Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has exchanged words with the South African presidency over the alleged exclusion of his introduction and speech from a livestream of a diplomatic ceremony hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The incident occurred on Friday during the presentation of letters of credence by 15 ambassadors to Ramaphosa at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.
Fani-Kayode accused the South African presidency of deliberately excluding Nigeria’s delegation from the broadcast, claiming that the introductions and speeches of representatives from 14 other countries were aired.
In a post on his Facebook page, the former Minister of Aviation said Nigeria was the only country whose presentation was omitted from the livestream.
He also disclosed that he personally raised the matter with Ramaphosa during a photo session after the ceremony.
According to him, the South African President questioned the officials responsible for the broadcast and directed them to address the complaint.
However, Fani-Kayode said the intervention came too late because the Nigerian delegation had already been excluded from the transmission.
He suggested that some individuals might have been uncomfortable with his presence or speech but maintained that he would continue his diplomatic assignment.
Responding to the allegation, the spokesperson for the South African President, Vincent Magwenya, rejected Fani-Kayode’s account, accusing him of misrepresenting Ramaphosa’s involvement.
Magwenya said the President did not intervene in the operations of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), adding that he merely directed the Nigerian envoy to the appropriate official, Sophie Mokoena, to address his complaint.
He also accused Fani-Kayode of refusing to engage with Mokoena, who could have clarified the situation.
The presidential spokesperson maintained that Ramaphosa had no mandate to interfere with the broadcaster’s editorial decisions or operations.
He further described the Nigerian envoy’s reaction to the incident as inappropriate, advising him to build a professional relationship with the South African media.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa, Frank Onyekwelu, said he was not present in the Presidential Guest Room when the incident occurred.
He told Saturday PUNCH that he had been informed about the controversy and was already speaking with a media organisation about the alleged exclusion.
