Sunny Osaro has recounted an experience in South Africa where, according to him, a pastor refused to allow him to hold a church service because he is Nigerian.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Osaro said some Nigerians living in South Africa face discrimination not only in business but also in religious settings, where they are sometimes viewed as competitors rather than fellow believers.
Recalling the incident, he said a South African pastor rejected his request to conduct a service, claiming Nigerians were bringing foreign churches into the country.
In his words, “At one point there was even a pastor who looked at me and said, ‘No, you guys cannot hold service in this place. You bring your strange churches from outside South Africa down here.’ And this is a pastor of a church. And we were having a service. I said to him, ‘You’re my brother.’ He said, ‘No, you’re not my brother.'”
Osaro said the experience reflected what he believes is a wider perception that Nigerians pose a threat in both ministry and business.
According to him, “The moment they see that you’re Nigerian, especially, they feel threatened. They feel like you want to take over their members. It’s happening in the business sector. It’s also happening in ministry as well. So there are those of them that feel threatened, like you can’t really relate with them at the level you want to relate with them.”
He said such experiences have contributed to the challenges many Nigerians face while living and working in South Africa……See More
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