Encomium
President Muhammadu Buhari, 75 on Sunday, December 17, 2017, appears fully recovered as he’s no longer frail, sallow and pitted. He’s actually more agile and sprightly as he attends to governing Nigeria.
In the last one week, he’s been in Paris (France), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and spent long hours in Abuja after returning from checking his farm in Daura, Katsina state.
Observers even claimed the President has added a bit of weight.
We no longer hear of his being away from his desk or taking bed rest on doctor’s advice.
President Muhammadu Buhari has even suggested he might contest in 2019 as he claimed in Kano during his recent visit that he’s more popular than ever.
This new interest in a second term underscores his recovery from the secret ailment which kept him in London (the United Kingdom) for over a hundred days (May 7 – August 19, 2017).
At his birthday celebrations on Sunday, December 17, at the Presidential Villa in Asokoro, Abuja (Federal Capital Territory), his wife Aisha, Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo, Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara joined a long list of governors. Birthday cakes and cards were presented to the gangling leader.
Smiling and shaking hands, the atmosphere was coloured by mirth.
But some observers have raised the issue of falsification of age against the President. That he’s far older than 75.
That even in an interview in 2014, he admitted being a few years older than General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd) who’s 76.
In the interview reproduced by thecable.ng, he spoke about how IBB overthrew his military government on August 27, 1985:
“It is true that I learnt he was planning a coup against me. And I sat and discussed it with him in my office.
“He brought the news that he went to Kano and people complained that I pulled a pistol during a council meeting. I said Ibro ─ I called him Ibro because I was just senior to him by a few months ─ I said whoever wants to sit on this chair let him come and sit here. And he decided to do it.”
But keen watchers claimed Buhari was referring to seniority in the military as he joined in 1961, while IBB came in on December 10, 1962.
However, many critics have denounced the old age of African leaders, ascribing our underdevelopment to geriatrics.
Some are against Buhari seeking reelection in 2019 on account of old age. At 77 in 2019, what would he be able to offer? Even as it is, they are heaping the gross rot and hardship on his doorsteps. All the indices of change and development are still shockingly scored low.
From children out of school hovering at 11 million to high unemployment figure, underperforming budget to life expectancy at 54 years, dismal health and education sectors to general hardship fueled by lack of electricity and infrastructure that colour lives more beautiful.
