By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced his decision to skip celebrations for his 72nd birthday in deference to the economic hardship Nigerians have buckled under, and which the country is currently grappling with.
The President, in the same vein, also asked well-wishers not to throw any form of party or publish any birthday wishes in the national dailies. Instead, Tinubu told his well-wishers to donate the money meant for his birthday celebration to charity organizations, in his name.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement reads: “The President appreciates the honor of being the leader of Africa’s leading nation at this time and he is working very hard to make life better for the generality of our people.
“Because of the present mood of the nation and recent killing of the officers and men of our Army and Police in Delta State and recent spate of security breaches by criminal elements in different parts of Nigeria, there should be no form of birthday event and placing of birthday goodwill advertorial messages in newspapers. Goodwill messages should not be placed on radio and television stations either.
“He enjoins friends and associates who may wish to place goodwill advertorials to kindly donate the money to charity organizations of their choice in his name.
“Although the President appreciates the gallantry of our armed forces in freeing our children kidnapped in Kuriga, Kaduna State, and in Sokoto State, he will use the opportunity of his birthday to reflect and re-dedicate himself to the task of building a more stable, more secure, virile, prosperous and united Nigeria”.
