President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the redeployment of Femi Fani-Kayode as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa after initially posting him to Germany.

It was reports that this was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation.

Fani-Kayode stated that he requested the redeployment from Germany to South Africa for a number of personal reasons and given the fact that he had lived in Europe most of his life.

He expressed appreciation to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar and President Tinubu for the favourable consideration.

Fani-Kayode also thanked Senator Ita Enang, who was originally posted to South Africa, for agreeing to swap for Germany.

Read full statement below:

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

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 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.

I also expressed the fact that I would rather serve in a country that shares some of my convictions, beilefs 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.

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.

I will be eternally grateful to Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this favourable consideration.

I also take this opportunity to thank Senator Sam Enang, who was originally posted to South Africa and who was pleased to go to Germany instead, to agree for a straight swap.

I take this opportunity to once again confirm that this was my choice and that Germany NEVER formally rejected me, which was a fake report that was published in an irresponsible online magazine that thrives on sensationslism, lies and blackmail.

Their 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 my goodself, the Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

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.

Our findings after a preliminary investigation was that the story was not only sponsored but was also written with malicious intent and designed to hurt and destroy my career and bring me into both national and international opprobrium and disrepute.

We have reported the online magazine and the individuals that are behind it with a petition to the relevant security agencies for necessary action.

I have also briefed my lawyers to take up the matter and we shall be suing the them in a civil action for defamation.

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.

They attempted to establish falsehood as fact and this is unacceptable and far below the par of professionalism and proper journalism.

If there was such a formal rejection I challenge them to bring the proof with documentary evidence.

I repeat this never happened and I urge the media to be far more circumspect with such reports.

This statement has been made necessary due to the concern that many of my friends and loved ones have expressed over the matter and in an attempt to set the record straight.

God-willing, I look forward to serving as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, a nation that I admire and respect given its remarkable and inspiring history.

(Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Ambassador-Designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to South Africa)