By Steve Osuji
Why would an elected governor of a state make a degrading public appearance like this?
This is Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State kneeling/crouching before Vice President Kashim Shettima at a public function in the glare of the whole world.
It’s bad enough that this self-deprecation happened, this photo (among several others) was shared on the governor’s FB handle. Ordinarily, this kind of photo is not fit for publication because it portrays the governor in very bad light.
The photo is particularly nauseous because the VP’s body language shows that he holds the governor in disdain. He seems to look through the governor who’s kneeling before him and smiling broadly.
The VP totally ignored the governor, neither looking at him nor smiling back.
CHRISTIANS DON’T KNEEL TO GREET: Nobody should kneel to greet. Not the least an elected governor. Christians don’t kneel before fellow humans. Christians are supposed to kneel before God almighty alone (well, except for some monarchs in some traditions).
We saw people greeting the Pope the other day. Nobody knelt, and nobody was required to kneel.
IGBO DON’T KNEEL TO GREET: Tradition doesn’t mandate Igbo to kneel in greeting anyone, even the deities. We can bow a little or genuflect as the case may be, but not to go on our knees or crouch.
POLITICAL KNEELING: Of course what Uzodinma is doing here may be described as political kneeling just to make believe that he is loyal to VP Shettima. But it seems the VP can see through Uzodinma’s gesture. He can tell that the governor’s loyalty is suspect that’s why he’s not amused.
DAMAGING PUBLIC POSTURE: We Imo people are not happy seeing our governor in this most supine and servile position. (Our governor is not Gov. Ododo of KOGI State).
Our governor is not a slave and we don’t want to see him in this demeaning public posture again.
This posture not only diminish the governor’s esteem as a supposedly elected official of state,, it also harms the pride and prestige of Imo people in particular and Ndigbo in general.
We beseech our governor to please stand up and greet his fellow men and women. That’s the proper way.
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
