Buhari team turning heads in Beijing

The opening ceremony of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation has kicked off in Beijing, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s new-media team has been all over the internet with updates.

It began with a photo of two Chinese men peeping through held back curtains at Buhari, suggesting  he was some kind of novelty come to town.

Li Yong come and see Baba Buhari ? pic.twitter.com/GZG0AFXZSB

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— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) September 3, 2018

This is the moment Buhari entered the banquet hall venue of the #FOCAC2018 summit.

President @MBuhari arrives Banquet Hall of the Great Hall of the People, Beijing at exactly 10:04 am (3:04 am Nigerian Time) for the First-Session Round Table Summit at the ongoing #FOCAC2018 Summit. #PMBinChina2018 pic.twitter.com/ww38GV70VB

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) September 4, 2018

Already there is a draft agreement for 13 different projects to be signed by both Nigeria and China.

The Buhari Centre @buharicentre posted the draft document online.

The second day of #FOCAC2018 Summit in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, President @MBuhari is leading the Nigerian delegation, see the 15 draft MoU for signing between Nigeria and China at the Summit. #PMBinChina2018 pic.twitter.com/vw6CyIT010

— The Buhari Centre (@BuhariCentre) September 4, 2018

Buhari’s personal assistant on new media Bashir Ahmad tweeted a photo of the president seated in a sea of delegates as the meeting got underway on Tuesday.

At the meeting, Buhari, who also chairs the Economic Community of West African States, urged China to ease visa restrictions for business people and students from the West African regional bloc.

In his capacity as ECOWAS Chairman, President @MBuhari implores the government of China to facilitate visa for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) businessmen and women and students. #FOCAC2018 pic.twitter.com/quAq3a7ox7

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) September 4, 2018

In a separate video post, Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai explained his business in China. He is among a handful of governors on Buhari’s delegation, alongside senators and ministers.

Good morning Your Excellency, I am sure Nigerians, especially the good people of Kaduna State would love to know why you are in Beijing, I told @GovKaduna, Mallam Nasir @elRufai yesterday morning. #FOCAC2018 pic.twitter.com/YcV0ebgyVL

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) September 4, 2018

Aisha Buhari, wife of the president, is on the Nigerian delegation. She schmoozed with first ladies attending a separate China-Africa AIDS Prevention and Control meeting, hosted by Chinese First Lady, Prof peng Liyuan. She even fired off a tweet of their handshake and an entire album of photos with other delegates on her  handle @aishambuhari.

I had the pleasure of attending the China-Africa AIDS Prevention and Control meeting hosted by the First Lady of China Professor Peng Liyuan. I also had the pleasure of meeting with other African FIrst Ladies. I believe that together we can reverse the trend of HIV/AIDS in Africa pic.twitter.com/n9DZucnr8r

— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) September 4, 2018