President Muhammadu Buhari has been in the United Kingdom since January on a medical vacation. Buhari’s continued stay has set tongues wagging, with unending speculations over his health, humours of Baba Go Slow’s death have been doing the rounds.
Buhari’s indefinite stay in the UK is worrying many Nigerians, who wish their leader a speedy recovery so that he resumes his presidential duties.
Only a handful of people have seen or heard from Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari since he went on vacation in January.
Among them include the most powerful man in world, President Donald Trump of the US of A; the second, third and fourth most powerful political office holders in Nigeria, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara respectively.
So Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, was rapturous when he received a telephone call from his boss over the weekend.
Hello from the other side. (Note: Buhari is in London, the other side of the Atlantic).
“Mr President”, Adesina screamed. “I have missed you. How are you sir?”.
AND PRESIDENT BUHARI CALLED AT 2:43 P.MAt exactly 2.43 p.m today, Saturday, February 25, 2017, my phone rang. Who was…
Posted by Femi Adesina on Saturday, February 25, 2017
Adesina wrote this on his Facebook wall:
Read: Nigerians hold Buhari’s feet to the fire for seeking medical treatment in London
It was important that Buhari rallied around his media team. They have had to battle the scourge of fake news announcing his death. And they have had to deal with the mischief of millions of Nigerians who were asking why their president was taking time to come back home.
Thanks for holding out against mischief makers, PMB tells me during a phone call today. Said he would call again soon. Gave him best wishes.
– Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) February 25, 2017
Next, Buhari called Mallam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.
Hello from the other side/I must have called you a thousand times.
A day for the Presidential Media Team
We are thankful to the President, @MBuhari GCFR for sparing the time to make calls to the Media team.
– Garba Shehu ?? (@GarShehu) February 25, 2017
The Minister of Info., Lai Mohammed & the Special Adviser, @FemAdesina responded to the calls, exchanged greetings & thanked him for calling
– Garba Shehu ?? (@GarShehu) February 25, 2017
I had an SMS from him thereafter because I missed my call! I humbly join them to say thank you, Baba Buhari!!
– Garba Shehu ?? (@GarShehu) February 25, 2017
Nigerians love their president. They do. For the past one month, there have been several inter-religious prayers organised to seek divine intervention in Buhari’s medical condition. With the exception of mischief makers, it is safe to assume that Buhari loves them right back.
This is why this Tweep used a popular naija gospel tune to warn Nigerians to be alert, in case their president called. (Note: A telephone call trumps an SMS).
Who will Buhari call today? It may be you, it may be me, it may be someone by your side.
– Emeka (@EmekaEmezue) February 26, 2017
Imagine Adele’s Hello playing in the background… That way, this isn’t farcical, but the serious business of presidential media aides informing Nigerians about their president.
And Nigerians can say back: Hello, how are you Mr. President? It’s so typical of your aides to talk about themselves. We mean no mischief. We pray that you get well soon.
Source: This Is Africa