As controversies continue to trail the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s president, some citizens who are not happy with the outcome of the election that brought him to power have resolved not have his portrait on their office walls.

People in this category believe not having Tinubu’s portrait in their offices is a way of protesting his emergence. To them, it is a way of showing their displeasure with his rule.

A few supporters of the new president have also suggested that the president’s portrait must be on the wall of every government office.

FIJ asked lawyers if private businesses and government-controlled offices are bound by law to have the president’s portrait hung on their walls.

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“It has no basis in law,” said Festus Ogun, a Lagos State-based lawyer.

“The idea of hanging the president’s portrait in offices, whether government-owned or privately run, is not supported by any law I know.”

Tailorson Nwani, an Ogun State-based lawyer, shared the same view with Ogun.

“I do not think it is an offence if corporate entities, either private or government-run, choose not to hang Tinubu and Shettima’s portraits in their offices,” Nwani said.

“As far as I know, it is a matter of choice, mostly for privately run entities, firms and outfits.

“Technically speaking, companies hang such pictures on their walls to identify with the government of the period. It is a way of showing solidarity to the administration that is in power.

“It now becomes even more important to have such pictures in the offices of companies that constantly have government ministries and parastatals as their major clients. Other companies that also constantly have businesses with the government also see this as important.”

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When FIJ spoke with a deputy director in a government-owned parastatal, she said not having such pictures on the walls of government-owned offices is a sacrilege.

The deputy director, who asked not to be named, said it is a norm to have such pictures in government offices.

“It is an expectation that has to be met. If such features are not noticed in your space, it will be frowned at,” said the director.

“It is a way of showing compliance as a government employee. It is not stated in any law, but again, you won’t want the government that pays your salary to start seeing you as being rebellious. It is a way of identifying with your employer. It is even non-negotiable for us civil servants.”