Africans are not together, as Sonny Okosun sang in “Holy War” during the apartheid era. The lyrics of that song, along with “Fire in Soweto,” point to a truth often ignored: racism exists among black Africans. Many deny this, focusing only on black-versus-white racism. Similarly, the intra-African slave trade is glossed over. What we call tribalism is often racism, with ethnic supremacists claiming superiority based on ethnicity. This fallacy is perpetuated even by African scholars.
Xenophobia in South Africa
Recent events in South Africa challenge the notion of African innocence. During apartheid, Nigeria welcomed South African refugees, yet now Nigerians flee xenophobic attacks in South Africa. This contradiction forces a re-examination of African communalism.
Revisiting Communalist Concepts
Concepts like ujamaa (brotherhood), ajobi, and ajogbe suggest that kindness is reserved for one’s own group. Professor Tunji Oyesile of the University of Ibadan questioned how communal African communalism truly is in the contemporary world. Responses from scholars like Benson Akinnawonu and Father Benjamin Kwaghgba highlight the erosion of traditional brotherhood due to globalization. However, others argue that xenophobia is not a product of globalization but of ethnocentrism predating colonialism.
Historical Evidence of Conflict
Before colonial contact, Africans fought along tribal lines. The Rwandan genocide, Nigerian Civil War, Yoruba wars, and Ife-Modakeke conflicts show that communalism is often a facade. Xenophobia stems from fear of foreigners, and ethnocentrism is not unique to Africa. Europeans also fought inter-ethnic wars before adopting liberal democracies with constitutional protections.
The Role of Institutions
In Africa, however, ethnic and religious tensions are institutionalized, sometimes even by state organs. The time has come to admit that African ethnocentrism predates colonialism and globalization. Africans have never been innocent, and the romanticized view of African communalism is a myth.
Conclusion
There is no difference between South African attacks on Nigerians and conflicts within Nigeria based on ethnicity or religion. Humans are rational animals, but when reason is sidelined, the beast emerges. The difference lies in moral and political will to manage this propensity through virtue, good laws, and divine grace. As Father Akinwale wrote from Augustine University, Ilara Epe, Lagos State, the need for honest introspection is urgent.
