Veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwo, popularly known as Mama G, and former First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan, have been in the trends after she (Mama G) posted a video on her Instagram page which captured the moment she knelt down to greet Mrs. Jonathan at a function.
In the video she captioned “Dame Patience Jonathan…You are loved, Thank you,” Mrs. Jonathan is also seen standing up from her seat to wrap Mama G in a warm embrace.
The seemingly innocent video of Mama G displaying respect for the former First Lady elicited various reactions with netizens jumping in to cause a debate using their age difference as talking points.
While some said the actress erred by kneeling down to greet Mrs. Jonathan as they are in the same age range, others said it was just an act of respect coming from a well-groomed Igbo woman.
Read some of the reactions below:
“There’s a big problem I have noticed with today’s generation & that is d issue of “RESPECT”. Many young people today lack respect & see disrespect as a statement of “confidence.” People who can’t even greet their seniors are complaining when a senior willingly greets her junior.” – @moses_az
“For the non Igbos who are asking why Patince Ozokwor knelt down to greet Patience Jonathan, let me explain. In Igbo culture men stand straight to greet their elders, but they must shake with their two hands. Women kneel to greet an elder or an authority figure. T for tenks!” – @bros_aik
“Legendary actress Patience Ozokwor is 66 years old. For First Lady Patience Jonathan is 66 years old. Patience Ozokwor is OLDER than our former fist lady BUT you see how she KNELT DOWN to greet her. National association of “We Igbos don’t kneel to greet anybody” should be ashamed of themselves.” – @Onsogbu
“Which controversy? It’s not by age.. The position held by Mrs. Jonathan is enough for any Nigerian woman,old or young to greet her respectfully. Moreover,it’s always good to respect,appreciate and be greatful to your benefactor anytime anyway. You never know what’s between them.” – @Opara_isiocha
“Nigerians especially the “netizens” take trivial matters seriously while they totally ignore or distract themselves from real issues. They will never debate or confront real issues in the country.” – @BlackMeni095
“That person or group of people that sparked that controversy, are they saying their fathers or mother won’t do the same thing if they meet patient Jonathan?” – @Nwafresh
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“Patience Jonathan is older than her. There is nothing wrong in kneeling to greet to greet her.” – @Dunitedway12
“Even the First Lady stood up for her. Both of them displayed a huge level of respect for each other.” – @ilord_anthony
“Nigerians like to react to everything. Patience Jonathan is a former first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for crying the basin.” – @garrincha
…By Isaac Dachen & Ben Ugbana