Page 62 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 20

Leadership
Leadership

People hold small South African
flags as they take part in the 20th
Freedom Day celebrations at the
Moses Mabhida Football stadium
in Durban on April 27,2014.
Freedom Day celebrations mark the
20th anniversary of the country’s
NIGERIA’S ROLE first democratic elections in the
post-Apartheid era. (AAP)

IN ENDING APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA

Written by: Mawuna Remarque Koutonin, editor at SiliconAfrica.com
*originally published in April 2015

n March 1960, 69 black people Sir Balewa lobbied for the effective apartheid regime in South Africa,
were massacred in Sharpeville, expulsion of South Africa from the provide educational opportuni-
South Africa, by the white Commonwealth in 1961. Beyond ties to them and promote general
Iapartheid police. That same political support, Sir Abubakar Ta- welfare. The military administration
year, Nigeria successfully liberated fawa Balewa was the first leader to of General Obasanjo contributed
itself from 160-year British occu- provide a direct financial aid to the $3.7 million to the fund. Moreover,
pation. The new Nigeria’s leaders’ ANC from the early 1960s. At the General Obasanjo made a person-
reaction to the Sharpeville massacre height of the liberation movement al donation of $3,000, while each
has changed everything in South in the 1970s, Nigeria alone provided member of his cabinet also made
Africa from then on. Here is a letter $5-million annual subvention to the personal contributions of $1,500
Nigeria’s Prime Minister Abubakar ANC and the Pan Africanist Con- each. All Nigeria’s civil servants and
Tafawa Balewa sent to the African gress (PAC) annually. public officers made a 2% donation
National Congress (ANC) militants from their monthly salary to the
on April 4, 1961. (See in next page) In 1976, Nigeria set up the Southern SAFR. Students skipped their lunch
Africa Relief Fund (SAFR) destined to make donations, and just in 6
Immediately after sending the letter, to bring relief to the victims of the months, in June 1977, the popular

62 | we tell the true afrikan story