Fani-Kayode presents Letter of Credence to Ramaphosa, formally assumes duty as ambassador

Femi Fani-Kayode presenting his Letter of Credence to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has presented his Letter of Credence to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, marking the official commencement of his diplomatic assignment in the country.

Mr Fani-Kayode presented his letter to Mr Ramaphosa at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, the official residence of the South African Presidency, on Friday.

The High Commissioner shared the development on X, describing the event as “great and historic.”

Letters of credence are formal diplomatic documents issued by a country’s head of state to confirm the appointment of a High Commissioner or permanent representative.

They officially introduce the envoy to the receiving authority, in this case, the South African president, and certify that the individual is empowered to speak and act on behalf of their nation.

Mr Fani-Kayode presented his letter of credence alongside ambassadors from 14 other countries. Each was formally introduced and given the floor to speak.

He pledged to strengthen diplomatic relations between both countries, describing the restoration of their historic friendship as a key priority of his diplomatic mission.

The envoy, also accredited to Lesotho and Eswatini, conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill to Mr Ramaphosa.

This comes amid tense relations between Nigeria and South Africa over xenophobic violence that forced many African states to evacuate their citizens residing in the country.

Mr Fani-Kayode had previously condemned violence against Nigerian nationals by South African security officials. He estimated that at least 30 Nigerians have been killed by the state’s police in the last four years. 12 Nigerians have also been killed since the start of the year.

In September, the High Commissioner said Nigeria’s patience was running thin.

Speaking at the ceremony, however, Mr Fani-Kayode recalled Nigeria’s support for South Africa during the struggle against apartheid, saying both countries shared a longstanding history of solidarity and friendship.

He described Nigeria and South Africa as major trading partners on the continent and stressed the importance of preserving their historical ties.

“Part of my job here is to reset that relationship, to come and build that bridge, and to ensure that whatever concerns we have, we can work them out and move forward together,” he said.

Mr Fani-Kayode added that closer cooperation between the two countries would strengthen Africa’s position and advance the interests of their citizens.

“If Nigeria and South Africa work closely together, the destiny of our great continent will be more secure,” he said.

The high commissioner also commended South Africa’s contributions to international diplomacy, particularly its role in BRICS, the Global South and the Group of 20 (G20).

He described South Africa’s engagement in global affairs as important to strengthening Africa’s representation on the international stage.

Meanwhile, Mr Fani-Kayode, on his X handle, complained that the South African presidential media team failed to live-stream his speech despite capturing those of the other ambassadors present.

“Of all the 15 introductions and speeches that were made and delivered this morning, only Nigeria’s was cut out,” he said. “To be clear, I repeat, we were the ONLY ones that were left out.”

“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 noted further.