Labour Party presidential candidate, Dr Chibuzo Okereke, has urged Nigeria to retain Africa as the centrepiece of its foreign policy despite recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
Okereke said Nigeria should continue playing its traditional “Big Brother” role on the continent, recalling its contribution to South Africa’s liberation during the apartheid era.
He said that if elected president in 2027, his administration would strengthen Nigeria’s influence in Africa through strategic diplomacy while promoting greater continental unity.
Describing xenophobia as a “small mind issue”, Okereke argued that African countries should embrace the benefits of skilled migration instead of viewing foreigners as threats. He said countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom had benefited from attracting skilled people from different parts of the world.
He, however, stressed that every country had the right to enforce its immigration laws, but condemned attacks on foreigners, including Nigerians in South Africa.
Okereke also called for stronger reciprocity in Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with African countries while urging governments across the continent to promote unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
