•Seeks deeper relations between Germany and Nigeria
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The visiting German President, Mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier has described relations between his country and Nigerian as cordial, noting that beyond politics and economy there is also a cultural tie between the two nations.
Steinmeier, who spoke on the sidelines with Arise News during a cultural reception in Lagos on Wednesday, expressed happiness over the level of cultural exchanges between Germany and Nigeria.
While stating that his current visit is the third to Nigeria, the German President expressed desire to frequent his visit so as to know more about Nigeria.
“This is my third visit to Nigeria”, he said, just as he observed that “the relations between Germany and Nigeria are civil because they are not only based on politics and economy but also on culture”.
Steinmeier further explained that German and Nigeria, “have a very very vivid exchange of artists” and “what we are seeing here is really a document of the variety of Nigerian artists and I’m really fascinated”.
Speaking on the goals of his visit and what Nigerians should expect, Steinmeier observed that although he and President Bola Tinubu had already shed light on this earlier, he however expressed the desire of a deeper relations between Germany and Nigeria.
“I think that is what the two Presidents, myself and the Nigerian president were expressing and explaining this morning during press conference, we are trying to deepen our relations and you know that cannot be done without the presence on both sides, so I was very happy to receive your president last year in Germany and I’m happy to be here again”, he said .
Adding that in the meanwhile he was simply interested in knowing a little bit of Nigeria but, “I have to come very often in the future to know everything”.
