Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, Femi Fani-Kayode, has protested the exclusion of his introduction and speech from a livestream of a diplomatic ceremony hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria.
Fani-Kayode said the incident happened on Friday when he presented his letters of credence to Ramaphosa at the South African Presidential Guest House alongside ambassadors from 14 other countries.
Describing the ceremony as historic, the former Minister of Aviation said it marked the first posting of a substantive Nigerian ambassador to South Africa in four years.
However, he alleged that the South African Presidency deliberately excluded Nigeria’s delegation from the broadcast, which was transmitted live by the country’s presidency.
In a statement, Fani-Kayode said, “Every single one of the 15 ambassadors that were present were introduced formally and gave a speech. Curiously the South African Presidency refused to air the introduction of my goodself and the Nigerian delegation or to air my speech.
“They went a step further by cutting us out of the livestream completely and went back on livestream only after my speech was concluded.”
He described the omission as deliberate, insisting that Nigeria was the only country among the 15 whose introduction and speech were not broadcast.
“Of all the 15 introductions and speeches that were made and delivered this morning only Nigeria’s was cut out,” he said.
The ambassador disclosed that he personally raised the matter with Ramaphosa during a photo session after the ceremony, adding that the South African President immediately summoned officials responsible for the broadcast.
“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.
“Right there in my presence he questioned them and directed them to resolve the issue immediately. Sadly by then it was too late and Nigeria had been left out,” he stated.
Fani-Kayode suggested that some individuals in South Africa were uncomfortable with Nigeria’s presence, but maintained that he would continue his diplomatic assignment.
“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.
He added that Nigerian television stations present at the ceremony recorded his speech and would release the footage to the public.
“Luckily for us there were at least two Nigerian television stations at the event and all that I had to say was fully recorded by them and will be released to the Nigerian public,” he said.
He also disclosed that footage showing his complaint to Ramaphosa and the President’s intervention would be made public.
The ambassador further said he declined an interview request from the South African Broadcasting Corporation following the incident.
“Whilst still on the premises, when offered an interview by SABC News (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 added.
Despite the incident, Fani-Kayode said he held South Africa and its people in high regard but would not accept any treatment he considered disrespectful to Nigeria.
“One thing is clear, I have immense respect and affection for South Africa and the South African people but I will not be anywhere or tolerate anyone that disrespects or treats our Government or our people flippantly,” he said.
He, however, thanked Ramaphosa for his intervention, saying, “My thanks goes to President Ramaphosa for his concern and timely intervention.”
The statement ended with a goodwill message to both countries: “God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God bless the Republic of South Africa.”
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