Ahmed Musa Explains Why He Refused To Shake Hands With Kano Governor
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Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has addressed the controversy surrounding a video showing him declining to shake hands with Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The viral video, which surfaced recently, captured Musa’s refusal to shake hands with the governor in public. Many Nigerians took to social media to express their disapproval of his actions, labelling it as disrespectful.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, the footballer responded to the social media backlash, expressing his disappointment at the attention the incident received.
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He emphasized that the gesture was rooted in Northern cultural norms, where kneeling and shaking hands signify the highest form of respect.
Musa clarified that while he greeted the Deputy Governor, with a traditional gesture, he chose to bow instead of shaking hands with the governor to honour him in a manner deeply embedded in tradition.
He said, “It’s disheartening to see a simple act of cultural respect blown out of proportion. In our Northern culture, the gesture of kneeling, shaking hands etc signifies the highest form of respect. This was my intention when I greeted the Deputy Governor in such a manner. However, when it came to greeting the Governor, I chose to bow and not shake his hands, honouring him in a way that is deeply rooted in tradition.”
It has come to my attention that on a moment captured almost a month ago, has unexpectedly become the center of attention on social media. It's disheartening to see a simple act of cultural respect blown out of proportion. In our Northern culture, the gesture of kneeling, shaking… pic.twitter.com/YPZyh20nvg
— Ahmed Musa (MON) (OON) (@Ahmedmusa718) April 2, 2024
The football star lamented the disproportionate focus on the incident, especially amidst pressing national issues such as economic hardships and security challenges.
Musa criticized the media, including national outlets like ARISE TV, for diverting attention from more critical matters to what he deemed a trivial moment.
“It’s unfortunate that amidst all the pressing issues our nation faces – economic hardships, security challenges, religious clashes and more – this seemingly insignificant moment has garnered so much attention. Even national media outlets like ARISE TV have jumped on the bandwagon, diverting focus from issues that truly matter- highly disappointing I must say,” he said.
Addressing comments questioning his respectfulness, Musa urged the public to reflect on their energy allocation, emphasizing the need to prioritize solutions to societal problems over unnecessary distractions.
