…Africa unite! We cannot do without each other
…We should not let other fellow Africans feel unwelcome to our countries
Prophet T.B. Joshua has condemned the sudden spate of xenophobic attacks ravaging South Africa, saying no African country can survive alone.
The Nigerian televangelist, the first among a sea of renowned prophets across the continent to publicly condemn the attacks, urged African countries “to unite” in order to defeat the common enemy – Satan, who he said is camouflaged differently.
Throughout the sermon, Prophet T.B Joshua preaches the message of pan-Africanism.
“No African country can succeed alone. Africans need each other to develop. We are indispensable to each other; we cannot do without each other. No one is self-sufficient”.
The leader of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) said people across Africa should not allow boundaries to put barriers between them.
“Dear Africans, we should not let other fellow Africans feel unwelcome to our countries. Everyone has a contribution to make.
“Whether you are poor, rich, immigrant or refugee – you have a contribution to make for the development of Africa” said Prophet T.B. Joshua who is regarded as Africa’s most humble pastor.
He also urged governments across the continent of Africa to fight youth unemployment which portrayed as one the primary causes behind the increasing cases of xenophobia in South Africa.
“Africa has neglected her youths. Africa has abandoned the youths to themselves. Africa has failed to make provision for the youths, whereas tomorrow’s Africa is the youths” he said before praying South Africa which he described as his nation.
He said whenever he imagines the future of Africa, he spends sleepless nights because “everything looks gloomy, frustrating, hopeless, dull and sunless” with the youth being neglected.
“I pray for my nation, South Africa. As Jesus stood in the boat and commanded the storms to be calm, I stand in the midst of the storm in my nation, South Africa, and I command the storm, wind and waves to be calm” he prayed.
“Africa, Unite!” he pleaded.
“Every African country should be concerned with what is happening in South Africa. We should see it as if it is happening in the whole of the African continent.
“The wound of one should be the wound of all. Africa is like a human being. South Africa may be a hand. Ghana may be the other hand. If anything happens to any part of this body, the whole body will feel it. That is the way it should be”.
“Africa should see the challenges in one country as theirs all. The wound of one, should be the wound of all. Come together and redeem out continent. Africa, Unite!” T.B. Joshua preaches the pan-African message.
He warned that unless Africa emerge as a united bloc, the xenophobic attacks in South Africa can happen anywhere.
Angry mob of South Africans looted, burned and vandalized shops, properties, and vehicles owned by black immigrants.
According to the South African police, five people have been butchered and several others seriously injured. Some people were set on fire by the mob.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa who has been condemned for failing to condemn the attacks said warned that the spate of xenophobic attacks in the Rainbow nation could trigger violence against its citizens abroad.
Xenophobic and anti-immigrant attacks are not new in South Africa. There have been umerous outbreaks of xenophobic violence against refugees, migrants and asylum seekers in South Africa since since 2008.
In some cases, xenophobia has been fueled by the hate-filled rhetoric of authorities and politicians.
For example, in December 2016, the Executive Mayor of City of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba labelled foreign nationals living in Johannesburg as “criminals” who had hijacked the city. He blamed them for the high levels of crime in the city.
In November 2018, the then minister of Health, now minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi accused “foreign” nationals of what he called burdening the country’s health system.
As a result of these attacks, several innocent people end up being killed in cold-blood.
