President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday recalled how he became stronger and better then when he was sick.
Buhari who embarked on medical vacation twice in the outgoing year, also stressed that he had never been sick in his 75 years as he was this year.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello led FCT residents to pay homage to him, he told the gathering the secret behind his strong and good looks.
He said “I am very grateful for taking time out on a very important day to come out and spend it with us, It has been a tough year I am thinking I am 75, I thought I was 74 but I was told I was 75. I have never been so sick even the 30 months civil war I was stumbling under farm of yams or cassava. But this sickness, I don’t know but I came out better, because all those who saw me before and when I came back said I look much better.
“But I have explained it to the public that as a General I used to give orders now I take orders the doctors told me to feed my stomach and sleep for longer hours that is why I am looking much better.” he added
He went on “I thank you very much for coming and making all the sacrifice because today is a crowded day for me from early in the morning until maybe the following morning with the family and friends and neigbhours and one thing I learnt to respect is good neigbhourliness both at individual and national level that was why when I was elected my first trip was Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin Republic.
“If you are in good terms with your neigbhours then you can make some savings for development but if you start fighting your neigbhours then am afraid the resources you have you will lose it in trying to be very cleaver, so I try to be very close to my neigbhours both individually and nationally I thank you very much for being very good neigbhours, including the one on my left (referring to Senator Philip Aduda).
Stressing that the year 2017 has been a tough year for Nigeria, he hoped that the year 2018 will be a much more prosperous one.
But he noted that the rainy season for 2017 was very good for many farmers.
He said “I never knew that the people from Kano who are more resourceful used to go to my area and hire farms, this year nobody hired farm, and nobody regretted it and again the second one from the Governor of Sokoto state said all the people that really used to go to Mecca are farmers but he didn’t tell me if they took additional wives.
“But I am very pleased people have gone back to the land with very good harvests and taking their priorities and the good thing about farming is if you don’t put your hope on neigbhour hope on the government, once you pay your debt nobody ask you what you do with the balance and nobody ask for interest this is one good thing about farming but other things I think the banks will be on my neck.
“I thank you very much for coming especially the religious leaders, I am very pleased you are doing your best from the intelligence I am getting to make sure that people live as good neigbhours and good Nigerians.” he said
Bello thanked God for not only restoring the President’s health, but also making him stronger and better looking.
“This is the third homage and we have never seen you better as you look today.” he said
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) FCT Chapter, Jonah Samson, noted that the Buhari’s administration his succeeding in the fight against corruption.
He prayed that the legacy will survive beyond the administration.
While commending the government in the efforts to create jobs, he urged for more employment creation for youth.
At the brief ceremony, Bello and the Aso Villa Chaplain, Seyi Malomo, presented two Christmas cards to the President.