Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, says President Muhammadu Buhari gifted him an envelope filled with foreign currency when he was billed to attend a course in China.
In a tribute to the president on his 78th birthday, Adesina said he would not get bored talking about the kind of person that Buhari is since many people have chosen to believe wrong things about the president.
Adesina said the president is a generous man who has granted him monetary favours at different times
“A kind man. I have lots of stories to tell, but let me restrict myself to a few. In December 2015, I had lost my elder sister, a Professor of Dramatic Arts, in an auto crash. While I was crying like a wailing wailer, who was on the phone, consoling and condoling with me? Muhammadu Buhari,” Adesina wrote.
Advertisement
“And before he became President, when my mother passed on in 2013, and we had a commendation service for her in Lagos, who flew in all the way from Kaduna to attend? Muhammadu Buhari. He sat through the Christian service. Yet, they say he’s a bigot. I hear. Bigot from Sudan.
“And in January 2017, I was to receive the traditional title of Nwanne di Namba of Mmaku Kingdom, in Enugu State. Courtesy demanded I tell the President. This man, who prides himself as ‘very stingy’ gave me a handsome amount of money to ferry my friends and family to the ceremony. How much? I won’t tell you, lest you ask for a belated share.
“And in May 2018, I was billed for China for a 12 days course for senior government officials from Africa. He said when the journey was two days away, I should come to see him. I did. You know what he said? ‘Adesina, I know that you don’t have money. But you are too shy to ask.’ We both laughed, and he gave me an envelope which contained foreign currency. How much? You think I’ll tell you? For where?”
He said while some people call Buhari a religious bigot, the president’s actions have shown otherwise.
He also described Buhari as “a loyal man” who never forgets a good turn while citing the appointments of George Oguntade, former high commissioner to UK, and late Sylvester Nsofor, ambassador to the United States, both of whom he said stood by the president during his many legal battles after the disputed election results in 2003 and 2007.
Advertisement
“Ask me for a loyal man, who never forgets a good turn, and I’ll show you Muhammadu Buhari. Among the last class of Ambassadors, he had personally picked Justice George Oguntade, who was sent to United Kingdom, and Justice Sylvester Nsofor, who he deployed to America. The latter died only last week, aged 85,” he said.
“How did the two men gain the favour, loyalty and respect of the President? In his many legal battles after disputed election results in 2003, and 2007, they had given dissenting judgements at both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, nullifying the election results, saying Candidate Buhari had been cheated. The man never forgot, and sought them out in due time. The same also happened to some of us working with him today.”
Add a comment
