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Imo State and the giant statue of Zuma, South African President condemns Xenophobia and killing of Nigerians

On Saturday, the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, unveiled a statue to honour the South African President, Jacob Zuma, in an event which was witnessed by Mr. Zuma and several other dignitaries and during which a road named after the President was also launched.

The South African President who also received a traditional title of “Ochiagha Imo” by the Eze Imo, Samuel Ohiri, on Friday, was, according to Mr. Rochas Okorocha, being honoured for his love for education.

Governor Rochas said the President’s passion for making sure every child in his country could afford to go to school, despite having been deprived of education in his early days, was a source of inspiration to the State. He also said the only industry that the State had and was proud of is Education.

Mr. Zuma, after receiving the award, admonished that for “Africans to achieve their common goals, we must work together as one.”

Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the construction of this statue of the South African President as individuals and corporate bodies have spoken to criticize the level of negligence they think the Imo State Governor exhibited by this move.

One of such groups, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption has described the visit and honour of the South African President as “embarrassing”. Lanre Suraj, Chairman of the group, said in a statement on Sunday that the title which was bestowed upon the President will embolden him to praise himself as celebrated before his people.

“Apart from allowing Mr. Zuma to address a group of selected secondary school students and other young people, Governor Rochas Okorocha directed a traditional ruler in Imo State to confer a Chieftaincy title on him.

“It is embarrassing that a state government controlled by the All Progressives Congress which is fighting corruption could play host to Mr. Zuma, allegedly a corrupt leader in the current assembly of heads of state in the African Union and portray him as a hero before a group of African youth,”

Also, the social media has been awash with comments from Imo indigenes and residents, lamenting the action and calling it an insult to the people of the state.

Mr. Zuma, who is facing multiple accusations of corruption, fraud, and money laundering in his country, arrived Imo State on a two-day working visit on Friday and  in a league table of education systems drawn up in 2015 by the OECD club of mainly rich countries, South Africa ranks 75th out of 76.

The South African President, while in the state, condemned the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians resident in his country, and solicited for a keener bond between the two countries and between all African countries.

A South African must not kill a Nigerian and a Nigerian must also not kill a South African.

“Every country in Africa should unite as a people to fight for the common course of economic and political emancipation of Africa.”

He made the statement while on a two-day private visit to the Imo State capital, Owerri.

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