South Africa releases Fani-Kayode’s speech after protest

South Africa’s presidency has released a separate video of Nigeria’s High Commissioner, Femi Fani-Kayode, delivering his address at a credentials presentation ceremony, hours after the diplomat protested its omission from the official livestream.

Fani-Kayode had raised concerns after the live broadcast of Friday’s ceremony, at which he presented his letters of credence alongside 14 other ambassadors to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, failed to capture his speech.

The ceremony took place at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Tshwane, Gauteng, and was streamed on the South African presidency’s YouTube channel.

The broadcast appeared to experience a technical interruption while French Ambassador to South Africa, Antoine Michon, was speaking. Fani-Kayode was scheduled to speak next, but the livestream cut to Ramaphosa’s address to the assembled diplomats.

Reacting to the omission, Fani-Kayode suggested that his exclusion might have been deliberate, alleging that some elements in South Africa did not want to hear his views or see him.

“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 disclosed that he personally brought the matter to Ramaphosa’s attention during the photo session following the ceremony.

According to the Nigerian envoy, the South African president took him to the relevant officials and acted promptly to address his complaint.

Hours later, the presidency published a separate recording of Fani-Kayode’s speech on its YouTube channel.

In the address, the Nigerian diplomat pledged to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly economic and diplomatic cooperation, between both countries.

“Nothing can come between the two of us. And part of my job here is to reset that relationship, to come and build that bridge, and to ensure that whatever concerns we have mutually, we can work them out and move forward together,” he said.

Recalling Nigeria’s support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle, Fani-Kayode said the historical ties between both countries provided a strong foundation for closer cooperation.

He described Nigeria as South Africa’s largest trading partner in Africa and stressed the importance of sustained collaboration between the two countries in advancing the continent’s interests.

“Without South Africa and Nigeria working together, closely together, the destiny of our great continent may well be affected,” he said.

Fani-Kayode also commended South Africa’s positions on international issues, including the conflict in Gaza, its participation in the BRICS bloc and its advocacy for the interests of the Global South.

He praised Ramaphosa’s efforts towards securing Nigeria’s inclusion in the Group of 20 (G20), describing them as noteworthy and encouraging.

The credentials presentation marked the first posting of a substantive Nigerian high commissioner to South Africa in four years, according to Fani-Kayode.