Fani-Kayode protests exclusion from Pretoria ceremony livestream
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, protested against the exclusion of his address from the livestream of a ceremony presenting credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria. He denounced a deliberate omission, while all 15 ambassadors present were introduced and spoke, according to Punch.
Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, Femi Fani-Kayode, protested on Friday over the omission of his introduction and speech from the livestream of a diplomatic ceremony hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria. He said the Nigerian delegation had been excluded from the broadcast while representatives of 14 other countries were introduced, according to Punch.
Fani-Kayode said the ceremony, at which he presented his credentials to Ramaphosa, marked the first appointment of a substantive Nigerian ambassador to South Africa in four years. He said he had raised the issue directly with the South African president during a photo session after the ceremony.
According to Fani-Kayode, Cyril Ramaphosa immediately summoned the officials responsible for the broadcast and asked them to resolve the issue. However, the Nigerian ambassador said he believed the livestream could no longer be restored in time for his address.
Fani-Kayode also claimed that some people in South Africa were uncomfortable with Nigeria’s presence, without specifying their identities.
