Nigeria, South Africa trade words over exclusion from diplomatic ceremony livestream

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

In the last 24 hours, the Nigerian and South African governments have been trading words over the exclusion of Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa Femi Fani-Kayode’s speech from the live stream of a diplomatic ceremony in Pretoria.

In its latest response to South African presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria said Mr Fani-Kayode was treated with contempt and disdain, and that this, by extension, is mistreatment of Nigeria.

The commission, through its official X handle, called Mr Magwenya a “liar” and a “disgrace.”

“Outside of that, your insolence and ignorance know no bounds. You are bringing your nation into disrepute and willfully and purposely burning the bridge of peace and reconciliation. That is a matter of concern to us. The only thing that is inappropriate is the shameful way that you and your team behaved,” the commission said.

The comment was a response to Mr Magwenya’s X post, which was directed toward Mr Fani-Kayode.

The Nigerian High Commissioner, on Friday, accused the South African presidency of cutting off the live stream during his speech at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, where he presented his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Fani-Kayode, also accredited to Lesotho and Eswatini, said he was the only one of the 15 ambassadors given the stage to speak whose live stream was cut off.

“To be clear, 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 said.

The South African presidential spokesperson responded to Mr Fani-Kayode, stating that the event was livestreamed by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), whose operations are not controlled by the presidency.

Mr Magwenya said the SABC is a public broadcaster, and that the “President does not interfere with its operations or intervene in its editorial processes.”

He accused Mr Fani-Kayode of misrepresenting the facts.

He also said, “I would encourage you, as you start your tenure in South Africa, to meet with SABC to forge a mutually beneficial, respectful and professional relationship.”

However, hours after Fani-Kayode’s allegations, the SABC uploaded a separate video featuring his speech on its website.

Joining the diplomatic spat, the Nigerian High Commission accused Mr Magwenya of trying to heighten diplomatic tension between the states by “adding fuel to the fire.”

“A few months ago you, as spokesman to the President of the Republic of South Africa, described our President and the President of Ghana as peddlers of fake news after they expressed their deep and legitimate concerns about Afrophobia and Xenophobia in your country.

“We let that one go and ignored you. Today, you are calling our newly accredited Ambassador to your country a liar, barely a few hours after he presented his letters of credence.

“You also claim that he has disgraced our country simply because he complained to your President about a slight which your media team subjected him and our nation to.

“We also have the full video clip of the proceedings after the pictures were taken which, if and when we are given the go-ahead to do so, we shall release,” the High Commission said.

Relations between Nigeria and South Africa grew tense after a new wave of xenophobic violence broke out in April and has since been linked to the death of at least 12 Nigerians.

Mr Fani-Kayode, first deployed to Germany as ambassador, said he asked to be redeployed to South Africa because it was more “proximate to my political thinking when it comes to foreign affairs and a pan-African vision.”