Around this time August last year, I was in the market for a car. Like many people, I wanted something reliable, decent-looking, and most importantly affordable based on the money I had at hand. As I began sharing my plans, a number of friends started offering unsolicited advice. “Why not go for something bigger?” “You should do bank auto-financing!” “How can you, a Nigerian, not drive a luxury car?” Yes, these were the actual comments I received. In their eyes, a car wasn't just a means of transportation; it was a status symbol. They couldn’t understand why I would even consider buying a modest vehicle when I could take out a loan to get something more “flashy.” But I stood my ground. I chose a Renault Captur simple, functional, and within my budget. And when the criticism came pouring in, I calmly responded: “I cut my coat according to my size. Don’t compare me with Nigerians whose source of income you don’t know.” Some people didn’t get it. To them, life is about appearan...
In the rich, vibrant tapestry of South Africa, a troubling contradiction continues to unfold a conflict that sees dark brown people turning against others who share not just the same skin tone, but the same ancestral roots. It’s a reality too painful to ignore, especially when South Africans mostly dark-skinned themselves shout at fellow Africans to “go back to your country,” dismissing shared history, culture, and bloodlines in favor of artificial borders and colonially imposed identities. A Brotherhood Broken by Borders from Zimbabweans and Mozambicans t o Nigerians and Congolese , African migrants who come to South Africa in search of safety, opportunity, and brotherhood are too often met not with solidarity, but with hostility. They're called " foreigners, " treated with suspicion, and sometimes even hunted down by mobs who believe their mere presence is a threat. Yet, when you remove the flags, accents, and passport stamps, what remains? Brothers & sisters Af...