Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has confirmed his redeployment as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa.
Fani-Kayode disclosed this through a statement posted on his official X account, where he explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved his redeployment from Germany to South Africa following a personal request.
His reassignment comes amid recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have triggered growing diplomatic concerns and drawn strong responses from the Nigerian government.
Fani-Kayode said his redeployment to South Africa followed a formal request he made after his initial posting to Germany was announced, citing personal reasons for preferring the African nation.
According to him, he wrote to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, requesting a change in deployment.
“….I made a formal representation to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, that I was not comfortable with Germany for a number of personal reasons and given the fact that I had lived in Europe most of my life I would prefer to go to South Africa which is a country that I had never been to and for which I have so much interest,” he said.
He further explained that he preferred serving in South Africa because of what he described as shared political convictions and values, adding that the country’s economic influence in Africa and closer relationship with Nigeria aligned more with his pan-African foreign policy outlook.
“I therefore made an application for a redeployment to South Africa two days after the initial announcement was made, and I am pleased to say that after the then Foreign Minister (H.E. Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar) heard my reasons, he considered them favourably after which he conveyed the request to Mr. President, who graciously approved it,” he stated.
Fani-Kayode also dismissed reports alleging that Germany rejected him as Nigeria’s envoy, describing such claims as “not only irresponsible and insulting.”
The Ambassador-Designate said he had directed his lawyers to commence legal action against those behind the reports, including a civil suit for defamation.
In recent weeks, there have been renewed attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa, prompting the Nigerian government to outline key diplomatic demands aimed at addressing the situation.
In furtherance of efforts to resolve the crisis, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, recently held a phone conversation with Ronald Lamola as discussions over the possible repatriation of Nigerians back home intensified.
“I maintained that our Government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in SA as well as the extra-judicial killings of our people, and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our Government’s priority at this time,” Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said after the call.
Disturbing videos circulating online have also shown some South Africans demanding that Nigerians leave the country, reinforcing similar anti-immigrant sentiments and attacks previously recorded in the country over the years.
Although Fani-Kayode’s statement focused mainly on clarifying the circumstances surrounding his redeployment and debunking reports of a rejection by Germany, he did not directly address the ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa or outline diplomatic measures he intends to pursue as envoy.
In fact, he admitted in the statement that he had never previously visited the country.
However, Femi Fani-Kayode is a former Minister of Aviation and a prominent figure in Nigerian politics who has served in several government and political communication roles over the years.
He previously served as Special Assistant on Public Affairs to former President Olusegun Obasanjo before later becoming the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the then President.
In 2006, he was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Culture and Tourism before later serving as Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration.
Now, his appointment as Ambassador-Designate to South Africa places him at the centre of one of Nigeria’s most sensitive diplomatic relationships on the continent, particularly at a time when concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa have resurfaced.
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