Nigerians are Skeptical About Emmanuel Macron's Recent Visit
The French president's recent trip to the country has been met with mixed reactions.
France's President Macron recently wrapped a highly-publicized visit to Nigeria, where he met with President Buhari to discuss Franco-African relations, and a range of economic and diplomatic matters. During his two day trip, the leader also held meetings with young African tech entrepreneurs.
The president gave a speech upon his arrival, describing what it was like coming back to Nigeria, where he lived briefly, 17 years ago.
He was also surrounded by notable African figures such as Wole Soyinka and Senegal's Youssou N'Dour at the inauguration of the Alliance Francaise in Lagos on Wednesday.
His trip wasn't all strict politics though, the French president made an attempt to appeal to Nigerians in more informal ways as well. His trip was marked by an appearance at the famous Kuti family-owned New Afrika Shrine, where he was welcomed by Femi Kuti. Macron referred to the Shrine as "an iconic cultural hub."
While there, he was seen enjoyed performances from some of the country's biggest musical talents and was presented with a portrait from 11-year-old artist Kareem Olamilekan. He became the first foreign leader to visit the iconic venue.
A video of Macron saying some phrases in Pidgin has also surfaced online.
There have been mixed reactions to Macron's visit from Nigerians online, but it seems that some remain skeptical. Many believe that the reason for Macron's visit was to curb Nigerian migration into Europe, others are poking fun at the Nigerian government's reported attempt to keep up appearances by paving roads upon Macron's visit.
Read some reactions below:
