Yemi Adebayo President Muhammadu Buhari has described the claim that he was dead and his supposed body double, “Jibril Aminu from Sudan” was the one occupying the Presidential Villa in Abuja, as a joke that was not funny.
The President said this on Friday night in a documentary shown at a private dinner organised by his family and closed associates, to celebrate his 80th birthday tagged “Celebrating A Patriot, a Leader, an Elder Statesman”. According to him, some Nigerians have a way of creating humour to feast on something they do not understand.
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He says the rumour was the work of of some mischief makers to demonstrate their cheekiness. Asked by the interviewer if he heard about the crazy rumour a while back that he was not Buhari, he replied smiling, “Yes! People said I am somebody from Sudan.
I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves.” Asked how he finds such things funny, the President said: “No. Is not funny because those who made those statements, they just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue. “Our main issue is to do the infrastructure, make people aware that they need to work hard to live well.
They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on”. The President also said he will not miss the Presidential Villa, popularly known as Aso Rock much because he is being harassed and that his efforts to make the country better are not good enough and appreciated by some people. Asked what he will miss about the Presidency when he leaves, Buhari said: “I wonder if I am going to miss much.
I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still my best is not good enough. Because there are people around that think that they can intimidate me to get what they want instead of going through certain systems to earn whatever they want to earn. And they are some people who want to be clever by half.” President Buhari revealed that he lost two of his children by his late wife to sickle cell anemia and that was why when he wanted to remarry, he insisted the second wife must have AA genotype, so that his children will not inherit the S from his AS genotype.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, while proposing a toast for the celebrator, described him as a forthright, good and kind man, as well as an exemplary leader. He noted that the President would made a very good entertainer in retirement because of his wackiest sense of humour. The Vice President recalled how the President used jokes to calm him down and rescind his decision to submit a letter to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against him. In his words, “Mr. President is a very humorous man and I think he would made a very good career in entertainment one way or the other when he retires. “One day, I went to him because they were some allegations that were made against me.
And I was so angry, so I went to him to show him the letter I had written to the EFCC to investigate. He looked at it and looked at me and because he calls me VP or Professor depending on his mood. “This time he said, ‘VP, why do you worry yourself about all these people. These people just make all sorts of allegations, they make all sorts of stories up, even they are saying that I am about to get married again.
And even some foolish people were waiting at the National Mosque, waiting for me to come and marry again.” Osinbajo praised President Buhari for leading the nation with great courage, determination and commitment. In his remark, the All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, thanked President Buhari for sacrificing a lot for the progress of Nigeria. He said: “You have been at the helm of the affairs of this country at a critical time. We have seen a life of commitment, dedication, patriotism and honesty. Mr President, you have done well for your country. Our nation has seen the difference, the leadership that you demonstrate.” He said he belongs to the class of leaders who came and served their country with commitment, dedication patriotism and honesty.
He liken him to leaders like “Charles De Gaulle of France, Franklin Roosevelt of America, Winston Churchill of Great Britain and Buhari of Nigeria.” The APC standard bearer who was in attendance with his running mate, Kashim Shettima, said: “The leadership you have demonstrated reminded me of the speech you gave at the Primary Convention when you won the nomination.
You thanked the people with all humility and said even if you had the money, you would not have paid. But that is because, they know who you are, a man of integrity, great commitment, transparent and a exceptional humility.” The President’s eldest daughter, Fatima Buhari, who spoke on behalf of her siblings and the entire family, used the occasion to thank her father
The President’s eldest daughter, Fatima Buhari, who spoke on behalf of her siblings and the entire family, used the occasion to thank her father for investing in their future by giving them the needed training and care for their wellbeing. There were good will messages from traditional rulers, who all eulogised President Buhari as a man of integrity and a huge sense of humour. Also present were the Governors of Katsina, Aminu Masari and Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and members of the cabinet, family members and captains of industry among others. The President was presented a birthday card by members of his cabinet led by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
