His Royal Highness, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the Amayanabo of Torusarama Piri (Elem Kalabari) in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, has shared a personal account of his early experience in South Africa, amid ongoing discussions surrounding tensions involving Nigerians in the country.
Dokubo made the remarks during a live video from 10:54 broadcast shared on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, where he narrated events from his first visit to South Africa in 1982.
He said, “On my first visit to South Africa in 1982, that was my first visit to South Africa. I stayed in the house of an Indian family. Muslims. And a friend of mine who was a Nigerian that has gone to South Africa, is an Igbo man. He used to sell communication radios. He has gone to South Africa and he wanted me to come and see him where he’s staying.”
He continued, “And I told Mr. Ahmed, my host, that look, there is a friend of mine from Nigeria who has relocated to South Africa and he wants me to come and see him. He wants me, he wants to take me for dinner. And I told the man and he said, where is the place the person is staying? I told him because he wanted to carry me. He asked, where is the place? And I told him.”
Dokubo further recounted his host’s response, stating, “And the man said, no, he cannot go there. It’s a crime-inflicted area. That’s where Nigerians have infected. I told him I was going to go, but he said, I was his responsibilities and he would not like me to go there in the night. So he asked me to call my friend, and I did. And he spoke to him and said, he, we will come in the morning, in the daytime.”
Describing the visit, he added, “So in the daytime, we went. And on our way, he showed me some properties on the road and said, it was the Jews that were living here before, but have been taken over. The first thing he said that took me aback is that Igbo people have taken over.”
He continued, “We, we drove down and I met my friend and he have switched restaurant is taking us to, that if it is in that area, he is not going, but if it is outside that area, he will go.”
Dokubo concluded the account by reflecting on the encounter, stating, “I thought he was a racist at first, but I remember I was staying with him, with his family, they doesn’t know me. I’m a stranger to them, and they are very good to me. But when my friend insisted that we’ll be having the dinner in the local, in the neighborhood, he had to stay in the car with his daughter. She will finish and they took me back.” Read_More…