General
Fani-Kayode Cites Ideological Reasons for Choosing S’Africa Over Germany
By Adedapo Adesanya
The former Minister of Aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, has been redeployed from Germany to South Africa as Nigeria’s ambassador.
Mr Fani-Kayode disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday, stating that President Bola Tinubu has approved his reassignment to South Africa upon his request, contrary to reports that he was rejected by the European nation.
The request, he said, was put forward days after his posting was announced in March alongside that of 64 other ambassadorial appointees.
The former aviation minister said he “personally sought” redeployment due to personal and ideological reasons.
“I expressed the fact that I would rather serve in a country that shares some of my convictions, beliefs and values when it comes to world affairs, that has the biggest economy in Africa, that has closer ties to Nigeria, and that is more proximate to my political thinking when it comes to foreign affairs and a pan-African vision,” Mr Fani-Kayode stated.
He also said, “I was not comfortable with Germany for several personal reasons. Given that I have lived in Europe most of my life, I would prefer to go to South Africa, which is a country that I have never been to and for which I have so much interest.”
He disclosed that he had presented his request and reasons to the then former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who was still in his seat at the time.
He said Mr Tuggar considered his request favourably and subsequently presented it to President Tinubu, who approved the redeployment.
The former minister said he had spent much of his life in Europe and wished to serve in a country within Africa that aligns more closely with his views on foreign policy and Pan-Africanism, describing South Africa as a country with strong bilateral ties with Nigeria and as occupying a strategic position on the continent due to its economic influence.
He expressed gratitude to both the president and the foreign affairs minister for what he described as a “gracious” consideration of his request.
He also acknowledged Mr Sam Enang, the appointee initially posted to South Africa, for agreeing to swap places with him. This thereby makes Mr Enang the ambassador-designate to Germany.
He also denied the report that Germany rejected him for previously making tribalist and ethnic slurs. He insisted that the decision to switch was made solely by him.
“Germany never rejected me,” he wrote, adding that the report published by People’s Gazette in March was inaccurate.
The report stated that Germany rejected Mr Fani-Kayode’s ambassadorial posting due to his past “rabid ethnic and religious slurs as well as his erratic behaviour.”
Responding to this, however, Mr Fani-Kayode said, “The story was not only irresponsible and insulting but was also a total and complete fabrication based on hearsay, beer parlour talk and cheap gossip and designed to embarrass me, the President.
“Worse still, they listed a number of clearly outlandish and absurd reasons for this purported and fake ‘rejection’ which they patched together and concocted reflecting the malevolent condition of their perverse imagination.”
The minister claimed that preliminary findings from an internal investigation showed that the report was sponsored and written with malicious intent.
He also added that petitions had been submitted to relevant security agencies regarding the publication and the individuals allegedly responsible for the report.
“I have also briefed my lawyers…and we shall be suing them in a civil action for defamation,” he said.
The former minister maintained that no formal rejection was ever issued by Germany, stating that the report emerged after diplomatic communication relating to his redeployment to South Africa was leaked and misrepresented.
“What actually happened was that the day an “agreement” was sent to South Africa by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was on March 13th, it was leaked to them and they falsely and maliciously reported that it was sent only because I had been formally rejected by Germany, which they knew to be false,” he noted.
He added that he looks forward to serving Nigeria in South Africa, which he described as a country with a “remarkable and inspiring history.”
Meanwhile, Mr Fani-Kayode’s posting to South Africa comes amid growing tension of xenophobia and anti-black immigrant campaigns in the country.
The Foreign Minister, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria following the murder of two Nigerian nationals allegedly by officials of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
One of Mr Fani-Kayode’s first tasks will likely be addressing the xenophobic violence as it affects the lives and interests of Nigerians in the country.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), the umbrella body of customs agents in Nigeria, has petitioned President Bola Tinubu to compel the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to suspend the planned increase in shipping charges pending the review by the standing committee.
According to Mr Lucky Amiwero, the president of the body, in a letter to the President, the increase is a clear contravention of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in respect of local shipping charges between providers and users of shipping/Port and related service approved by the federal government.
The MoU under Articles 2(b)&4 clearly states that any other charges shall require agreement between the Parties concerned through the Nigerian Shippers Council, which must be complied with.
“In line with the provisions of Articles 2 and 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding, there is a need to follow the prescribed procedure as contained in the MOU. First is by submitting the information of the increase to the standing committee, including the detailed information, why the increase, and the percentage, to the standing committee for consideration and review of any increase
“We hereby request the suspension of any Local Shipping Charges increase, pending the review by the standing committee, which entails the detailed information of the increase, the Percentage (%), and if the Increase is necessary, to be sent to the standing Committee as approved by the Federal Government,” he said.
