Ambassador-designate Reno Omokri has praised former presidential candidate Peter Obi for the way he greeted guests at the 60th birthday ceremony of Senator Aminu Tambuwal.

At the event in Abuja, Obi could be seen bowing his head as he shook hands with fellow politicians who graced the ceremony. His gesture was highly criticised by netizens who believed he was only showing humility because cameras were around.

However, Omokri, known for his constant criticism of Obi, decided not to take his usual route and found no fault with Obi's gesture.

He shared on Facebook, "There is absolutely nothing wrong with what Peter Obi did here. Showing respect to your elders and mentors should not be mocked.

"In my culture, we do not prostrate. We do something else, called Dakun or Dakunle, where we kneel to greet Ogiame and our father.
Nevertheless, I have prostrated flat three times in my life, twice because I respect the other person's culture, and once out of love and loyalty to a friend and brother of mine in the Tinubu administration, whose culture it is not, but who I just had to honour because of our bond of friendship.

"Each time I have met President Bola Tinubu, I have publicly prostrated myself to the ground before him. I have also prostrated flat on the floor to a mentor of mine, who is an Otunba, in front of the Transcorp Hilton in the full glare of the public.
Peter Obi respected the culture of his elders, like President Obasanjo, and others. There is nothing wrong with it!
As a sitting President, President Jonathan publicly knelt to greet Hajia Aya Dada, the late mother of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.

"For the act of showing respect, which he demonstrated at the 60th birthday of Distinguished Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Peter Obi should be commended, not condemned!

"Yes, he appeared a bit awkward when he did it, being that he came late, and the Peter Obi that I know would usually prefer to go early or punctually to events. So, he may have been somewhat uneasy because he felt disappointed in himself for being late, which in itself is natural and also honourable.

"But there is nothing wrong with his behaviour here."

ASA