The Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi
Gbajabiamila, and members loyal to the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of
the Peoples Democratic Party have also faulted President Muhammadu
Buhari’s choice of Hausa to convey his Sallah message to
Nigerians.
On Sunday, the Presidency had, first time since the President
went on a medical vacation to London 51 days ago, released an audio
message containing Buhari’s message to Nigerians to mark the
Eid-el-Fitr, commemorating the end of Ramadan.
Groups, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the pan-Yoruba
socio-political group, Afenifere, and prominent Nigerians, had, on
Sunday, berated Buhari for his decision to use Hausa to pass across
his Sallah message in a nation with more than 350 ethnic
groups.
On Monday, Gbajabiamila and the Chief Whip of the House, Mr.
Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, also condemned the President’s handlers for
Buhari’s choice of language in conveying his message to
Nigerians.
Gbajabiamila, who is also the All Progressives Congress caucus
leader in the House, said the criticisms by different groups and
individuals were not unfounded.
Ado-Doguwa, an APC member from Kano State, told The PUNCH that
Buhari should have sent a message to Nigerians in English and not
in Hausa.
Gbajabiamila, in an interview with one of our correspondents,
agued that what was most important was that people heard Buhari’s
voice.
He admitted that the President’s handlers should have ensured
that the language of communication was English.
Gbajabiamila stated, “The criticism is not unfounded, but I am
the leader of the House in charge of government legislative
business not a Presidential handler.
“I think that question should be directed to those who handle
Mr. President. But as a matter of opinion, I would have preferred
he spoke in English. But, again, not every Nigerian speak English,
not everyone is literate.
“Yes, at this critical time and with all that is unfolding, it
would have been better to speak in the official language.
“However, moving beyond the form to the substance, at least now,
we have heard Mr. President speak.”
On his part, Ado-Doguwa aligned with Gbajabiamila that Buhari
should have sent a message to Nigerians in English and not in
Hausa.
The lawmaker believed the decision was an oversight by the
President’s handlers and should be overlooked.
He said, “To be candid, Mr. President should have spoken in
English, being our official language.
“But for me, it is an oversight that could be overlooked
considering his medical conditions.
“Let us not trivialise everything. The most important thing for
now is for Nigerians to pray for Mr. President’s recovery.”
Also, the Markafi and the Ali Modu Sheriff factions of the PDP
in the House disagreed on Buhari’s choice of Hausa to send an audio
message to Nigerians during Sallah.
While the Sheriff group said the message was meant for Muslims,
who largely spoke and understood Hausa, the Makarfi faction argued
that there were Muslims in the South-South, the South-West and the
South-East as well, who should benefit from the message.
A lawmaker loyal to the Sheriff faction, Mr. Johnson
Agbonayinma, told The PUNCH in Abuja, on Monday, that during the
last Easter festivity, Buhari passed his message to Nigerians in
English.
Agbonayinma, who is from Edo State, argued that Nigeria had more
serious problems to grapple with than getting worked up over a
Sallah message and the choice of language the President used.
He added, “I will say that the President was speaking to his
Muslim brothers and sisters on Sallah.
“I should not take that as an offence. During Easter, he spoke
with Christians in English. So, if he used Hausa today for Sallah
period, we should take it in good faith.
“There are more serious issues to talk about in Nigeria, like
how the economy is doing and how we can end the suffering of
Nigerians.
“We should ask questions about our looted funds, particularly
stolen crude oil proceeds.”
But the Minority Leader of the House and key member of the
Makarfi group, Mr. Leo Ogor, disagreed with Agbonayinma.
Ogor noted that by speaking in Hausa, it meant that Buhari
attempted to divide the Muslim brothers and sisters who were
supposed to hear his message.
He observed that there were Muslims in the South who did not
speak or understand Hausa.
“Are we saying that the Muslims in the South-South, the
South-West and the South-East were not supposed to hear the
greeting?
“Our lingua franca in Nigeria is not purely Hausa,” Ogor
added.
He stated that while Buhari might have “good intentions” in
sending the message, his media managers failed to advise him
properly on how to go about it.
The Rep stated, “For the President to even think of greeting
Nigerians, despite his illhealth, means that he had good
intentions.
“However, his media team did not do a good job. They should know
that not all Nigerians speak Hausa.
“Going forward, the President should use a more general
language.
“His message is also a sign that he is recovering and we wish
him well. We want him to return and address the myriads of
challenges confronting Nigeria.”
The Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Service had aired
the audio tape of the President’s message on Sunday, while the
President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam
Garba Shehu, had also released a statement on Buhari’s Sallah
message on Saturday.
Shehu’s statement translated Buhari’s message as saying, “I am
immensely grateful to God for his mercy in guiding us successfully
to conclude another Ramadan.
My greetings to all Nigerian Muslims and our brother Christians
on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr:
“May the lessons of Ramadan, namely piety, self-denial, prayers
and generosity to the poor and the needy, be with us for all
time.
“I, again, appeal to all Nigerians to avoid reckless statements
or actions against our fellow countrymen. We should all resolve to
live in peace and unity in our great country, which is the envy of
many less-endowed nations.”
The Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi
Gbajabiamila, and members loyal to the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of
the Peoples Democratic Party have also faulted President Muhammadu
Buhari’s choice of Hausa to convey his Sallah message to
Nigerians.
On Sunday, the Presidency had, first time since the President
went on a medical vacation to London 51 days ago, released an audio
message containing Buhari’s message to Nigerians to mark the
Eid-el-Fitr, commemorating the end of Ramadan.
Groups, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the pan-Yoruba
socio-political group, Afenifere, and prominent Nigerians, had, on
Sunday, berated Buhari for his decision to use Hausa to pass across
his Sallah message in a nation with more than 350 ethnic
groups.
On Monday, Gbajabiamila and the Chief Whip of the House, Mr.
Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, also condemned the President’s handlers for
Buhari’s choice of language in conveying his message to
Nigerians.
Gbajabiamila, who is also the All Progressives Congress caucus
leader in the House, said the criticisms by different groups and
individuals were not unfounded.
Ado-Doguwa, an APC member from Kano State, told The PUNCH that
Buhari should have sent a message to Nigerians in English and not
in Hausa.
Gbajabiamila, in an interview with one of our correspondents,
agued that what was most important was that people heard Buhari’s
voice.
He admitted that the President’s handlers should have ensured
that the language of communication was English.
Gbajabiamila stated, “The criticism is not unfounded, but I am
the leader of the House in charge of government legislative
business not a Presidential handler.
“I think that question should be directed to those who handle
Mr. President. But as a matter of opinion, I would have preferred
he spoke in English. But, again, not every Nigerian speak English,
not everyone is literate.
“Yes, at this critical time and with all that is unfolding, it
would have been better to speak in the official language.
“However, moving beyond the form to the substance, at least now,
we have heard Mr. President speak.”
On his part, Ado-Doguwa aligned with Gbajabiamila that Buhari
should have sent a message to Nigerians in English and not in
Hausa.
The lawmaker believed the decision was an oversight by the
President’s handlers and should be overlooked.
He said, “To be candid, Mr. President should have spoken in
English, being our official language.
“But for me, it is an oversight that could be overlooked
considering his medical conditions.
“Let us not trivialise everything. The most important thing for
now is for Nigerians to pray for Mr. President’s recovery.”
Also, the Markafi and the Ali Modu Sheriff factions of the PDP
in the House disagreed on Buhari’s choice of Hausa to send an audio
message to Nigerians during Sallah.
While the Sheriff group said the message was meant for Muslims,
who largely spoke and understood Hausa, the Makarfi faction argued
that there were Muslims in the South-South, the South-West and the
South-East as well, who should benefit from the message.
A lawmaker loyal to the Sheriff faction, Mr. Johnson
Agbonayinma, told The PUNCH in Abuja, on Monday, that during the
last Easter festivity, Buhari passed his message to Nigerians in
English.
Agbonayinma, who is from Edo State, argued that Nigeria had more
serious problems to grapple with than getting worked up over a
Sallah message and the choice of language the President used.
He added, “I will say that the President was speaking to his
Muslim brothers and sisters on Sallah.
“I should not take that as an offence. During Easter, he spoke
with Christians in English. So, if he used Hausa today for Sallah
period, we should take it in good faith.
“There are more serious issues to talk about in Nigeria, like
how the economy is doing and how we can end the suffering of
Nigerians.
“We should ask questions about our looted funds, particularly
stolen crude oil proceeds.”
But the Minority Leader of the House and key member of the
Makarfi group, Mr. Leo Ogor, disagreed with Agbonayinma.
Ogor noted that by speaking in Hausa, it meant that Buhari
attempted to divide the Muslim brothers and sisters who were
supposed to hear his message.
He observed that there were Muslims in the South who did not
speak or understand Hausa.
“Are we saying that the Muslims in the South-South, the
South-West and the South-East were not supposed to hear the
greeting?
“Our lingua franca in Nigeria is not purely Hausa,” Ogor
added.
He stated that while Buhari might have “good intentions” in
sending the message, his media managers failed to advise him
properly on how to go about it.
The Rep stated, “For the President to even think of greeting
Nigerians, despite his illhealth, means that he had good
intentions.
“However, his media team did not do a good job. They should know
that not all Nigerians speak Hausa.
“Going forward, the President should use a more general
language.
“His message is also a sign that he is recovering and we wish
him well. We want him to return and address the myriads of
challenges confronting Nigeria.”
The Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Service had aired
the audio tape of the President’s message on Sunday, while the
President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam
Garba Shehu, had also released a statement on Buhari’s Sallah
message on Saturday.
Shehu’s statement translated Buhari’s message as saying, “I am
immensely grateful to God for his mercy in guiding us successfully
to conclude another Ramadan.
My greetings to all Nigerian Muslims and our brother Christians
on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr:
“May the lessons of Ramadan, namely piety, self-denial, prayers
and generosity to the poor and the needy, be with us for all
time.
“I, again, appeal to all Nigerians to avoid reckless statements
or actions against our fellow countrymen. We should all resolve to
live in peace and unity in our great country, which is the envy of
many less-endowed nations.”