Nigeria, Aug. 3 -- In 1988, Mr PW Botha, who was president of apartheid South Africa from 1984 till 1989, said the following:

"Black people cannot rule themselves because they don't have the brain and mental capacity to govern a society. Give them guns, they will kill themselves. Give them power, they will steal all the government money. Give them independence and democracy, they will use it to promote tribalism, ethnicity, bigotry, hatred, killings, and wars!"

These choice words coming from this racist Afrikaaner and white supremacist appal me.

They have been entrenched in the inner recesses of my spirit and soul ever since I first came across them 33 long years ago.

My repugnance and revulsion to such sentiments and those who harbou...