By – Ademola Adeoye
It is not easy speaking for those in the corridors of power, especially president, his wife and governors! Each time you lie on their behalf, especially when they travel abroad for medical checks, when they return, they will make a mess of you, while trying to play to the gallery, trying to bond with the poor that they do not care a hoot about. You know in our clime, politicians move around like tin-gods, so they think telling Nigerians that they take ill belittles and demeans them, but in saner climes (developed countries), political-leaders telling the citizenry that they take ill is no big deal at all.
I remember what did happen during Goodluck Jonathan’s days in office as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his wife took ill and was flown abroad. Those who were being paid to speak for her denied it, only for “mama peace” to return and indirectly called liars—those who denied that he was neither sick nor flown abroad for medical treatment. She did not call them liars directly, but when she admitted publicly that she took ill, she was indirectly calling them liars!
And after rubbishing those being paid to speak for her, they dared not complain openly (they could do so in their bedchambers before their wives/husbands and children, though), because of the crumbs and coins that was falling into their mouths and pockets as the “poor man” in the “good book.”One of the things you are going to lose while speaking for politicians is your essence. Also, they (those who said she neither traveled nor took ill) did not consider it important to apologize to Nigerians for lying to them, after the truth was revealed “mama peace.” This is one of the reasons Nigerians do not believe anything and everything those in the corridors of power say. On the condition that they can lie to Nigerians on the issue of illness, what else are they going to tell the truth on and about?
Some days ago, history repeated itself. Aisha Buhari took ill and was flown abroad at a time that her husband placed an embargo on international flights. I guess the suspension of international flight operations was only for the poor, not for his wife and few special folks! This is why we are where we are today as a nation. Those who make laws have no regard for the laws they make. And when law-makers turn to law-breakers, what do you expect the common man to do? If you think the law is only for the common man to obey, then you are joking. We will never have a true nation until those in the corridors of power first submit themselves to the law of the land.
When the news broke out that she took ill and was flown abroad, like in the days of “mama peace,” Aisha’s aide denied it!He said she was in a good shape. He did not deny that she traveled, but he denied that she took ill. Like I said, one of the most difficult jobs to be given is to be paid to speak for politicians. It is a job that makes you lie even more than the father of all lies! And nothing strips honor from the face of leadership more than lack of integrity.
Aisha Buhari, wife of Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari said she has returned to the country after medical treatment abroad, especially during the time that her husband banned international flights for the poor people of Nigeria. I thought things like this have died when the PDP lost the highest seat of power five (5) years ago, I never knew that Buhari’s administration is an extension of the old order that Nigerians rose against some years back. In the course of this trying season (covid-19 season) in our country and across the planet-earth, and as an effect of our shambolic and substandard-hospitals, many people have died, because they could not fly abroad.
For the umpteenth time, when she returned, instead of her to move to her husband’s house noiselessly, she granted an interview, trying to rub it in. Also, I opine that she deliberately granted the mentioned interview in order to bond with the poor people of Nigeria as if politicians truly care about the rotten state of our health-sector. Hear what she said, “I recall hosting the private healthcare providers earlier in the year and we had a very productive engagement where the issue of building the capacity of Nigeria health sector was the major focus, and funding was discovered to be the major challenge…”In a time we are being daily told that the nation is poor, who bankrolled her trip to the United Arab Emirate? Was it the Central Bank of Nigeria?
Aisha Buhari, Nigeria’s First Lady (an informal title that Buhari said his wife would not use) said on her arrival a few days ago, “I want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerians for their prayers and well wishes while I was away for medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I am well now and fully recovered and have since returned back home, Nigeria.” And since she indirectly called her senior aide a liar, same aide has not come out to apologize to Nigerians for feeding them with the empty-shell of incorrect information while madam was away for medical treatment. Can you see now that it is not easy being paid to speak for politicians?
