Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM),has called on Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm following reports of unrest during a cultural festival.
Speaking on the matter, Dabiri-Erewa described the incident as likely stemming from “misconception and misinterpretation” and urged all parties to exercise restraint while the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa investigates the situation.
The call for calm follows a public advisory issued by the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, which cautioned Nigerians residing in South Africa to remain vigilant.
Tensions escalated in KuGompo City (formerly East London) in the Eastern Cape after the coronation of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko as “Igwe Ndigbo Na East London,” a title representing the Igbo community in the area.
Local leaders, including representatives from ActionSA, the Patriotic Alliance, the civic group March & March, ISANCO, and traditional authorities, staged a protest and submitted a petition to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. They argued that there is no legal provision for foreigners to assume such a title in the province.
Dabiri-Erewa assured Nigerians that the High Commission is thoroughly reviewing the matter and reiterated the need for patience and restraint as investigations continue.
