Xenophobia outcome : The Model of Corporate citizenship Responsibility By Ritchie Ejiofor
Let me start my extending my sincere condolences and share our thoughts and prayers to all the families affected by the senseless xenophobic attacks in South Africa. More importantly, we pray that this episode would be the very last of such fear triggered attacks on Africans by Africans on the continent and around the world. For many, their lives have changed for ever. While so many would live with such traumatic experiences, the relationship between both countries stands on a thin string of thread ready to snap.
It is worthy to say that despite the internal strife at home, the government and Nigerians responded the best way they know by show of support during this period, we have to at this point in time condemn in the strongest possible terms the looting, and wanton destruction of properties alleged to be owned by South Africans in Nigeria as part of the mob retaliatory action for the xenophobic attacks. The mob action is best described as action for reaction and such finds no place in our Nigerian society.
I have become enmeshed in Professor Lumunba of Kenya’s Greek analogy and analysis of the make up of society and as I begin to reflect on that ancient analysis, I clearly can juxtapose that and it fits in correctly in our today Nigeria, and this is the premise on which this article will periscope our society response and outcome from the xenophobia week of horror and its aftermath. In the greek analogy, we are told that the ten percentile are those who are classified as idiots, their name is not just because they fit within the normal imbecility of what ordinarily the society calls idiot, but they are so-called because “they” think with their resources and wealth and exclusive residential ambience, they are secured and have no worries and with their money, they have bought life and everything else. This group you will find out in our society are mainly the politicans, elected leaders and those captains of corruption, who judge Nnodim called the ” Nouveau riche class” aka People of sudden wealth. The next category in the analogy is the Tribalist. Again, they are so called not because of the affilation to a particular ethnic tribe, but their tribal membership encompasses religion, denominations, political parties, club memberships, regional affinity, Unionist groups. This group are the most dangerous and help perpetuate the decaying values of the Nigerian society, they see everything from the lenses of their tribal mindset. When the xenophobia attacks were raging on in South Africa, the Tribalist group were busy finding out how many Christians vs. Muslims casualties were there, how many Southerns and Northerns, how many APC, or PDP, if the victims were IPOB members, if they were IGBOS or YORUBAS, and the other finicky issues while forgetting that those who lost their lives and properties are nothing but NIGERIAN CITIZENS at the end of the day.
The last group categorization in the Greek analogy is that of the citizens and this group in any society that is well rounded and is destined to grow are normally in the majority. The members of this group, look at the society from a wholistic angle and they are trained to do the right thing so that the common good of one is for all. The citizens protect the common goal of all and they weld together the society. As Nigerian society gets more entangled in the web of internal strife and fear of marginalization, the citizenship group becomes eroded and almost extinct, and they are almost being eclipsed by the Tribalist mentality and it takes re-education and re-orientation to nurture and create more citizens who historically are the tripod of the country’s foundation, those are the people we called nationalists and true citizens.
Now, having provided the premise, let us ask ourselves, looking at the Nigerian society and the aftermath of Nigerian citizens tragedy in South African after the recent xenophobia attacks, have Nigerians behaved as idiots?,Tribalist or citizenship?. This event has produced and will go on record in history of Africa, that the owner of Air Peace, is indeed a true citizen and has displayed the epitome of corporate Citizenship responsibilities. He acted swiftly and actively. He was involved just as most model citizens in developed countries would act in the aftermath of a national calamity. It is typical for example in the U.S after the hurricanes or any natural disaster, for the world and America to witness a huge display of corporate and citizens responsiblity. Nigeria’s wealthy class have all been mute and unresponsive to the xenophobia, the various corporate entities have also been hands at akimbo. Is their inaction due to them displaying the Greek listed model group characteristics?
Most normal societies where the citizens model group are in majority, we should have expected the Dangotes ,Adenugas, Offors, Adelekes, our top rated musicians, Davidos, Wizkid, Psquares, Flavor, Yemi Alade, Don Jazzy, all the Hollywood celebrities and industries to join the lead started by Air Peace and set up foundations, raise funds to rehabilitate the returnees who by now are in traumatic quagmire. This is the time corporate responsibility is needed. We as a society must learn to give back to the society. We must learn to volunteer. We have bastardized the giving back or volunteerism by the corruption inept in our NYSC, so the average Nigerian feels one has to “settle” because it does not pay to volunteer.
This year, “Air peace” and its owner, Mr Onyema, undoubtedly are the “Man of the year” and “Company of the Year” recipients. They have done what an ideal citizen and corporate citizenship must do. They airlifted for free without blinking in an emergency situation and they did that because the lives of Nigerians were in danger. They have demonstrated that #EveryNigerianlifematters. We should hold the other ten percentile in the idiot group who think they are secured and safe accountable. This action by Air peace is a lesson and a model for all Nigerian citizens and corporate responsibility.
Richmond Ejiofor is a Doctoral student at Walden University and is an independent insurance Agent and Financial Advisor in NJ.
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