Anita Odunyao Solarin, a 21-year-old Nigerian who has lived in South Africa her entire life, is just one example of the deep-seated xenophobia that continues to plague the country, Al Jazeera reports.
Solarin, who was brought up in Pretoria, feels like a stranger in the land she calls home, choosing to hide her Nigerian heritage to avoid relentless bullying and prejudice.
“I try not to show where I am from or look Nigerian. I hide my identity socially,” Solarin told the news outlet. “Because I’ve had to do it for so long, it has become normal.”
Her experiences are not unique. Solarin’s earliest memories of anti-Nigerian sentiment date back to kindergarten, where she was mistreated by a classmate.
“A child, just four years old, hated me even though we were in the same school, looked the same, and did the same things,” Solarin shared.
This deep-rooted prejudice has continued throughout her life, with constant bullying and name-calling, including the derogatory term “makwerekwere,” a local slur for foreigners.
“South Africans have this idea that if you’re not one of them, you don’t deserve to be here,” she added, her frustration evident.
Solarin’s story echoes the tragic experience of 23-year-old Chidimma Adetshina, a Nigerian beauty queen who faced severe xenophobic harassment as a finalist in the Miss South Africa (Miss SA) pageant. The harassment, which was so intense that Adetshina eventually withdrew from the competition, has brought the issue of xenophobia in South Africa back into the spotlight.
“Not many Nigerian children here will say ‘I am Nigerian’ because they are scared of the backlash and the hate. It’s just not safe for them,” Solarin stated.
South Africa has a long history of anti-foreigner sentiment, which has often turned violent. While recent events have sparked outrage, Solarin and others like her are left feeling disillusioned and unsafe in the country they call home.
