The presidential office has issued an apology for erroneously asserting that President Bola Tinubu was the inaugural African leader to ring the bell at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ).
On Tuesday, shortly after this event took place, a statement authored by Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, declared Tinubu as the “first African president ever to receive this distinction.”
However, in contrast to Ngelale’s assertion, it was former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kiwete who rang the NASDAQ closing bell back in 2011.
In a statement released on Friday, the presidency expressed profound regret for the error.
“We inadvertently referred to President Bola Tinubu as the first African leader to ring the bell at NASDAQ on Wednesday in New York, based on the information provided by a third-party event organiser.
“We have since found out that this information was/is incorrect as a former African leader has indeed had the privilege. This error is sincerely regretted,” the statement said.