President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday delivered a national broadcast — something the entire country pressed him to do even during his medical vacation.
Here are a few things we learnt from the broadcast.
BUHARI MISSED NIGERIANS
“I am very grateful to God and to all Nigerians for their prayers,” the President said. “I am pleased to be back on home soil among my brothers and sisters.”
NOT TOO SICK TO WATCH THE TV
Did someone say Buhari was on life support for a long time? It doesn’t appear so, going by the President’s utterance. Remember, too, that his aides once tweeted a photo of him watching Channels TV?
“In the course of my stay in the United Kingdom, I have been kept in daily touch with events at home,” Buhari said on Monday.
“Nigerians are robust and lively in discussing their affairs, but I was distressed to notice that some of the comments, especially in the social media have crossed our national red lines by daring to question our collective existence as a nation. This is a step too far.”
OJUKWU NO LONGER WANTED BIAFRA
Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, the man who declared Biafra a secessionist state prior to the Civil War, had a turnaround about an independent state for the Igbo. So Buhari said.
“In 2003 after I joined partisan politics, the late Chief Emeka Ojukwu came and stayed as my guest in my hometown Daura.” he said. “Over two days we discussed in great depth till late into the night and analyzed the problems of Nigeria. We both came to the conclusion that the country must remain one and united.”
THERE WILL BE NO BIAFRA
Was Nnamdi Kanu watching? Biafra won’t happen anytime soon; in fact, there will be no conversation about that particular matter.
“Nigeria’s unity is settled and not negotiable,” Buhari said. “We shall not allow irresponsible elements to start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with their blood.”
NO WAY TO QUIT NOTICE
Buhari had a word, too, for those issuing quit notices and counter-notices to people of other ethnic backgrounds.
“Every Nigerian has the right to live and pursue his business anywhere in Nigeria without let or hindrance. I believe the very vast majority of Nigerians share this view,” he said.
“This is not to deny that there are legitimate concerns. Every group has a grievance. But the beauty and attraction of a federation is that it allows different groups to air their grievances and work out a mode of co-existence.
“The National Assembly and the National Council of State are the legitimate and appropriate bodies for national discourse. The national consensus is that, it is better to live together than to live apart.”
BOKO HARAM NOT YET DEFEATED
The military has claimed several times that Boko Haram has been defeated. But the President tacitly admitted that the war is not only on, it must be revved up.
“Furthermore, I am charging the Security Agencies not to let the successes achieved in the last 18 months be a sign to relax,” Buhari said.
“Terrorists and criminals must be fought and destroyed relentlessly so that the majority of us can live in peace and safety.
“Therefore we are going to reinforce and reinvigorate the fight not only against; elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of attacks on soft targets · kidnappings, farmers versus herdsmen clashes, in addition to ethnic violence fuelled by political mischief makers. We shall tackle them all.”
BUHARI WILL NOT RESIGN
In the past three months, a lot of people have called on the President go give up power. It didn’t stop after his return to the country on Saturday; some say Buhari is apparently still too sick to handle the rigours of presidency.
“I remain resolutely committed to ensuring that these goals are achieved and maintained,” he said. “I am so glad to be home. Thank you and may God bless our dear Nation.”
