Calling me Jubril from Sudan was not funny – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that jokes claiming he was dead and that ‘Jibril Aminu from Sudan’ was occupying Aso Rock were not amusing.

President Buhari made this known in a documentary at a private dinner organised by his family and very closed associates on Friday, to celebrate his 80th birthday tagged “Celebrating A Patriot, a Leader, an Elder Statesman”.

The documentary, produced and directed by US based filmmaker Ose Oyemadan, showcased the President’s early life, school days, military career, rise as Head of State in 1984, coup and imprisonment, release, PTF days and return to democracy where he contested elections in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 when he won and his re-election in 2019.

The narrative was driven by the President and supported with deep and authoritative insights by his nephew, Mamman Daura, classmate, Senator Abba Ali, close family members, friends, aides and political associates, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, spokesman, Femi Adesina, former running mate in CPC, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Special Envoy to Chad, Amb. Babagana kingibe, State Chief of Protocol, Lawal Kazaure, SGF, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gamvari and the publisher/biographer, John Paden

The President said some Nigerians have a way of creating humour to feast on something they do not understand, adding that the rumour that he was dead and one Jubril from Sudan was the work of of some mischief makers to demonstrate their cheekiness.

“I didn’t bother”

Asked by the interviewer if he heard about the crazy rumour a while back that he was not Buhari, he replied smiling, “Yes! People said I am somebody from Sudan. I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves.”

Also asked whether he finds such things funny, the President said: “No. It’ is not funny because those who made those statement, they just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue.

“Our main issue is to do the infrastructure, make people aware that they need to work hard to live well. They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on.”