The official said the NSC were supposed to forward all detailed information on the increase in the local shipping charges to the standing committee, who are signatory to the MOU, and then to review in line with the approved federal government directive.
“We refer the government to the usual procedure of initiating an increase in local shipping charges. Notification of increase as proposed is always forwarded to the standing committee, reference 2003 NSC/TOD/FPS/011/VOL.V/54 OF 20TH JUNE, and NSC/TOD/FPS/011/VOL.35 OF 14TH April 2003 in line with article 2(b)&4 of the MOU.
“In line with Article 2(b)&4 of the memorandum of understanding, the request made by Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), which was forwarded to the Shippers Council and the Shippers Council forwarded the same to the technical standing committee for review,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The presidency has raised alarm over what it described as a growing pattern of digitally manipulated content aimed at exploiting religious sentiments for political purposes.
In a public service announcement issued by the Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy, it was disclosed that “deliberate attempts” to mislead Nigerians through deep fake videos and false narratives across online platforms had been identified.
According to the statement, a manipulated video surfaced on Tuesday, featuring altered audio and false attributions designed to portray President Bola Tinubu in a negative light.
It noted that a similar attempt followed shortly after, involving a fabricated video linked to a religious leader, allegedly intended to incite Muslim communities against the President.
The presidency said the recurring pattern suggests a coordinated effort to inflame religious tensions and sow division, particularly as political activities begin to intensify ahead of future elections.
It warned that “desperate actors” are likely to continue deploying misinformation tactics, including distorting religious messages, manipulating context, and spreading provocative content through social media and messaging platforms.
The presidency urged Nigerians to exercise caution before sharing sensitive or inflammatory content, encouraging citizens to question the motives behind such materials and to verify information through credible sources.
Describing the trend as “coordinated manipulation at scale,” it stressed that such actions are neither patriotic nor reflective of genuine political engagement.
The statement further warned that individuals and groups involved in the creation and dissemination of false information would be held accountable under relevant Nigerian laws, including those relating to cybercrime, incitement, and threats to public peace and national security.
It concluded by calling on citizens to remain vigilant and united in safeguarding the country’s social cohesion against digital disinformation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has said his administration plans to prioritise translating ongoing economic reforms into tangible improvements in the daily lives of Nigerians as citizens continue to grapple with the effects of subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
In a nationwide broadcast to mark the third anniversary of his administration, the President acknowledged the hardship caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms, but insisted that the measures were necessary to stabilise the economy and prevent a deeper national crisis.
He was sworn in on May 29, 2023, and immediately declared the removal of the fuel subsidy — a decision that sent petrol prices up immediately and had an effect on food and transportation.
He promised that the government would continue efforts to keep food prices low, noting that prices had already dropped from their peak levels in 2023 and 2024.
Mr Tinubu also promised lower transportation costs as commercial vehicle operators convert from petrol engines to compressed natural gas and electric vehicles.
The President said when his administration assumed office in 2023, Nigeria was facing severe economic and structural challenges, including mounting fiscal pressures, unsustainable fuel subsidies, declining revenues, exchange-rate distortions, rising debt-servicing costs, insecurity, energy constraints and weakening public confidence in institutions.
President Tinubu said when his administration assumed office in 2023, Nigeria was facing severe economic and structural challenges, including mounting fiscal pressures, unsustainable fuel subsidies, declining revenues, exchange-rate distortions, rising debt-servicing costs, insecurity, energy constraints and weakening public confidence in institutions.
According to him, the country was spending as much as N18.4 billion daily on petrol subsidy payments at the peak of the regime, with over N4 trillion spent on subsidy in 2022 alone.
He also said multiple exchange-rate windows and forex arbitrage led to massive distortions, with the country losing more than N8 trillion within three years to speculative activities and rent-seeking.
“The situation demanded urgent and courageous action. Difficult but necessary decisions had to be taken to stabilise the economy and prevent a deeper national crisis. The easy choices would have been politically convenient. But leadership demands courage, especially when the right decisions are difficult.
“Had we refused to act, our nation would have drifted towards fiscal breakdown, worsening poverty and severe economic uncertainty. Together, we chose reform over ruin and decisiveness over hesitation. We chose long-term national recovery over short-term comfort,” he said.
The President admitted that the reforms triggered a sharp rise in the cost of living and placed enormous pressure on families, workers and businesses, while many young Nigerians seeking jobs became discouraged.
“I remain deeply conscious of those sacrifices, and I assure you: your sacrifice has not been in vain,” he stated.
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