Swaziland King Honours Nigeria’s Ex-Agriculture Minister In Traditional Ceremony (Photos)

King Mswati III of Swaziland has honoured President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, during a traditional ceremony.

Adesina, Nigeria’s former Agriculture Minister, is seeking a re-election to continue the work that he has started at the AfDB that saw him winning the $250,000 World Food Prize in 2017 for his role in expanding food production in Nigeria over the years.

Reacting to the honour, Adesina said, “King Mswati III of Eswatini (Swaziland) gave me the greatest honour ever: to be dressed like the king and jointly march during the traditional royal reed dance event.

“Thank you Your Majesty. Proudly African. Confident in Africa’s future.”

In a boost to his re-election bid, President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire on Friday appointed Adama Koné, Minister of Economic and Financial Affairs, to back Adesina’s quest to return as AfDB President.