The Presidency yesterday cleared air on the viral video of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa purportedly ignoring President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration .
Aisha Yesufu, the social activist, posted the clip on her X account on Wednesday and wrote that Tinubu was disgraced once again, while another X user said the president was “looking lost”.
In the video, Ramaphosa, who was sworn in for a second term, can be seen exchanging handshakes with dignitaries on the front row.
Tinubu was on the second row next to Samia Hassan, president of Tanzania, and other leaders.
Ramaphosa did not immediately offer a handshake to all the dignitaries in that row.
In another video posted by the South African presidency, Ramaphosa is seen heading to the second row to interact with the heads of state and government.
“My president, it’s so good to have you here. Thank you so much; we will talk later,” the South African president told Tinubu.
In addition, O’tega Ogra, senior special assistant to Tinubu on digital communications, strategy, and new media, said the first row at the inauguration was reserved for South African royalty.
Ogra also said Ramaphosa was not expected to start greeting dignitaries at the time in the viral video, which is why he abruptly ended after being called back to his seat by the compere.
“Immediately after President Ramaphosa finished the anthem, he went ahead to greet the visiting presidents, who were all seated in the second row,” the aide said.
Ogra’s words, “Aisha, have the constitutionally guaranteed right to express yourself, but your consistent display of crass ignorance and shameful behavior, seemingly aimed at garnering likes and retweets, in the name of your disdain and hatred (which you profess at any given opportunity) for Nigeria is shameful to say the least.
“For the record: 1. That first row at today’s inauguration was reserved for South African kings/royalty. 2. The South African President wasn’t expected to start greeting dignitaries at the time of the video you shared and he was respectfully recalled to the podium by the inauguration compere (see video below). 3. Immediately after President Ramaphosa finished the anthem, he went ahead to greet the visiting presidents who were all seated in the second row (similar to the way visiting presidents were seated in the third row during Nigeria’s own inauguration on May 29, 2023…).
