French President Emmanuel Macron has drawn attention online after welcoming Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to France with a tweet written in Pidgin English. The message, shared on Thursday evening, described Tinubu’s state visit as a significant honor for France and highlighted the close partnership and friendship between the two countries.
Macron wrote, “Na big honour for France, dear President Bola Tinubu @officialABAT, to welcome you for dis state visit as one big partner and friend of today and tomorrow.”
He also reflected on his connection to Nigeria, recalling his time as a young intern at the French Embassy in Nigeria. “E still dey sweet me well well as I remember say I be young intern for French Embassy for Nigeria that time,” he added.
The tweet included a photo of the two leaders shaking hands in front of their national flags. It quickly went viral, garnering thousands of likes, shares, and comments, with many Nigerians applauding Macron for his effort to connect culturally by using Pidgin English, a widely spoken language in Nigeria.
A Twitter user, Daviid.O, commented, “Macron dey write for Pidgin. It is high time we make Pidgin our official language.” Another user, Talba na Kashim, praised the gesture, tweeting, “Wow. This is absolutely incredible! Nice one, Macron!”
Macron’s unique approach has been widely celebrated as a symbol of cultural sensitivity and a means to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two nations. His use of Pidgin has also sparked conversations about its cultural significance and the potential for broader recognition of the language.
