By Ishaya Ibrahim
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron exchanged banters in pidgin on X at the start of the state visit by the Nigerian president.
Tinubu began a three-day working visit to France on Thursday. In appreciation of the visit, Macron took to his X handle to thank the Nigerian president using pidgin, a lingua franca commonly used by most Nigerians.
He said: “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.
“E still dey sweet me well well as I remember say I be young intern for French Embassy for Nigeria that time.”
Tinubu responded to the post also in pidgin by thanking the French president for the warm reception.
He said: “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!”