‘Na Big Honor…My Padi’ — Macron’s Pidgin English To Tinubu Excites Nigerians

President Emmanuel Macron of France excited Nigerians on Thursday when he tweeted in Pidgin English to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his state visit to France.

“Na big honor for France, dear President Bola Tinubu @officialABAT, to welcome you for dis State visit as one big partner and friend of today and tomorrow,” Macron wrote.

Macron recalled his days as a young intern at the French Embassy in Nigeria in 2002, where he spent six months.

“E still dey sweet me well well as I remember say I be young intern for French Embassy for Nigeria that time,” the French President added.

Macron had previously shared fond memories of Nigeria including attending parties at the New Afrika Shrine of the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti.

President Tinubu responded to Macron’s tweet in French and Pidgin English, thanking him for the hospitality and reiterating the importance of the relationship between Nigeria and France.

“Merci beaucoup, President Macron @EmmanuelMacron. Na big privilege to dey strengthen dis bond wey join Nigeria and France together.

“E sweet me well well to hear say di memories of your time as young intern for Nigeria still dey inspire you. E show say di connection between our two countries strong and go continue dey strong.

“We must to continue dey build dis our partnership wey stand for mutual respect and equality, wey go help di dreams of our people today and create better future for tomorrow. Thanks for di warm welcome and fruitful meetings, my padi!” tweeted Tinubu.

During his 2018 visit to Nigeria, Macron met with then-President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja before traveling to Lagos and made a stop at the New Afrika Shrine.

He was reported to have removed his jacket and tie at the Shrine and mingled with the people he met there.

“I’m very happy to be here with you tonight,” Macron was quoted as telling the crowd at the Shrine.

He told reporters travelling with him: “I like Nigeria a lot. It’s an appealing country. I’ve got a lot of memories… that haven’t left me.”

Earlier, Tinubu and Macron held a joint press conference where the Nigerian leader highlighted the vast and untapped potential within Nigeria’s agricultural sector and wooed French investors to invest in the country.

“The French-Nigeria Business Forum is doing a lot already, but we need to do more on food security. We cannot help but invest in another’s country,” Tinubu said.

“Nigeria’s financial sector is evolving and flourishing. We are also creating grounds for investment in Nigeria’s economy for French nationals, especially in the area of ​​food security.

“It is our responsibility to put together a food security program for the private sector to come and invest in the country.

“We are working on stability and we are getting closer and closer, but we can do better and better,” the president stated.

Tinubu said Nigeria’s economy was being repositioned for more Foreign Direct Investment that will directly impact the livelihood of the citizens.

“I can assure you that Nigeria is open for business and close to this, we have a vibrant youth population that is educated, and ready to be trained in various areas of entrepreneurship and development,” he said.

The President implored the French government to extend to Nigeria training that will develop the youthful population.

“Furthermore, we should de-risk the opportunities in the solid minerals. We have the potential and we have agreed on a deeper and deeper relationship,” the president added.

Tinubu noted that Nigeria, like most African nations, had been preoccupied with tackling issues of food security.

“A starved nation will not care about weather or environment, and in the 21st Century no child should go to bed hungry,” he told the French president and hisdelegation.

“If an African child is given a glass of milk in a class, there will be no problem in getting him to return and stay in school to learn. The more educated the children are, the better it is for us,” said Tinubu.

On security, the president noted that there was a need for collective responsibility to fight terrorism.

“Nigeria is a partner in progress. We are ready to partner with France so that we can have security operations that will stop the challenge of migration,” he noted.

President Tinubu said the blue economy in Nigeria also provides a huge opportunity for investment, with unexplored potentials in fisheries.

“In Lagos, we have tamed the Atlantic ocean. For us, fishery is an important aspect of investment.

“We want to assure the French investment community that Nigeria is open for business. It shall be easy in, and easy out,” the President noted.

Macron, in his response, described Tinubu’s visit as necessary to deepen bilateral relationships.

“We have confidence that you, Mr President will strengthen our relationship with Nigeria, and it will cover the West Coast region, with ECOWAS playing the leading role.

“I will seek your leadership to work as partners of progress. You are the great leader of the great country in Africa.

“We appreciate your visionary leadership and energy in transforming the economy of your country. We will work together for collective, global success,” he said.

Presidents Tinubu and Macron also participated in the Nigerian France Business Council at the Élysée Palace.

They witnessed the signing of an agreement between UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu and French Finance Minister, Antoine Armand.

‘Na Big Honor…My Padi’ — Macron’s Pidgin English To Tinubu Excites Nigerians is first published on The Whistler Newspaper