The wedding of the son of former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu in Abuja on Saturday must have been an event for political reconciliation of some sorts in disguise after several nerves were strained during last year’s general elections.
As the creme de la creme of the country joined the roll call at the wedding, Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, was captured on camera kneeling down to greet his former boss, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. Many see it as part of the conventional tradition among younger persons gesture while greeting their seniors.
This tradition is quite prevalent in different parts of Nigeria. A case in 1980 when the late Chief Adeola Odutola, the famous industrialist popularly remembered for being the manufacturer of Odutola motor tyres, founder of chains of manufacturing companies across Nigeria, and West Africa, and then president of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) visited the Nigerian Senate best illustrate this tradition.
The venerable Chief Odutola was invited along with other MAN Executives to appear before the Senate to throw light on challenges facing local industries in Nigeria, and upon being sighted at the premises of the Senate, some influential Senators from the South- West immediately went down flat on the floor to greet him! In effect, the distinguished Senators lied down flat on the floor in reverence for one of the most accomplished industrialists in Nigeria at that time!
Indeed, all over Asia and Africa, showing respect through appropriate greeting to elders is believed to be given. This means greeting seniors and older folks by younger people always follow specific cultural patterns and go with certain dynamics. In the Philippines, younger fellows have unique way of showing their reverence for their elders including their seniors, bosses, etc. They take an older person’s hand and press it gently to their foreheads.
In India, the young ones touch older people’s feet as a mark of respect. In Liberia, young people go down with one or both knees! In Nigeria, in certain socio-cultural settings young people drop to one or both knees on their feet to greet their elders out of sheer respect. It is therefore in line with African tradition for Malam Garba Shehu, as captured on camera, greeting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar going down on both knees.
