Ghanaian Afro-dancehall star Stonebwoy, born Livingstone Etse Satekla, has voiced concern over reports of xenophobic attacks and hostility towards foreigners in South Africa, describing such incidents as painful and disappointing.

Speaking on the ‘Sent Back’ Podcast, the award-winning musician said he was deeply affected after watching a video allegedly showing a South African attacking a Ghanaian and calling for foreigners to leave the country.

“I saw a video when I was coming over here and a South African was bashing a Ghanaian and said, ‘we don’t need you guys here anymore.’ And my heart was just bleeding,” he said.

Stonebwoy said it was troubling to see Africans turning against one another on the same continent, arguing that such behaviour reflects deeper issues affecting how people view each other.

“It’s like when I’m watching the video and I’m seeing a black man cussing another black man on their own continent, on their own land. And all I can see is how our minds have been played with. That’s all I can see,” he stated.

The “Putuu” hitmaker stressed the need for stronger African integration, warning that restrictions and negative attitudes towards migration could weaken cultural connections, including the entertainment industry.

“As much as we talk about entertainment or I go Ghana, believe you me, if the government of Nigeria says that we don’t want Ghanaians, you will not find that peace anymore to be coming,” he explained.

He added that Africans must pay more attention to decisions and policies that limit movement across borders, saying the responsibility of promoting unity should not rest only with governments.

“But most of them, we don’t pay attention to the things that tend to seize us from enjoying our continent as a people. That is because the policymakers made it so. That is because the policymakers allowed it so,” Stonebwoy said.

The musician clarified that his remarks were not directed against South Africa, praising the country’s contributions while calling for an end to attitudes that create divisions among Africans.

“Once upon a time it was ‘Ghana Must Go.’ And they sent out some Ghanaians and all those ones and all that. Now we don’t have that era. I love South Africa. I love South Africa and the contributions they make and all of those ones. I love Africa as a whole. So if I see some of these things on the social media, you realise that no, we need to cut down that mentality as well,” he stated.

Stonebwoy concluded by urging Africans, particularly the younger generation, to champion unity and embrace the idea of a borderless continent.

“It should be easy for all of us to roam around our continent. This is very important and it is not supposed to be left at the policymaking level. Let us as kids, as children of Africa, continue to preach this unity amongst us,” he added.

Watch the interview below:

Source: Yvonne Nyarko Agyemang