“Xenophobia and its Implications for Social Order in Africa”: A rejoinder to Lanre-Abass and Oguh

Abstract

Xenophobia is a topical issue in contemporary discourses. Questions have been raised on how to solve this menace. For example, different writers and scholars have made efforts to provide solutions to the problem. In this rejoinder, I will engage with Bolatito Lanre-Abass and Matthew Oguh in their paper published in Filosofia Theoretica vol. 5, No. 1 January – June, 2016. These scholars share their views concerning xenophobia in Africa. However, in their attempt to find a solution to the problem, certain arguments and terms were used, which I find unconvincing. I will, therefore, raise three objections to the work: (1) conception of xenophobia (2) tolerance as the solution and (3) the idea of the “other” as used by the authors in the work. I will propose a different solution to xenophobia in Africa, which involves internalizing certain ethical principles.