18th May, 2023
By Ismaila Chafe
President Muhammadu Buhari has showered praises on members of his media support group, the Buhari Media Organization (BMO) for volunteering their time and energy throughout the eight years of his administration “without salary, letter of appointment or any formal rewards.”
The President who described the sacrifices of members of BMO as ‘very un-Nigerian’ spoke at a farewell meeting with them on Thursday in Abuja.
Buhari likened the sacrifices of the BMO members to those of the past leaders, citing in particular, retired Generals Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo and himself.
He therefore advised Nigerians to walk on the path of duty ”if we really want to see the country achieve new heights.”
While still showering praises on the members of the BMO, the president said they have given him inspiration and hope for a better Nigeria in the future.
“I am so happy for all that you have done to support my administration. I don’t have enough words to thank you individually and collectively.
”I occasionally read your outbursts and often wondered what type of Nigerians are these? The sacrifices you have made for our success are beyond measure,” he said.
Buhari recalled that in the period of the civil war, he walked the way on his two feet from Makurdi in today’s Benue to the shorelines of the sea.
He also recalled how elated he felt when his immediate predecessor, President Goodluck Jonathan, “called me at 5:25 that evening to say congratulations. I said pardon me Mr President?
”He said yes, I called to concede and congratulate you. That was equally very un-Nigerian.”
The president described Nigeria as being a lucky country given the natural resources available to it and its vast population, saying:
“We don’t even know how much resources we have. A major part of Africa’s natural resources are domiciled in this country.”
He spoke of these endowments, making comparisons with countries he had been to on military trainings.
Buhari cited a particular one where people who died of hunger overnight were cleared off the streets by refuse collectors and, in his words, “people just moved on with their daily lives even in the face of these cultural shocks.”
The Chairman and Coordinator of the BMO, Niyi Akinsiju, in a speech, said “as your administration ends on May 29, 2023 we wish to state unequivocally that you have made the country proud and posterity will judge you favourably.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, informed him that the group was the same media committee that worked for him in the 2015 elections.
On behalf of the group, the presidential spokesman thanked the president for the opportunity he gave them to serve during the period of his eight-year leadership of the country.
He noted that throughout this period, the BMO sustained itself through voluntary assistance by non-governmental organisations. (NAN)