Equatorial Guinea: Shehu Sani reveals what would happen if Baltasar Engonga's father or mother was Nigerian

3 days ago 56

Senator Shehu Sani, a Nigerian former federal lawmaker, said if Equatorial Guinea's Baltasar Engonga had Nigerian parents, South African blogs and social media handles would have heavily criticised Nigerians
Engonga was embroiled in controversy after explicit videos surfaced, leading to his dismissal and sparking public outrage and government response
Sani's comment highlights the historically complex and tense relationship between South Africa and Nigeria, rooted in economic and social dynamics

Senator Shehu Sani, a Nigerian activist and former federal lawmaker, has predicted what South Africans would have done if Baltasar Engonga, the embattled former director general of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF) in Equatorial Guinea, had Nigerian parents.

Engonga recently became embroiled in controversy after over 400 explicit videos allegedly showing him with various women, including relatives of prominent officials, were discovered.

Baltasar Engonga/Shehu Sani/Equatorial Guinea/South Africa

His case has stirred public outrage and government response, with Vice President Teodoro Nguema condemning such behaviour in government offices and announcing new workplace surveillance measures to maintain decorum

He has also been sacked as the ANIF boss.

Shehu Sani speaks on Baltasar Engonga

Commenting on the issue, Senator Sani said South African blogs and social media handles would have dragged Nigerians if Engonga had any biological connection with Nigeria.

"If ‘to say’ the Equatorial Guinea guy has a Nigerian father or Mother, only God would have saved us from the South African blogs and social media handles. Nigerian men can even be attacked," Senator Sani posted on X.

South Africa and Nigeria, two of Africa's largest economies, have experienced a historically complex and often tense relationship. The underlying friction is rooted in economic and social dynamics.

Xenophobic violence in South Africa against Nigerians and other African nationals has strained relations significantly.

The two nations clashed again during the last African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament and, most recently, the case of the beauty pageant Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina.

South Africa's The Department of Home Affairs began investigating Adetshina after she became a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant, but faced criticism as people questioned her eligibility to compete because her mother has Mozambican roots and her father is Nigerian.

Baltasar Engonga: Nigerians react to Shehu Sani's comment

Baffa, @Baffffa, said:

"Nigeria could trend like a month or month. Its just God that saved us."

Napoleon, @napoleon2002, said:

"Just be happy we are not the one involved."

Scholar Eromosele, @Scholarese, said:

"They (South Africans) take our matter too personal."

Deinnaboye Omieibi, @domieibi, said:

"You can never be too sure o! In PH of the 80s, there used to the concept of "Panya man". Which refers to a man who had travelled to Equatorial Guinea in the 40s and was unable to return because of entanglement with poverty, women and alcohol. Many of my Riverine Ijaw uncles became Panya men."