Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has accused the South African Presidency of excluding him and the Nigerian delegation from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony in Pretoria. Fani-Kayode made the allegation in a statement published on his official X handle on Friday, November 13, following the presentation……
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has accused the South African Presidency of excluding him and the Nigerian delegation from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony in Pretoria.
Fani-Kayode made the allegation in a statement published on his official X handle on Friday, November 13, following the presentation of his letter of credence to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Presidential Guest House.
He said the ceremony marked the first posting of a substantive Nigerian ambassador to South Africa in four years and involved 15 ambassadors from different countries.
According to him, while the introductions and speeches of the other 14 ambassadors were broadcast, the South African Presidency cut out Nigeria’s presentation and resumed the livestream after his speech.
“Of all the 15 introductions and speeches that were made and delivered this morning only Nigeria’s was cut out,” he said.
The envoy said he raised the matter directly with Ramaphosa during the photo session, prompting the South African president to summon relevant officials and direct them to address the issue.
“I raised the issue with President Ramaphosa directly during the course of the photo session and whilst we were still on the premises and, in fairness to him, he took me to the relevant officials and acted with despatch,” he stated.
“Right there in my prescence he questioned them and directed them to resolve the issue immediately.”
However, Fani-Kayode said the intervention came too late to correct the omission, insisting that Nigeria was the only country excluded from the broadcast.
He alleged that some elements in South Africa did not want to hear Nigeria’s position or see its representatives, but maintained that he would continue his diplomatic assignment as long as the country remained welcome and enjoyed Ramaphosa’s confidence.
“Clearly some elements in South Africa do not want to hear what we have to say or see our faces but we are here to stay as long as we are welcome and have the confidence of President Ramaphosa, which I am sure we do,” he said.
Fani-Kayode added that at least two Nigerian television stations present at the event recorded his speech and would release the footage to the Nigerian public.
He also disclosed that he declined an interview offered by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), citing the treatment of the Nigerian delegation.
“Whilst still on the premises, when offered an interview by @SABCNews (the South African State Broadcaster), I turned them down as a consequence of the deplorable way we were treated and I told them to go and listen to my speech instead which their Presidency officials had refused to air,” he said.
Despite the incident, the ambassador said he retained respect and affection for South Africa and its people, but would not tolerate any form of disrespect towards Nigeria or its government.
He also thanked Ramaphosa for his intervention, describing it as timely and expressing appreciation for the South African president’s concern.
