What Nigeria-South Africa diplomatic standoff reveals

The mosquito is a tiny insect but surely it’s a terror to millions across the tropical world, especially in Africa. Millions die each year from malaria which is caused by mosquitoes.

But today’s blog is not so much about the pest that the mosquito is. Rather it’s about a diplomatic stand-off between two giants, better still elephants, of Africa.

A diplomatic spat between two of Africa’s giants threatened to spin out of control last week.  South Africa (SA) deported 125 Nigerians for questionable Yellow Fever cards. Nigeria’s response was swift but hardly unpredictable. Nigeria subsequently denied entry to 131 South Africans. Nigeria’s foreign minister, Olusbenga Ashiru, even accused South Africa of xenophobia.

Yellow fever is an acute viral harmorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Nausea, bleeding, vomiting, jaundice and kidney failure are some of the symptoms of yellow fever.

Nigeria and SA are two of Africa’s three giants. The other is Egypt. Nigeria and SA seem bitter rivals too. South Africans are normally not enthused about Nigerians. South Africans find Nigerians a little too brash. Nigerians are also not fond of South Africans either. Nigerians find South Africans overly conceited, even arrogant. These are all labels that seem to be sticking unfortunately. The diplomatic spat took the stereotypes to new heights.

Zuma and Jonathan

The rivalry between the two countries is intense and whenever it bubbles over it grips the collective attention of all Africans and indeed the rest of the world as the immunization rift has shown. For years, Nigeria was the local hegemonic power in Africa. Until of course, South Africa emerged on the scene in 1994.

Accounting for nearly a quarter of Africa’s GDP, South Africa is arguably the continent’s largest and most modern economy. SA is now an official member of the elite club of emerging economies, the BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India and China. Nigeria is not a member. South Africa is also serving a second two-year term on the United Nations Security Council.

Nigeria is also an African powerhouse. With its estimated 160 million population the country is the most populous nation on the continent. Nigeria is Africa’s leading producer of oil and gas. South Africa’s population is just about a third of Nigeria’s.

There is a large and thriving Nigerian community in major South African cities. Not so many South Africans live in Nigeria albeit some of South Africa's largest companies including MTN operate in Nigeria.

The diplomatic rift highlights, not least the longstanding rivalry, economic and political, between the two nations. Nigeria and South Africa have clashed many times at the continental level. On the continent, Nigeria and South Africa’s circle of influence do not necessarily intersect.

In international affairs, Nigeria adopts a more muscular posture, much less so with South Africa.

The two countries differ sharply over the concept of continental unity. For example, Nigeria has thrown its weight behind the idea of establishing a Central Bank of Africa under the aegis of the African Union (AU) to take up the functions of an African Monetary Fund and establish a single currency by 2028. South Africa is strongly opposed to this idea.

At the AU summit in Addis Ababa in January 2012, African leaders failed to elect a new chairperson and deputy chairperson of the AU Commission along with eight commissioners. None of the candidates for the chairperson obtained the two-third majority votes as required by the AU constitution.

Going into the elections, South Africa was hopeful its candidate for the AU chair, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ex-wife of the South African president, Jacob Zuma would win. Nigeria backed Jean Ping, the incumbent. Ping is Gabonese. New elections will take place at the next AU summit in June in Malawi.

South Africa was accused of leading a group of 15 SADC countries to oppose the candidature of ECOWAS and other regions. Rather provocatively, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Prof Bola Akinterinwa has accused South Africa of scheming to take over the control of the continent.

Nigeria supported the Libyan rebels to oust Qaddafi. South Africa was less blunt albeit Jacob Zuma attempted mediation between the rebels and the late dictator but failed.

Nigerian soldier

Nigeria projected power during the 2011 Cote d’Ivoire crisis. Nigeria called for the forceful removal of Laurent Gbagbo. South Africa was much less categorical.

The South African government has since apologized to Nigeria and blamed airport authorities for the spat. Pretoria intends to dispatch an envoy to Abuja in days.

South Africans have not taken kindly to the government's apology to Nigerians. However Nigerians welcomed their government’s swift tit-for-tat reaction and further threats to South Africa’s investment. On various social media platforms many Nigerians claimed it was the first time their national authorities had gotten something right. South Africans however dismissed the Jacob Zuma administration as weak and unable to take a stand. 

Without a doubt the stand-off was a show of muscle. SA's apology may be a tactical pullback after setting off the diplomatic storm. The offer and acceptance of the apology notwithstanding, it remains to be seen if the two giants have indeed moved beyond this latest standoff.