Reactions as Governor Bago visits, kneels before Tinubu
Yesterday, Umaru Bago, the governor of Niger State, visited President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the capital of the country.
However, a picture from the aforementioned visit, in which Bago is seen kneeling before Tinubu, has gone viral and sparked reactions from a wide range of Nigerians, according to Vanguard.
The governor publicly praised Peter Obi a few days ago at the Leadership Awards, even calling my boss for his belief that it is shameful for Nigeria to receive grain donations from the war-torn Ukraine.
There’s nothing wrong with this, bro; it’s just a sign of respect from their respective cultures. Besides, Tinubu is officially 71 years old, but Governor Bago is only 50, so he’s old enough to be his father.
— Folayan Adewale
Nigeria has her own definition of politics.
This same Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger who was praising Peter Obi over his Ukraine comment yesterday is paying huge homage to Tinubu today. pic.twitter.com/cghYpUUd7p
— Tope Richard (@toprich132) March 7, 2024
Tinubu: bago, how dare you call Peter obi your boss, you even agreed with him??
Bago: ejọo sir, please forgive me
— Rich bloke (@waslallah151518) March 7, 2024
Is that a governor kneeling before a president? Same way the governor of Kogi knelt before his predecessor. No southern governor will do this for anything
— Avocado 🥑 (@Shile_matrix) March 7, 2024
Recall that Bago attracted attention when he concurred with Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate for the 2023 election, that it was inappropriate for Nigeria to accept grain donations from war-torn Ukraine.
Bago called Obi “my boss” when he spoke at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja during the Leadership Award ceremony.
His words: “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 expressed his disappointment and referred to it as a national embarrassment that Ukraine, which is currently experiencing war, is providing food aid to Nigeria. However, the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, rejected the criticism, stating that it is not a disgrace for Nigeria to receive grain donations from Ukraine, which is dealing with the aftermath of war.
