Nigerian mission fires back at Ramaphosa’s spokesman

A diplomatic controversy has emerged between Nigeria and South Africa following a dispute over the omission of Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode’s speech from a televised diplomatic ceremony. The Nigerian High Commission in South Africa stood by the ambassador's account, insisting that Fani-Kayode was treated with contempt and that President Cyril Ramaphosa personally intervened to address the complaint.

Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Ramaphosa, described the Nigerian mission's claims as a lie and a misrepresentation of facts. According to Daily Trust, Magwenya stated that the President neither intervened nor possessed the constitutional authority to interfere with the editorial decisions of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Punch Nigeria reported that Magwenya clarified the President had simply directed Fani-Kayode to the appropriate person to raise his grievance.

In response to the disagreement, the Nigerian High Commission accused the presidential spokesperson of bringing his country into disrepute, according to Punch. Magwenya challenged the Nigerian mission to familiarize itself with South Africa’s laws and the SABC editorial code, telling them to stop disgracing themselves and their country, per Daily Trust.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Daily Trust, Punch Nigeria — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.