Outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari in a gathering with a delegation of children at the State House, Abuja, has expressed surprise at leading Nigeria not only once but twice, as a military Head of State in 1983 and as a civilian President from 2015 to 2023.
President Buhari said “As students, we were told that we were the leaders of tomorrow. I never knew that I would one day lead my country, much less lead it twice as a military officer and as a civilian,” Buhari told a delegation of about 40 children he hosted at the Council Chamber of the State House to mark his last Children’s Day celebration as President.
The President also launched his comic book highlighting seven roles children can play in building the nation.
According to Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, revealed this in a statement he signed late Saturday night, titled: “President Buhari hosts children at State House, unveils his comic book on children’s role in nation building.”
Shehu informed that Buhari expressed fulfilment in interacting with the children on the cusp of his exit from office after his eight-year Presidency, stressing that children are the leaders of tomorrow.
The President who encouraged the children to be good citizens before becoming leaders said, “God spared my life to grow up from a child to an adult. As students, we were told that we were the leaders of tomorrow. I never knew that I would one day lead my country, much less lead it twice as a military officer and as a civilian.
“Therefore, I would like to say that among you, there are future councillors, lawmakers, governors, and presidents. But you must first be good citizens before you become leaders.”
“The country is going to be in your hands one day. We are not going to import foreigners to come and run our country. We must do that ourselves.
“When we say the future of the country is in your hands, we are not doing you any favour. It is a fact of life. That is why I find it satisfying that I am having this interaction with you.
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“I am privileged to be standing in front of a new generation of future citizens and leaders to whom we hope to bequeath a country they can be proud of and a country they will take higher in the comity of nations when it is their turn to serve their fatherland,”
“When I talk about a country full of honest people and patriotic citizens, I am not talking about some aliens. I am talking about you.
“The future starts with you. If you are going to be honest, it starts today, not when you get into public office or become a Managing Director. If you are going to be patriotic, it starts today, not when you have finished school,”
“I said something in 1984 and I will end this speech by repeating it, ‘We have no other country but Nigeria. We will stay here and salvage it together.’”
