Deploy Substantive Ambassador to South Africa Now, Oluwafemi Urges FG
The President of the Africa Development Study Centre (ADSC), Sir Victor Walsh Oluwafemi, has called on the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive steps to protect Nigerian citizens abroad and restore the country’s global standing.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Oluwafemi condemned the recent and recurring attacks on Nigerians in the Republic of South Africa, stressing that the situation demands immediate diplomatic intervention.
“The safety of Nigerian citizens abroad is not a diplomatic courtesy; it is a sovereign obligation,” he stated.
Oluwafemi, who is also an International Development Consultant and a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, expressed concern that Nigeria currently has no substantive Ambassador in South Africa. According to him, this absence creates a strategic vacuum at a time when tensions and vulnerabilities persist.
“An Ambassador is not deployed for ceremony alone. An Ambassador represents national authority, deterrence, crisis engagement, and the structured defence of citizens. Strategic countries must never remain diplomatically underrepresented,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to immediately appoint and deploy a substantive Ambassador to South Africa and fast-track ambassadorial postings to other high-risk jurisdictions.
Beyond the ambassadorial appointment, Oluwafemi called for the summoning of the South African High Commissioner in Abuja for formal engagement and firm assurances regarding the safety of Nigerian nationals.
He insisted that incidents involving the killing or violent targeting of Nigerians abroad should trigger visible diplomatic action within 24 hours, warning that delayed responses weaken deterrence and embolden further attacks.
According to him, the issue goes beyond South Africa, noting that a troubling perception is emerging in parts of the continent that Nigeria can be treated with casual disregard.
“From regulatory hostility to public rhetoric and sporadic violence, this pattern must not be allowed to normalise. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and one of its leading economies. Its citizens must never be treated as expendable,” he said.
Oluwafemi emphasised that national reputation is a critical asset, arguing that unchecked attacks on Nigerians affect investor confidence, diaspora morale, bilateral negotiations, and Nigeria’s continental leadership credibility.
He therefore called for the institutionalisation of citizen protection within Nigeria’s foreign policy framework. Bilateral engagements, he said, must include enforceable commitments on citizen safety, while diplomatic performance should be measurable and accountable.
The ADSC President also urged the Minister of Foreign Affairs to strengthen rapid response mechanisms, establish structured escalation procedures for diaspora incidents, and ensure Nigerian missions in sensitive jurisdictions operate with clear protective mandates.
He further charged the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to intensify risk mapping, enhance crisis reporting channels, and deepen structured engagement with host authorities to better support Nigerians in vulnerable environments.
While demanding stronger government action, Oluwafemi also advised Nigerians living abroad to uphold the laws of their host countries and conduct themselves responsibly.
“National reputation is shaped not only by statecraft but by citizen behaviour. Nigerians abroad must serve as responsible ambassadors of our values, enterprise, and discipline,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that Nigeria must both demand respect and model responsibility, noting that the protection of Nigerian lives and preservation of the country’s global standing require urgency, clarity, and decisive leadership.
