President Muhammadu Buhari has come under heavy criticisms for his refusal to shake hands with female ministers during their swearing-in ceremony in Aso Rock last Wednesday.
Condemning the action of the president, a leading public relations expert in Nigeria, Mrs. Nkechi Ali-Balogun, described the actions of Buhari as “unethical” and “portraying the female ministers as inferior”.
Ali-Balogun who is chief executive officer of NECCI Limited, a public relations firm said President Buhari does not have a valid excuse not to shake hands with the female ministers.
She said: “It is unethical in public relations because it portrayed the female ministers as inferior in eyes of the general public.
“If Hillary Clinton (US presidential hopeful and former Secretary of State) is to visit Nigeria today, will our President refuse to shake hands with her in the name of religion?
“If you are working for the President, you must be able to advise him in such a way that he will know that your advice is due to the office you holding which you must do with boldness in such a way that the President will earn the respect of the public.
“An expert in public relations should have told him that it is unethical even before the congratulatory hand shake which he gave to the male ministers. A public relations person must not be scared to tell him what will boost the President image and acceptability to the public,” she concluded.
Buhari was photographed shaking hands with new wife of Edo Governor, Adams Oshiomhole during their wedding in May, 2015 drawing the irk of his religious fundamentalist supporters for shaking the hands of a woman.
Buhari, a former military ruler, has been dogged with allegations of being a Muslim fundamentalist following his public comments on Sharia and sympathy for the Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram.
