African leaders riding together

By Funmi Peter-Omale

On the issue of African leaders being transported from a designated place to Westminster Abbey for the funeral service.

People need to get the facts right and stop peddling ignorant and misleading narratives.

First, it was highly publicised that diplomats, foreign leaders and all invitees will not be allowed to drive straight to the church. They can not come with their vehicles, and shall only be limited to limited number of their personal or Diplomatic staff. Of course some invitees, were invited with a plus one.

President Biden at the funeral

The only exception was President Biden.

Get over it guys, he’s the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

All other invitees, rode in designated coaches (buses as you call it in Nigeria).

Funmi Peter-Omale

Secondly, all these guys were invited, they were told their Diplomatic vehicles and staff will not be allowed in some specific areas. And they accepted the invitations and came.

It’s high time we stop peddling unfounded and uninformed narratives about this bus issues.

European leaders as well as North American leaders, Asian leaders were all transported in buses in groups.

Japan is the second or thirc biggest economy in the world, their leaders were also transported in the bus.

They were grouped according to their blocs; African leaders in a coach, Asians in a different one and European leaders including Macron and Co all in a different coach.

It is good to speak on what one is sure of, and not just to jump on the bandwagon.

Thank you.

Fun fact.
Did you know that the so called “bus riders” were given prime seats and positions in the church because they were Commonwealth members? And President Biden was relegated to some obscure place at the back?
This to the extent that the press made a big deal out of this, and even Donald Trump had thumped his chest saying if he was the American president, he wouldn’t have been relegated to a back seat as Biden was.

The lesson from this is that he could have been allowed to come in his beast of a car, when the crunch was down, at the most important stage, the Commonwealth leaders got the prime positions inside the church hall. (He was moved sef, when he sat where he shouldn’t). The rule of law is no respecter of persons. Shikena.

The onset of a journey does not determine the end of it.

*Funmi Peter-Omale writes from Londo