‘Why I Chose South Africa Over Germany’ — Ambassador-designate Fani-Kayode Speaks

Former Minister of Aviation and Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu over his redeployment from Germany to South Africa, pledging to serve Nigeria diligently in his new diplomatic role.

LEADERSHIP earlier reported that Fani-Kayode was reassigned to South Africa as Nigeria’s High Commissioner by President Tinubu.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, Fani-Kayode said his posting to South Africa followed a formal request he made after he was initially announced as ambassador-designate to Germany.

He explained that personal reasons, as well as his preference to serve within Africa, informed the request for redeployment.

“It gives me pleasure to announce the fact that Mr President has graciously approved my posting as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa,” he said.

“This came a few days after the initial posting to Germany was announced and after 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.”

According to him, having spent much of his life in Europe, he preferred a posting within Africa, particularly in a country he described as strategically important to Nigeria and aligned with his Pan-African ideals.

“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 stated.

“I also 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.”

Fani-Kayode disclosed that the request was approved after consultations with the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who subsequently conveyed it to President Tinubu.

“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 heard my reasons, he considered them favourably, after which he conveyed the request to Mr President, who graciously approved it,” he added.

The ambassador-designate also appreciated former Senator Sam Enang for agreeing to a redeployment arrangement that paved the way for his move to South Africa, while Enang was reassigned to Germany.

Speaking on a report by a session of media (not LEADERSHIP) that his in initial posting had been turned down by the German government Fani-Kayode urged sections of the media to maintain professionalism in their reportage, dismissing what he described as false and misleading narratives surrounding his redeployment.

He said his legal team and relevant authorities had been informed about publications he considered defamatory.

According to him, the clarification became necessary following concerns raised by supporters and associates over media reports on the matter.

Fani-Kayode expressed optimism about his new assignment, describing South Africa as a country with a “remarkable and inspiring history,” and pledged to advance Nigeria’s diplomatic interests on the African continent.