Granted, things get a little crazy with politics in South Africa. But it seems our Nigerian brothers and sisters are taking things one step further. As President Buhari came to give a speech in Pretoria following last month’s xenophobic riots, he was met with an altogether different kind of confrontation at the Union Buildings.
Protesters had gathered outside of the iconic landmark to make their voices heard. But those within earshot might have had to do a double-take when they clocked what the demonstrations were about. The group were demanding that Buhari addresses them immediately – and, while he’s at it, volunteer for a DNA test.
#Biafrans #Biafra #NigeriaInSA #UnionBuildings – they claim that the Nigerian Prez Buhari currently meeting with Prez Ramaphosa is an impostor. That ‘the real Prez Buhari died in 2017’. They also say “We want him to do a DNA test” pic.twitter.com/ZA37LZRyiS
— Yolisa Njamela (@yolisanjamela) October 3, 2019
Why Nigerians want Buhari to take a DNA test
No, this isn’t a very continental episode of Jerry Springer. And it’s nothing to do with baby-mama drama. That would all be too simple. Instead, the protesters who rocked up outside the Union Buildings firmly believe that Muhammadu Buhari is either a clone, or has been replaced by a man called Jubril from Sudan.
The government have been openly accused of being complicit in a conspiracy by Biafran activist Nwannekaenyi “Nnamdi” Kenny Okwu Kanu. Kanu is a leading member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a separatist group that seeks political autonomy for the Igbo speaking people of Southern Nigeria.
However, with conspiracy theories aside, things did get seriously heated during Buhari’s address. The civil disruptors were dispered by stun grenades and rubber bullets. It has been reported that one of the Biafrans – a Nigerian national – was wounded in the leg and he’s currently receiving medical treament.
