The Nigerian High Commission in South Africa has ordered Nigerian citizens to suspend all cultural activities in the country till further notice.
In a circular titled “Advisory to All Nigerians Living in the Republic of South Africa“, the High Commission urged Nigerians to prioritise safety and exercise caution amid what it described as “palpable tension” in the country.
The directives issued were: be security-conscious at all times; moderate movement; limit interaction with unfamiliar persons; maintain a low profile; remain law-abiding; respect local laws and customs; suspend all socio-cultural activities; avoid inflammatory statements on social and mainstream media; steer clear of demonstrations or counter-protests; and refrain from unnecessary display of wealth or flamboyance.
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The advisory also encouraged Nigerians to promptly report any threat to life or property to local security agencies.
This advice forms part of a 10-point advisory to Nigerians residing in the country over rising tension trailing the alleged coronation of an Igbo traditional ruler in the Eastern Cape Province.
Background
Several vehicles were burnt in the province when protests erupted against the alleged coronation of Solomon Eziko as the traditional leader of the Igbo community in the city.
The protest was organised by members of ActionSA, who described Eziko’s coronation as a violation of the province’s sovereignty and constitutional order.
The protest turned violent in KuGompo City, where demonstrators torched vehicles and buildings allegedly owned by foreign nationals.
The unrest also snowballed into looting, with protesters raiding a local butchery.
But Nigeria’s High Commission says the entire premise of the protests rests on a misreading of events. In a statement dated March 26, the High Commission said the Igbo East London festival was merely a cultural event and not a coronation, stating “unequivocally that, contrary to the narrative in the public domain, no coronation took place and none was intended.”
Reaction
The controversy has drawn sharp responses from South Africa’s political landscape.
The Economic Freedom Fighters stated that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs holds the exclusive right to determine and legitimise kings, queens, and traditional leaders in the country, adding that “it is even more insulting for a foreign national to declare kingship in another country“.
ActionSA’s Eastern Cape chairman Athol Trollip said the party stands firmly with recognised traditional authorities, insisting that due process must be followed in matters of cultural and traditional governance
The High Commission has pushed back firmly against the narrative.
It explained that cultural expressions among the Igbo people are often misunderstood outside Nigeria, stressing that such gatherings are largely symbolic and not political, citing practices such as the New Yam Festival, masquerade displays, traditional marriage rites, and chieftaincy title ceremonies as key aspects of Igbo heritage.
For Nigerians in South Africa, the 10-point advisory is a stark reminder of how quickly cultural expression can be misread and how rapidly that misreading can turn dangerous in a country with a long and painful history of xenophobic violence.
