Nigerian receives death threats in Swaziland
Mr Alli Abdul-Hameed
From SIBONGILE SUKATI in Swaziland
A Nigerian national residing in Swaziland says he has been receiving death threats and insults for wearing Swazi traditional attire.
Mr Alli Abdul—Hameed says he has been called names like ‘a mad man’ and that he is embarrassing ‘because he walks around naked’.
Mr Hameed said the people who call him names and insult him are not Swazi nationals but people from different African nations who reside in the country.
Mr Hameed, when interviewed a few months ago, had said he was going to bring a Nigerian delegation for cultural exchange purposes.
He had even promised to bring Nigerian comedians Mr Ebu and More for the Incwala ceremony, but says circumstances beyond his control made the trip impossible.
He said so serious were the threats that he was contemplating going to the police so that should anything happen to him it would be on record that he was being threatened.
“Although I know the individuals who are threatening me, I will not reveal their names for now,” he said.
Mr Hameed said Swazis had embraced him and it would also be folly of Nigerians to punish Swazis, for example, for wearing Nigerian traditional gear.
Mr Hameed said he was upset that some people would bother themselves about his dress code when they are not even Swazis themselves.
“I bought the traditional gear using my own money and went to the Incwala with other tourists,” he said.
Asked if he did not think that this would be perceived in some quarters as a publicity stunt Mr Hameed said he did not need any publicity.
“I have met with ministers and principal secretaries, I have even met Miss Swaziland so I do not need any further publicity, I just want these people who are threatening and insulting me and the Swazi traditional gear to stop,” he said.
Mr Hameed added that he had witnesses who have been present when he was harassed for wearing emajobo – The Times of Swaziland.