The blogosphere has exploded with reactions after President Muhammadu Buhari referred to the chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, as “President Michelle” of “West Germany”.
Speaking on Channels TV after the meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Commission presidents yesterday, President Buhari referred to “the G7 meeting in West Germany” and“consultations with President Michelle”.
This has triggered reactions on social media with many expressing disappointment at the President’s utterance.
Present at the meeting were; Idriss Deby Itno (President of the Republic of Chad), Boni Yayi (President of the Republic of Benin), Paul Biya (President of the Republic of Cameroun) among others.
At the onset of the Cold War, Germany was divided among the Western and Eastern blocs. Germany was de facto divided into two countries and two special territories, the Saarland and divided Berlin.
During this period NATO-aligned West Germany and Warsaw Pact-aligned East Germany were divided by the inner German border. After 1961, West Berlin was physically separated from East Berlin as well as from East Germany by the Berlin Wall.
This situation ended when East Germany was dissolved and its five states joined the ten states of the Federal Republic of Germany along with the reunified city-state of Berlin. With the reunification of West and East Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, with sixteen states, became known as “Germany”.
West Germany no longer exists.
Speaking on Channels TV after the meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Commission presidents yesterday, President Buhari referred to “the G7 meeting in West Germany” and“consultations with President Michelle”.
This has triggered reactions on social media with many expressing disappointment at the President’s utterance.
Present at the meeting were; Idriss Deby Itno (President of the Republic of Chad), Boni Yayi (President of the Republic of Benin), Paul Biya (President of the Republic of Cameroun) among others.
At the onset of the Cold War, Germany was divided among the Western and Eastern blocs. Germany was de facto divided into two countries and two special territories, the Saarland and divided Berlin.
During this period NATO-aligned West Germany and Warsaw Pact-aligned East Germany were divided by the inner German border. After 1961, West Berlin was physically separated from East Berlin as well as from East Germany by the Berlin Wall.
This situation ended when East Germany was dissolved and its five states joined the ten states of the Federal Republic of Germany along with the reunified city-state of Berlin. With the reunification of West and East Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, with sixteen states, became known as “Germany”.
West Germany no longer exists.
