Allen Onyema Calls for Non-Violent Boycott of South Africa Over Xenophobic Attacks

Businessman and Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema has called on Nigerians to respond to xenophobic attacks in South Africa through a disciplined economic boycott, rather than violence or the closure of South African businesses operating in Nigeria.

In a strongly worded exclusive interview on Arise News, the airline executive defended his decision to evacuate stranded Nigerians from South Africa for free in 2019, describing it as an act driven purely by love for country.

Onyema revealed that Air Peace is currently involved in a government-supported repatriation exercise, this time on subsidized commercial terms. He criticised the South African authorities for failing to protect Nigerians, noting that attackers were able to drag people from their homes and shops without intervention from police or military forces.

“I don’t want Nigerians to go to the streets and attack any South Africans,” he said. “The kind of retaliation I want is for Nigerians to boycott South Africa. Don’t invest in that country.”

He argued that Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa contribute positively by creating shops and employment opportunities, and urged South Africans to learn entrepreneurial skills from them instead of resorting to violence. Onyema described the attacks as acts of “foolishness” and backed potential diplomatic repercussions hinted at by Nigeria’s foreign minister, Bianca Ojukwu.

The Air Peace boss also reflected on the impact of his 2019 action, claiming it caused stocks in South Africa to drop and demonstrated the power of non-violent resistance. “I did it for the love of country,” he said. “You can’t go to your grave with your money… It’s the legacy you leave behind.”