Buhari not appreciated by Nigerians but valued like gold in other nations — Femi Adesina
The presidential aide stated this in a write-up targeted to review Buhari’s recent honour, “Africa Award For Strengthening Peace” in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Femi Adesina, the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, has said that the president is precious to other nations despite the growing rate of criticisms he received in Nigeria.
He said the president is valued and honoured by other countries amid serious criticisms against him in his own nation.
Adesina made this revelation in a write-up aimed at reviewing the president’s recent recognition, “Africa Award For Strengthening Peace” in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
The president bagged the “Award for Strengthening Peace in Africa” from the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum at the conference.
While affirming that the president deserved the recognition, Femi Adesina writes: “A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, says the Good Book. This was on display once again in Nouakchott, Mauritania, early this week when President Muhammadu Buhari stood ramrod straight to receive the Africa Award for Strengthening Peace, given at the 3rd edition of the African Conference for Peace, organized by the Forum for Promoting Peace, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“Was this not the same Buhari daily derided at home, excoriated and flagellated by some trenchant critics, who never see anything good in their country and its leadership? Again and again, that same leader has been receiving plaudits outside the country, celebrated and applauded by those who know the value of gold. No wonder the Good Book urges us again not to cast our pearls before swines, lest they trample them under foot, and turn round to attack us. That’s how some vocal minority in Nigeria treat their President, but it by no means reduces his worth in the eyes of the majority of countrymen and women, as well as the international community.
“Was he not sometime in recent past declared the Champion of Anti-Corruption in Africa by the African Union? Yet some caterwauling people never stop to assault the anti-graft battle at home. Oh, it’s selective. It’s ineffective. Blah, blah, blah. Didn’t ECOWAS make him Champion of the fight against COVID-19, with roaring success? Yet septics and cynics said nothing was done, even when Nigeria and West Africa defied the dark auguries that had been made about the pandemic.
“And has he not been invested with highest National Honors and garlanded in many countries, including Portugal, and many other African nations? Yes, for those who believe, no evidence is needed, and for those who don’t believe, no evidence is possible. They remain marooned in unbelief, so we leave them to their fate.
“Why was President Buhari given the African Award for Strengthening Peace, handed to him by world revered Shaykh Abdullah Bin Bayyah from Abu Dhabi?
“President El-Ghazouni of Mauritania said he was singled out among other African leaders for providing good leadership and promoting peace in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-linguistic country like Nigeria, and extending his experience and wisdom to other African countries.
“Now, that’s the same Buhari that our so-called activists and political priests claim has divided the country more than at any other time. They simply see what they want to see, and say what suits their fancy, no matter how untrue.
“In a private meeting with Shaykh Bin Bayyah later in the day, the renowned cleric said the Nigerian President, who has just about four months to the expiration of his second and final term in office, ‘will remain a symbol and icon, even out of power.’ He invited Buhari to visit Abu Dhabi, whether in office or out of it, submitting that his wide experience would be appreciated in any society. Do the inveterate critics hear that?
“On combating religious extremism as represented by Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Shaykh said President Buhari had done extremely well, ‘and it is something we must all do wherever such rears its head round the world.’
“Yet, some armchair security experts, activists and those consumed by lust for power, impugn the war back home in Nigeria. They never see anything good in their own country.
“President Buhari used the opportunity of the award to give some recipes for a safer Africa.
While expressing his view on religious extremism, he said: “This event is taking place amidst growing armed conflicts, exacerbated by extremists’ ideology rooted in misinterpretation of religious precepts, and of course widespread deprivations of the citizens of Africa and other parts of the world.
“These sad developments have, for many decades, become worrisome that they preoccupy all governments and well-meaning organisations, as well as individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
