IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Disrespect is trending on Twitter on Wednesday after a video of Nigerian singer, Teniola Apata known better as Teni, reportedly failing to shake or greet President Muhammadu Buhari while receiving a national award surfaces online.
Voiceofnaija.ng had reported that Buhari on Tuesday conferred National Honours Award on 447 persons at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
According to the National Honours Award Investiture 2022 Programme, 450 recipients were awarded, making the total number of Nigeria’s national honours awardees 5,341 since 1963.
Of the 450 recipients, six were awarded Grand Commanders of the Order of the Niger (GCON), 55 Commanders of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), 74 Members of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), 77 Officers of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Others are 110 Officers of the Order of the Niger (OON), 55 Members of the Order of the Niger (MON), 65 Commanders of the Order of the Niger (CON), 4 Federal Republic Medal- First Class (FRM I) and 4 Federal Republic Medal- Second Class FRM II.
During award ceremony, Teni was seen to be the only recipient who failed to greet or shake the President when collecting her award.
Here’s the video that stirred controversy on the social media:
The video which has since gone viral on social media has generated a lot of controversies among netizens.
Some Nigerians viewed Teni’s conduct as a total disrespect to the office of the presidency while others extolled her for the act.
A popular political commentator, @Omojuwa said: “I watched the Teni video receiving the award last night, I have watched it several times again this morning. I will watch it several times again this afternoon. Hopefully, I’d eventually see the disrespect in that video. When I see it, I will share with friends and allies.”
Another user, @thattopboy who saw nothing wrong with Teni’s behaviour opined: “Teni no send una president oooo 😌❤️ Love it… na weyrey plenty pass for this app, if she shaked him ( na wahala), she no still shake am, na still wahala”
Okezie Atami would, however, not have any of Teni’s ‘behaviour. He wrote: “Shame On You,Teni..Or Whatever They Call YOU! YOU Are A Disgrace To All Well Trained Nigerians! You DISGRACED yourself and not the office of the President, YOU danced to the tune of our youths who lack manners. Shame On You!”
According to Prettyyetty, Teni has not contributed anything to national growth and development to warrant her nomination for a national award and this was why she displayed no respect to the president of the country.
“I won’t even blame her. It’s those that includes her name in the list that is at fault. What has she contributed to entertainment industry when we have Dbang and many others,” he wrote.
“She doesn’t deserves it they should withdraw if possible, human character matters a lot. This is minus to her she will leaves to regret it,” another user, Vadeboje added.
Meanwhile, some people commended the manner in which Teni received the award.
For instance, a user, FS Yusuf said: “People are not worried that a failed Minister of Education is getting a national award, they are worried that Paystack Ezra Olubi “didn’t dress to impress their daddy” and Teni didn’t dobalè for emperor Buhari. I don taya for una. I swear.”
@segalink also weighed in, saying: “I don’t know where the disrespect was manufactured from. She honored the invite, stepped out to receive the award, waited to take pictures with the president and left to give room to others in the queue. She was interviewed afterwards & took further pictures while celebrating.
“For those expecting something dramatic like hugs and kisses backed up by a speech, this is not that kind of event. Time is of the essence and everyone must have been briefed on the protocol ahead of time.
“There’s no disrespect here please except what you are spreading now.”
Allezamani, also commenting on the same subject topic, wrote: “Teni did what most of your so called celebrities had no guts to do. Nigerian youths has constantly received disrespect and abuse from the Nigeria government. What does APC blind bats mean that she disrespected the President, I thought they say Respect is reciprocal?”
Another user, Amanda Kayode said that President Buhari deserves no respect from Nigerians considering how his government has made life so terrible for his citizens for the past seven years he assumed office.
According to her: “Buhari is the perfect definition of god forbid bad thing and I don’t understand why Teni should respect the bad thing that god is forbidding.”
Akọwekọwura (@Demurleigh) said Teni who stood in for her late dad disrespected him by not shaking the president’s hand.
In her own words: “Tẹni stood in for her late dad, and couldn’t even respect that space for her late dad’s sake?
“Her dad used to harass random people for disrespecting the national anthem when being sung, and here was his daughter disrespecting what he stood for. Yorubas will say ọmọ alè.”
@Jack_ng01 also tweeted: “Apparently I didn’t watch the video well as I was tired yesterday when it first poped up on the TL
“I watched over and over again slowly and released I was wrong; TENI DID NOT disrespect the President.”