Human rights lawyer and activist Malcolm Omirhobo has called on Nigerians living abroad to demonstrate humility, especially in host African countries, amid the protests in Ghana.

Omirhobo stated this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, while reacting to the ongoing protest by some Ghanaians who allege that Nigerians are responsible for rising crime rates in their country.

He described the situation as sad and cautioned that it could snowball into xenophobic hatred for foreigners.

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“This matter needs to be handled by the appropriate authorities so it doesn’t get out of hand. It’s a shame that Africans should be behaving like this when we are supposed to be uniting,” he said.

He urged both the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments to swiftly intervene and resolve the issue diplomatically.

“Both governments need to sit down with the necessary diplomats, and it needs to be done very urgently to protect lives and property before the matter gets out of hand,” he stated.

Omirhobo also urged the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to step in.

“The NIDCOM should go down there and see that the lives and property of Nigerians are being protected before it goes out of hand and try to resolve the issue,” he added.

Commenting on some of the possible causes of the protests, Omirhobo pointed to the attitudes of some Nigerians abroad.

He explained, “I think many Nigerians do not have emotional intelligence. For instance, I think one of the reasons the Ghanaians are protesting is that the Nigerians are oppressive. It may not be in a negative form.

“See, even in America, we have white men cleaning Nigerian toilets and getting paid. Nigerians drive the best cars. We work hard. We are unique. “That is the truth. Anywhere we go, even the white man knows that Nigerians are seen as very strong competitors all over the world. They are seen as hardworking. They are living the best life over there, and the indigenes of their host are sometimes behind them in practically everything.”

Omirhobo maintained that Nigerians should be more respectful of their host environments.

“What I’m trying to say is that Nigerians also should try to be humble and respect our host community. One of the things that sparked this thing was the installation of an Ibo traditional ruler in Ghana, and they said the man is controlling the market and a lot of things, so they’re not happy.

“So all these things we need to talk to Nigerians, not only in Ghana, in Kenya and everywhere, to slow down and be humble,” he concluded.