Sunday Ehigiator
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Amb. Femi Fani-Kayode, has presented his Letter of Credence to South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, pledging to rebuild the historic friendship between both countries and strengthen bilateral diplomatic relations.
Fani-Kayode, who is concurrently accredited to the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Kingdom of Eswatini, made the commitment yesterday, during the presentation of his Letter of Credence at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.
He also conveyed the goodwill and warm greetings of President Bola Tinubu to the South African leader.
Addressing Ramaphosa, the Nigerian envoy recalled the historic solidarity between Nigeria and South Africa, particularly Nigeria’s support for the country’s struggle against apartheid, and stressed the need to preserve the longstanding relationship between the two African powers.
“I come here standing tall and proud, having been sent by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to present my Letter of Credence to you, his brother and his friend. Nigeria and South Africa have a long history of fraternity and friendship. We fought together, we stood by you, and we gave our blood and our treasure for you during your dark days,” he said.
Fani-Kayode described Nigeria and South Africa as major trading partners on the African continent, noting that their historical ties and shared interests provided a strong foundation for deeper cooperation.
“Part of my job here is to reset that relationship, to come and build that bridge, and to ensure that whatever concerns we have, we can work them out and move forward together. If Nigeria and South Africa work closely together, the destiny of our great continent will be more secure. It is in our mutual interest, and in the interest of our people and our continent, that we ensure that we stand tall, stand strong, and build that bridge,” he said.
The High Commissioner also commended South Africa’s contributions to international diplomacy, particularly its role in BRICS, the Global South and Nigeria’s inclusion in the G20, describing the country’s efforts as significant to strengthening Africa’s representation in global affairs.
He further conveyed President Tinubu’s goodwill to Ramaphosa, describing the Nigerian leader as a great friend of South Africa and a personal friend of the South African President. He expressed optimism that the cordial relationship between the two leaders would translate into stronger bilateral cooperation.
“Your brother, our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a great friend of South Africa and a great personal friend of yours. My prayer is that our friendship continues to grow stronger. We wish you well. We wish South Africa well. May God be with you,” he said.
In his remarks, Ramaphosa urged the newly accredited heads of diplomatic missions to work closely with South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to identify practical areas of collaboration, particularly in economic growth, industrial development, job creation and skills development.
“We encourage you to work closely with our Department of International Relations to identify practical areas of cooperation. We particularly welcome partnerships that support economic growth, industrial development, job creation and skills,” Ramaphosa said.
The South African President assured the diplomats of his government’s support, urging them to engage relevant stakeholders and deploy diplomacy to build bridges, create opportunities and improve the lives of ordinary citizens. He also wished them successful tenures and warmly welcomed them to the country.
Fani-Kayode subsequently presented his Letter of Credence, issued by President Tinubu, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic relations and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation between both countries.
The Nigerian High Commissioner presented his credentials alongside ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions from the European Union, France, Germany, South Sudan, Somalia, Comoros, Madagascar, Uruguay, Vietnam, Seychelles, Belgium, Cyprus, Timor-Leste and the Maldives, who also formally presented their letters of credence to Ramaphosa.