Laolu Akande, a former presidential aide, has expressed strong disapproval over the seating arrangement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration ceremony. During an interview with Channels Television, Akande criticized the placement of Nigeria’s president in the second row, describing it as “completely unacceptable.” ..Read Full Article
Akande stressed that this incident should be the last time Nigeria’s president is subjected to such treatment, emphasizing the importance of respecting the stature of the Nigerian leader. He highlighted that the seating arrangement was not just a matter of protocol but also a sign of respect that Nigeria deserves on the international stage.
While acknowledging that President Ramaphosa might have greeted President Tinubu with a handshake, which was not captured by cameras, Akande insisted that the overall seating placement was still a significant snub. He argued that such a gesture, even if it occurred, did not mitigate the disrespect shown by the seating arrangement.
Akande further clarified his view on President Ramaphosa’s interaction with President Tinubu. He noted that, despite the perceived slight in the seating arrangement, Ramaphosa did not entirely ignore Tinubu.
Hear him: “This should be the last time that they treated the Nigerian president the way they treated President Tinubu in South Africa. The very idea of President Tinubu representing Nigeria, taking a second-row seat is completely unacceptable. I don’t think that Ramaphosa ignored him, I think he actually gave like a hand greeting across which the camera did not pick
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