Metro

Nigeria’s Presidency apologises for UNGA goof

Published

8 months ago

September 23, 2023

The Nigerian Presidency has apologised over a blunder it made when announcing that President Bola Tinubu was the first African leader to ring the bell at the close of trade at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ) in the United States.

Tinubu had, on Wednesday, rang the closing bell at the NASDAQ headquarters in New York City on the sidelines of the 78th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and used the opportunity to advance his foreign investment push in front of financial markets at the famous stock exchange.

“It’s a great honour for me to be here. I am happy to bring Nigeria to your doorsteps and I am honoured that we are here, today, with a bubbling Nigerian stock market that will evolve in the West African sub-region,” he said.

‘’The greatest economy in Africa is Nigeria. There is an immense opportunity in Nigeria, where you can invest your money without fear,” the president added.

Shortly after the ringing of the bell, the Presidency released a statement claiming that Tinubu had entered the history books as the first leader of an African country to get the honour of ringing the NASDAQ bell.

“In honour of President Bola Tinubu’s determined global push to aggressively attract foreign direct investment into Nigeria.

“The world’s second largest stock exchange, the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ), on Wednesday in the world’s financial capital, invited President Tinubu to ring the closing bell. Making him the first African President to ever receive the honour,” the statement, issued by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale said.

However, following a backlash, and fact-finding by Nigerians and media outlets that revealed that Tinubu was not the first African leader to ring the bell, the presidency, in a statement on Friday, retracted its claim and tendered an apology.

In the apology issued by Ngelale, the presidency said it later found out that a former African leader had previously rung the bell at NASDAQ, thereby debunking the initial claim of Tinubu’s historic achievement.

“We inadvertently referred to President Bola Tinubu as the first African leader to ring the bell at NASDAQ on Wednesday in New York, based on the information provided by a third-party event organiser.

“We have since found out that this information was/is incorrect as a former African leader has indeed had the privilege. This error is sincerely regretted,” the statement said.

Related Topics:#Presidency Apology Featured NASDAQ President Bola Tinubu UNGA

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Metro

‘Rights must go with responsibilities,’ traditional leader cautions on use of social media

Published

5 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Mansa, Luapula Province: Annette Katema, the Head Woman of Chitumbi Village in Mansa District, voices concerns about the detrimental effects of irresponsible social media usage.

In a recent interview with Zambia Monitor, Katema argued that social media platforms were contributing to delinquency among the youth, particularly platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and Facebook.

“Children are being exposed to inappropriate content on WhatsApp, which is harmful to their upbringing. Social media platforms are fostering moral decay,” remarked Head Woman Chitumbi.

She stated that this trend undermined the cultural values that were essential for societal cohesion.

Katema expressed reservations about the prevalence of nudity and offensive language on social media, calling for stricter moderation.

She advocated for proactive measures to steer young people away from harmful online content, suggesting the revitalization of traditional recreational activities like playhouses and sports.

“Instead of solely relying on punitive measures, let’s invest in creating positive alternatives to counter the allure of social media,” Katema proposed.

She urged the youth to uphold traditional values alongside their digital rights, stating the importance of responsible behavior online.

“We should not lose respect in the name of digital rights because rights should go with responsibilities,” the traditional leader said.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

President Tinubu finally returns to Nigeria amid speculations over his absence

Published

9 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After spending the last two weeks out of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has finally returned to the country.

Tinubu, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday morning, had departed the country two weeks ago, on April 23, for The Netherlands for a three-day official visit, honouring an invitation from the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte.

While in the European country, Tinubu participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, which brought together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries.

After his engagements in The Netherlands, Tinubu, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend a World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development which held between April 28–29.

However, after the summit, the president did not return to the country as he was said to have proceeded to London for a private visit which gave room to speculations over his health.

The Nigerian Presidency did not also help matters as there was no official statement on the President’s engagements, nor were they willing to douse the tension created by his absence, leading to Nigerians raising posers with the hashtag #WhereisTinubu.

In a tweet on Tuesday evening, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had revealed that Tinubu would be back in the country on Wednesday.

“President Bola Tinubu, along with his aides, will return to Nigeria tomorrow from Europe,” he had written.

The recent foreign trip was Tinubu’s 20th since assuming office on May 29, 2023, effectively logging 96 days abroad, which has made him one of Africa’s most globe-trotting leaders.

In his less than one year in office, President Tinubu has visited Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic, New Delhi, India.

He has also taken a trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; Doha, Qatar; and The Hague, The Netherlands.