President Bola Tinubu’s minders have a lot of work to do, minding his posturing in public. The presidency is a critical institution, and such things form parts of why that institution takes nothing for granted or with levity, especially in speaking and carriage.
Perhaps President Tinubu’s minders haven’t paid attention to the manner he shakes hands in public? It’s quite unpresidential.
He’s not only loose about it, but he often throws himself around without caution, slapping hands as if bantering with boys in the club.
Unfortunately, these things are germane to image-making in international relations and for the diplomatic community. Presidential carriage is never taken for granted, nor is poor posturing excused.
This picture with India’s Prime Minister, Shri Modi, sums it up. Personally, as a Nigerian, I am uncomfortable with his posturing here.
Everything is wrong with it. The way he’s standing here isn’t presidential, for starters.
Two, his handshake is poor. It doesn’t exude confidence and is completely consumed by Modi’s palpable confidence and rather commanding posturing.
Modi’s hand has almost completely subsumed his, as if holding his “boy”. The optics here presupposes Modi is in charge and that our president is subservient.
I don’t know those minding him, but they’ve either been doing a terrible job or they’ve been doing nothing at all.
From the president’s gait to his smiles, handshake, how he stands and sits, how he waves at people, and even who to shake, when and where are guided at all times. They give meaning to charisma.
In serious and cosmopolitan societies, presidents are schooled and prepped for these things, including colours and choice of clothes. They are not only taken seriously, but observed very religiously.
Presidential institutions that are business-like do not gloss over them, and those in charge hardly fail. They are experts in image, etiquette, protocol, and manners.
President Tinubu sure needs some finishing tutoring for Nigeria’s sake.
