Facts have emerged online debunking a claim by the Presidency that Bola Tinubu is the first African leader to ring the closing bell at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ).
President Tinubu was invited to ring the bell on September 20 at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in New York.
After Tinubu rang the closing bell, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Thursday, claimed his principal was the first African leader to ring the closing bell.
Ngelale said the President was invited to the world’s second-largest stock exchange in honour of his determined global push to attract foreign direct investment into Nigeria aggressively.
He said the President did not fail to seize the opportunity presented by the historic moment to boldly advance his foreign investment push as he stood, live, in front of financial markets at the famous stock exchange.
However, internet searches revealed Tinubu is not the first African leader to ring the NASDAQ closing bell as former President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, was the first African leader to ring the bell on September 21, 2011.
An excerpt from NASDAQ’s official website ahead of the bell-ringing ceremony by the Tanzanian President reads, “Global Health Leaders will announce Global Health Commitments for Women’s Health and Women’s Cancers at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City’s Times Square.
“In honour of the occasion, President Kikwete of Tanzania, First Ladies and Health Ministers, and Global Health Leaders will officially ring The NASDAQ Stock Market Closing Bell.”
Based on available information, President Bola Tinubu is not the first African leader to ring the closing bell of the NASDAQ.
