positive perception of South Africa ever reported by the poll since polling began in 2009, with the 2014 poll reporting 65 per cent of Nigerians viewing South Africa’s influence positively and 17 per cent  expressing a negative view.”

Also speaking on “Pan-Africanism, Nigeria South Africa Relations: The Role of the Media” he first commended MTN for the MIP initiative and the study tour to South Africa, adding that it will go a long way to propagate Pan-Africanism,

Charging the fellows, he said they must “

find ways to represent the nations in a positive light. We’re looking for positive stories and if there is really a positive story on Nigeria-South Africa relations, there’s only one direction that it can go and that is up. 

“I hope that these journalists will be part of creating those positive stories between our two countries and transmitting the stories that you find.”

On the trade relations between both nations, he said there are far less Nigerian businesses in South Africa than there is South African businesses in Nigeria, which threw up the visa challenges that goes both ways. 

Gruzd further quoted the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who  pledged that the relationship between the two countries will be solidified when he received Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu last June. 

Ramaphosa had said: “For me, what matters most is to be able to have very good economic links with Nigeria. The two countries-South Africa and Nigeria – are very important in our continent and when the two countries work together, which we are, and we do things together, it benefits all.”

Also contributing, Public Relations Manager MTN Nigeria, Dr. Lakinbofa Goodluck, charged the fellows to take charge of the narrative in rebuilding the sore points between both nations, adding that a a negative naration allowed to fester will only become a stereotype. 

The 20 fellows and their Nigerian coordinators- PAU SMC Director Professional Education, Prof. Isaac-Ogugua Ezechukwu; Funso Aina, Senior Manager, External Relations at MTN Nigeria; Public Relations Manager MTN Nigeria, Dr. Lakinbofa Goodluck; and Samsideen Akano, SMC Marketing and Coordination, also visited the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

During the tour of Metro FM, Siyauda Izkelephi Programmer Manager Metro FM, said “as an organisation, we are at a point where now the South African government, are focusing at the SABC as a key asset of government.”

With their 6million listeners across the digital and terrestrial platforms, he said they have a mandate for responsible journalism where none of their programmes must harm another African.

Harping on the importance of integrity, he said they ensure they get the fact before the news is used and has since used earned them the sobriquet from South Africans that “If it’s not on SABC yet, we will wait”. 

Acknowledging that African journalists must correct these narratives between both nations, one of the fellows, Nkechi Ogbonna said: “One thing that stood out is the eye opener to the trade disparity between Nigeria and South Africa. 

“It is important for African countries to begin to trade amongst themselves to boost their economies and strengthen their local currencies.

“Secondly, Nigeria and South Africa have long standing relations however certain incidents have driven some negative narratives. 

“It is therefore the responsibility of media practitioners to verify information from authorities in both countries, holding them accountable and providing a platform for the truth to be told.”