In a letter to South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the former President said Africans must treat each other as brothers and friends wherever they live.
The letter was made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, by Obasanjo’s media aide Kehinde Akinyemi.
The former President said: “If South Africa fails to initiate appropriate and satisfactory steps to deal with the issues to pacify affected victims and work for reconciliation with the countries concerned to put an end to xenophobia, the concerned countries of the victims should come together to table appropriate motions at the AU level first and consider other measures, if the situation is allowed to continue.”
Obasanjo warned against revenge, saying it was not a desirable solution.
Obasanjo said South African law enforcement agencies must uphold the constitution and ensure criminals are brought to justice.
He recalled the role Nigeria played to help South Africa end apartheid because it believed that Africans should not be treated as second-class citizens because of the colour of their skin.
Obasanjo said Nigeria would do for other countries what it did for South Africa in the interest of the black race.(Thenation)