‘E sweet me well well’ – Tinubu, Macron exchange greetings in pidgin English

President Bola Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron took bilateral relations to the next level on X by exchanging pleasantries in Pidgin.

Tinubu and his wife arrived in France on a two-day trip on Thursday, the first state visit by a Nigerian leader since 2000.

Macron celebrated the occasion with a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a GIF of himself and President Tinubu sharing a special handshake, both smiling.

The French president said it was a big hour for France to welcome Tinubu into the country as “one big partner and friend.”

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The exchange broke away from the traditionally formal language of international diplomacy, resonating with everyday Nigerians and showcasing Macron’s familiarity with Nigeria.

“Na big honor for France, dear President Bola Tinubu, to welcome you for dis State visit as one big partner and friend of today and tomorrow,” Macron tweeted in Pidgin.

Macron went ahead to note that Tinubu’s visit reminded him about his time as a young intern at the French Embassy in Nigeria in 2002.

“E still dey sweet me well well as I remember say I be young intern for French Embassy for Nigeria that time,” Macron said.

Tinubu, in turn, within a few minutes, reciprocated Macron’s gesture by responding with a blend of Pidgin, English, and French.

“Merci beaucoup, President Macron. Na big privilege to dey strengthen dis bond wey join Nigeria and France together,” Tinubu wrote, switching between English, French, and Pidgin,” Tinubu wrote, mirroring the informal tone set by Macron.

Tinubu told Macron “E sweet me well well to hear say di memories of your time as young intern for Nigeria still dey inspire you.”

The Nigerian president also wrote a full speech in French, saying, “C’est un grand privilège, Président Macron, de continuer à renforcer les liens solides qui unissent le Nigeria et la France. Ça me touche beaucoup de savoir que vos souvenirs de votre temps comme jeune stagiaire au Nigeria vous inspirent encore aujourd’hui. Cela montre la profondeur et la solidité de notre relation.

“Ensemble, nous continuerons à bâtir un partenariat fondé sur le respect mutuel et l’égalité, pour réaliser les aspirations de nos peuples aujourd’hui et créer un avenir meilleur pour demain. Merci pour cet accueil chaleureux, mon ami!”

Tinubu tweet can be translated as “It is a great privilege, President Macron, to continue to strengthen the strong ties between Nigeria and France. It means a lot to me to know that your memories of your time as a young intern in Nigeria still inspire you today. This shows the depth and strength of our relationship.

“Together, we will continue to build a partnership based on mutual respect and equality to realize the aspirations of our people today and create a better future for tomorrow. Thank you for this warm welcome, my friend!”

The duo’s exchange is unusual for two world leaders to incorporate informal, regional language into formal diplomacy.

Pidgin English, though often used in everyday conversation in Nigeria, is not typically associated with statecraft.

The Nigerian pidgin language is used in day-to-day interaction to banter with close friends, talk with sellers in the market, argue with bus conductors, and share laughter with Nigerian families. It has traversed Nigeria’s borders and gained acceptance in some African countries and diaspora.