As his greatest legacy will be ensuring that they receive a quality education, President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he will not be leaving anything for his children to inherit.
In a statement, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president for media and publicity, said that Buhari made the remarks on Wednesday while paying homage to the Sallah at the residence of Umar Faruk, the emir of Daura in Katsina state.
The President reportedly said in the statement that teaching his children to be relevant in any situation has always been his top priority, and that he has specifically told his female children that they cannot get married until they have earned a first degree.
Buhari reflected on his past and recalled how, following his release from prison in December 1988, he told his children that their real wealth is not what they have acquired in life, but what is in their heads.
He urged the youth to pursue education instead of applying for unfilled government jobs so that they could be better equipped to combat poverty and meet the demands of the twenty-first century.
The President argued that since the world is changing quickly and is being driven by new technology, it should be given more time to train future leaders who have a foundational understanding of moral principles.
He pleaded with parents to instil in their children the right values, such as a profound fear of God, reverence for established authorities, and leading a life of meaning through ongoing education.
“After serving as the country’s leader, I spent more than three years in prison. As a result, I came to the realisation that your true wealth is not what you have acquired in life, but what you have in your mind, and I shared this realisation with my children, according to Buhari.
“Training the kids to be applicable wherever they are has always been my main priority. I explained to my kids—especially the girls—that they couldn’t get married until they earned their first degree.
“They already know that I won’t be leaving anything behind for anyone to inherit. Providing for their proper education will be my greatest gift to the kids, he continued.
The President made a point of saying that younger kids should be guided and taught history because, without a clear understanding of their origins, it would be difficult for them to be patriotic, responsible, and respectful.
Whoever lacks a solid understanding of history will be susceptible to errors, he said.
“We need to guarantee that the kids receive a good education. They shouldn’t learn things to help them get jobs in the government. Government employment has been eliminated. Governments are getting more nimble, efficient, and compact thanks to technology.
“Skill development and competency in the development and use of technology should now be prioritised. Unexpectedly, the systems were efficient when we asked everyone in level 12 and below to stay at home during the COVID-19.
As he gets ready to step down from office in May 2023, the president assured the emir that he would pay more frequent visits and explained that his extended absence was due to the demands of his job.
“I’ve never spent this much time away from home. In fact, the Emir addressed the crowd at the prayer area and declared in the open, ‘I haven’t been to Daura in nearly a year,’” the speaker continued.
He urged greater selflessness and inclusion, saying all Nigerians must make sacrifices to advance their nation, particularly public servants.
The only person who can truly reward your efforts, he said, “is God, not man.”
Among the accomplishments of the President listed in Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s remarks was the creation of social security, which was designed to help the poor and guarantee that they would receive some money at the end of each month.
“The administration of President Buhari has done more to combat poverty than any other government in this nation’s history. He urged local and religious leaders to spread knowledge about effective government initiatives like the Social Investment Program, or SIP, which provides a monthly payment of N5,000 to 120,000 low-income residents in 12 local government areas of the state. This is taking place in all the states.
“At this time, the school feeding programme is providing meals to over 863,000 kids in the state. 14,000 young men and women have signed up for N-Power as a result, and 10,000 jobs for women cooks have been created.
“Our community has active food vendors who make a living. On social media, there is a lot of self-centered talk. Until something fills their pockets, our elites never feel grateful or happy, the speaker claimed.
Masari stated that security in the nation had significantly increased since the President took office. He reminded the Daura Emirate Council, title holders, state political leaders, and citizens of the entire federation to remember the bombings of mosques and churches prior to 2015 that had hampered worship, problems that he explained are no longer a problem.
“People easily forget. Although we haven’t quite arrived where we want to, improvements are being made. You can see that we all need to be involved in securing the nation by comparing the size of our security to the population, the official continued.
The Emir thanked President Buhari for the institutional and infrastructure improvements in the state, saying future generations would remember and be grateful for his leadership.
As the clock starts to tick down, Dr. Faruk urged the President to exercise more tolerance and patience, knowing that God will ultimately reward all of his sacrifices.
“Good and bad Nigerians alike recognise your efforts. Both those who like you and those who don’t will exist in life. The wives and kids you have won’t all like you equally if you have a lot of them.
Some people are now disparaging your work and calling it a waste. Stay calm. To the next president, they’ll do the same thing.
Keep up the good work, and as a leader, continue to be understanding. Even the leader of all the blind people in Daura is aware of how much of a difference you have made. The Emir said, “We are appreciative and proud of you.
