President Buhari says those who have repeatedly accused him of locking
them up while he was Head of State should remember that he was also
locked up after he was removed as Head of State in 1985. Speaking to the
Nigerian community yesterday in South Africa, Buhari said;
"This is my first time of attending these types of meetings (AU) and
they go on and on until about 1 in the morning. And then you are
supposed to start in the morning again. Everybody is repeating what the
other speaker has said instead of to keep their mouth shut. Anyways, it
is a great experience. I have listened to the address paraphrased by the
counsel-general, I’m pleased that wherever Nigerians are whether in
South Africa or Saudi Arabia or Europe or Alaska for that matter, you’ll
make an impact both positive and negative.
There is no way 160 million people or more cannot
make impact wherever they are. We have so many cultures and
nationalities. At a point I was very frightened. I don’t know how many
of you kept records. I was afraid Nigeria might be like Somalia. The
Somalis are the same people; they are all Muslims but because the elites
are self-centered, selfish, they have succeeded to make Somalia a war
country for the last 20 years. For that reason, I said Nigerians are
much more vulnerable, we have so many nationalities no matter how you
look at it, Hausa-Fulanis, Kanuris, Ishekiris, Yorubas, Igbos.
We are actually people of different cultures but since 1914, we have
merged in spite of religion and culture, married across, produce
children and only crazy people can think of balkanising Nigeria. But we
are not short of crazy people that is the frightening part of it. But I
assure you that after being in the military for 25 years, and getting
to the highest rank and becoming head of state and under unusual
circumstances. As head of state, I went straight to detention for three
and half years so those who accused me of locking them up, I too have
been locked up, so what?”he said
Source: The Cable
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