Why Murtala Muhammed’s Legacy Feels Betrayed by South Africa’s Xenophobia
South Africa’s recent xenophobic attacks sting deeply. A nation once freed by African solidarity now turns against the very friends who stood by it. Nigeria named its international airport after General Murtala Muhammed because he embodied African pride, fearlessness, and resistance. His 1976 speech at the OAU summit in Addis Ababa challenged foreign control and inspired many leaders to act. Nigeria poured billions into anti-apartheid struggles. It funded liberation armies, granted scholarships to exiles, and provided diplomatic and military support. Other frontline states like Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, and Tanzania also suffered economic punishment and raids for sheltering freedom fighters. Today’s violence mostly reflects frustration with broken systems, unemployment, and corruption. Yet forgetting the sacrifices of our past risks repeating the same painful betrayal.
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