The Southern Nigeria Frontier SNF, is deeply worried, by the recent statement credited to Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, where he, in a malevolent manner, asserted that President Muhammadu Buhari has become so popular among Nigerians, that he now pulls more crowd than notable founding fathers of Nigeria such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Mallam Aminu Kano.
We consider it very pitiable and shameful, for anyone, particularly students of history, to compare the popularity of President Muhammadu Buhari, with that of our founding fathers, who did not only enjoy massive support and popularity among their people, but lived their lives, for a prosperous and indivisible Nigeria, unlike the now characteristics and very unpopular image of President Muhammadu Buhari.
We are more worried, that such a shameful statement, came from an otherwise promising frontline journalist, and of course, a senior member of the media community, whose capacity for right thinking, has become an issue of serious contestation as at the moment.
We cannot but also state clearly, that Mr Adesina’s statement is not accidental, as it is just one in the series of his hatchet jobs, of attacking every progressive and historic characters, that seek to expose the inefficiency of the Buhari Regime, which he has dedicated his life, towards the defence, of its glaring failure.
And to show the true intention of the person doing the comparison, he left out the former Premier of the Northern region, Sir Ahmadu Bello from his comparison as if he never existed in the political space, alongside Zik, Awo and Aminu Kano. Should we not ask Mr Femi Adesina, if he unconsciously left out the late Premier of the Northern region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in his ‘popularity’ rating, or he consciously did, out of the fear for his patrons or perhaps, the script he was out to disseminate.
Sincerely speaking, how can any adult or good student of history, begin to draw comparison or even rate President Muhammadu Buhari, higher in term of popularity, with nationalists, who did not only pay their dues, for the actualization of our nationhood, but also spent their lifetimes, defending the cause for the enthronement of democracy, many of those virtues, that the Buhari Regime has continually, aggressively eroded over the past few years.
How can a President, whose body language and actions of operatives of his regime, undermine everything fought for by Dr. Azikwe, Chief Awolowo and Mallam Aminu Kano, be rated above these nationalists, by Mr Femi Adesina?
While urging Nigerians, especially the younger generation, whom Mr Adesina’s mischievous manipulation of history, tend to confuse, to disregard this distortion of history, we wish to ask, that President Buhari must listen to the yearning of Nigerians, and urgently address the unprecedented economic downturn and insecurities in the land, without further delay.
Signed:
Olufemi Lawson
Spokesman, SNF
