Nigeria's Historic Role Against Apartheid Highlighted

Femi Fani-Kayode discusses Nigeria's significant role in the fight against apartheid, emphasizing the leadership of General Murtala Muhammed. He recalls Muhammed's condemnation of Western support for apartheid and Nigeria's commitment as a member of the "front line states." In 1975, Muhammed deployed 13,000 Nigerian troops to combat apartheid forces in southern Africa, utilizing neighboring states such as Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, and Angola as bases.

At the OAU Heads of Government meeting in Addis Ababa, he delivered a historic anti-apartheid speech titled “Africa Has Come of Age,” where he criticized the white South African government and their American backers, specifically addressing U.S. President Gerald Ford's attempts to influence African leaders.

Muhammed's speech underscored Africa's need for self-determination and rejected external control, asserting that the continent's future lies in its own hands.