Nigerians condemn Buhari’s Eid-El-Fitr note

• say it’s a blow to Nigeria’s unity

By Odunewu Segun

President Muhammadu Buhari’s purported Hausa note to Nigerians as the Muslims celebrated end of the Ramadan yesterday, has continued to elicit negative reactions from Nigerians.

Recall that the Presidency had a released an audio Sallah message to Muslims faithful’s purportedly from the President Buhari as part of the strategy to debunk reports that the President, Muhammadu Buhari is suffering from speech impairment.

However, the audio has only compounded issues, dividing Nigeria more on ethnicity lines as a result of the language with which the message was delivered.

National Daily gathered that while die-hard supporter of the President sees nothing wrong in the means by which he transmits his goodwill message, others condemned the President for using the Hausa language to address a nation of over 250 ethnic groups.

Reacting to the address, Former aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Pastor Reno Omokri, queried why Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, whom he described as a national leader, would, in his Eid-El-Fitr message, address Nigerians in a sectional language.

Similarly, Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, also expressed its disappointment. The group while berating the president for addressing the nation in Hausa language noted that the president has brought the nation to yet another low standard.

Speaking in Enugu on Sunday, Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chuks Ibegbu noted that the authenticity of the message purported to be the president’s voice should be investigated.

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“I want to believe that the voice is not real, but if it is Mr. President that actually spoke, then, it means that we have descended to the level of a banana republic.”

Also on twitter, the goodwill message, National Daily gathered, has generated hot argument with most criticizing the President for addressing Nigerians in Hausa.

According to a twitter, the message is a blow to Nigeria’s unity. “Can’t you see the country is a not working? Infact we are in the process of winding up. And Buhari is only fastening it,” @AniebietEbong stated.

Another twitter, @rOtunba Yemi Ojo, said the purported message has clearly shown that the entity called Nigeria is no more. “I can now agree 100% that Nigeria is a zoo… Nigeria is gone”

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Recall that presidency, earlier, released an audio message wherein President Buhari who has been in London on a follow-up medical check-up for about 50 days now, spoke in Hausa language, wishing Nigerians and especially the Muslim faithful a happy Eid-El-Fitr celebration.