7th March, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago on Thursday reenacted the kind of greetings usually seen between former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai and former President Muhammadu Buhari with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Aso Rock presidential villa on Thursday.
Recall that El-Rufai usually kneeled or crouched to greet Buhari anytime they met. On his visit to Tinubu at Aso Rock on Thursday, Bago was also seen kneeling as he met Tinubu inside his office at the Aso Rock.
It was not certain if that was the first time the Niger Governor will be adopting such a posture to greet the President.
But it was the first time a picture of Bago kneeling to greet Tinubu would be making the rounds on social media.
So, it was not a surprise that the picture and the seemingly unusual greeting attracted the attention of many.
Bago had earlier in the week hugged the limelight when he agreed with Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate for the 2023 election that it was wrong for Nigeria to receive grain donation from war-torn Ukraine.
Bago who spoke at the Leadership Award ceremony held at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja also referred to Obi as ‘My boss’ at the event.
“My boss,” the Niger governor told Mr Obi, “you are very right on what you’ve said. “We have no reason to be poor. People may not like you, but they must hear you. What you say is the gospel truth.”
“It is time we tell ourselves the basic truth. We need to feed ourselves. It is a shame for people (sic) like Ukraine in war to be giving us food.”
“Nigeria needs to be productive. You cannot be out of poverty unless you start to produce. I’m not an advocate of handouts and palliative. I don’t believe in it.”
Obi had said it was “disheartening” and a national disgrace that war-torn Ukraine is donating food to Nigeria.
However, information minister Mohammed Idris dismissed the criticisms, saying there is nothing shameful about Nigeria receiving donation of grains from war-ravaged Ukraine.
“The fact that we are having challenges at the moment does not make Nigeria a failed state. Therefore, accepting grains from Ukraine does not make Nigeria or Egypt failed countries.”