Izuchukwu OkosiSuper Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has taken to his social media handles to set the records straight regarding the viral video making the rounds of him rejecting the handshake of Kano state Governor, Abba Yusuf.
Musa whose contract at his Turkish club, Sivasspor, was recently terminated by mutual consent, has been widely condemned for what many has termed ‘disrespectful’ and inappropriate in accordance to African culture.
The non-playing skipper of the Nigerian national team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire where the Eagles were runners up, wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter).
“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,” the former Leicester City and CSKA Moscow star noted.
“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, honoring him in a way that is deeply rooted in tradition.
Musa insists that there are more pressing national issues worth debating about rather than how he chose to greet the Kano state Governor.
“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,” Musa stressed even as he criticized the role played by a popular cable television channel for the role they played on the issue.
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“What’s even more disheartening are the comments questioning my respectfulness, especially from those who don’t know me personally.
“Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on where we choose to direct our energy. Shouldn’t it be towards finding solutions to the problems plaguing our society rather than getting caught up in needless distractions.”
“I urge us all to channel our collective efforts towards addressing the real issues at hand. Let’s focus on uplifting one another, fostering unity, and working towards a better future for all. And with this, I rest my case. #FocusOnWhatMatters #CulturalRespect #UnityInDiversity ❤️👍👌”
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
