A growing number of public servants in Nigeria have been photographed bowing, kneeling, or fully prostrating before their political superiors, sparking debate about deference and dignity in the country's political culture since President Bola Tinubu took office in May 2023.
The practice, rooted in parts of Nigerian tradition, has become increasingly visible at official and semi-official functions, raising questions about whether it remains a cultural gesture or is crossing into a display of political submission.
A Broader Pattern Under the Tinubu Era
Taken together, the incidents point to a pattern that has become more prominent in public view since Tinubu assumed the presidency. Supporters of the tradition argue that prostrating before elders or those in authority is deeply embedded in Yoruba and broader Nigerian custom.
Critics, however, contend that the frequency and public nature of these acts, particularly among elected officials, risks embedding a culture of political subservience at the expense of institutional independence.
President Tinubu has been pictured bowing for late former President Muhammadu Buhari, late Nigerian business mogul and philanthropist Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, and many other elder statesmen in the country.
Governor Abiodun and Ogun LG Chairmen
One of the most talked-about episodes involved local government chairmen in Ogun State going down to the floor in full prostration before Governor Dapo Abiodun. The scene, captured on camera, showed several elected chairmen lying flat as a show of respect to the governor. Critics argued that elected officials prostrating before another elected official normalises a hierarchy of submission that is out of place in a democratic setting.
Governor Umaru Bago and President Tinubu
Niger State Governor Umaru Bago was also photographed kneeling before President Bola Tinubu during a meeting. The image circulated widely on social media, with Nigerians divided over whether the gesture was a legitimate cultural expression or an uncomfortable signal of the power dynamics between the presidency and the states. The governor was said to have joined President Tinubu on his second visit to Brazil, during which the president signed a deal with a meat processing company that will be established in Niger and several others with the government in the name of Nigeria.
Delta Commissioner and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori
In Delta State, a similar moment drew attention when a commissioner was seen attempting to kneel or bow while greeting Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, but the governor immediately stopped him. The interaction added another entry to what observers have described as a recurring pattern of subordinates physically lowering themselves before those who hold political power over them.
Biodun Oyebanjo and Afe Babalola
In late 2023, Biodun Oyebanji, the governor of Ekiti State, sparked reactions from Nigerians on social media over viral pictures of him prostrating before an elder statesman, Afe Babalola. Afe Babalola is a Nigerian octogenarian, veteran lawyer, educationist, columnist, and founder of the Afe Babalola University in Ekiti. He celebrated his 60 years of call to the bar on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Presidency Defends Tinubu on Obi's Attacks
Legit.ng earlier reported that the presidency disclosed that the NDC 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was ignorant about the power-generating capacity of Nigeria. Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, made the claim while responding to Obi's criticism of President Bola Tinubu. According to Onanuga, the problem of Nigeria's electricity is not a shortage of gas, while disclosing the actual headache of Tinubu's administration.
