JOKES, they say, are healthy but gradually, they are also becoming a veritable source of harmony and unity at the Presidency.
While the relationship between some past number one and number two citizens of the country were mostly of stories of suspicion, distrust, in-fighting and power tussle, the current dispensation is completely different.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s humour has marvelled Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in the past two and half years, and has become a source of great bonding between the two top Nigerian leaders.
To Osinbajo, President Buhari is eminently qualified to feature in any Nollywood movie in the country if he shows any interest in home videos.
Osinbajo could not hold back but to reveal to the public the new trend in governance at the seat of power in Abuja.
The occasion was the public presentation last Thursday of the new book showing the mid-term scorecard of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, titled ‘Making Steady, Sustainable Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity’
Osinbajo revealed how the President’s humour has been boosting governance in the country.
Eminent personalities, other guests and officials, including the President, at the occasion could not hold back rib-cracking laughter as Osinbajo recounted many instances of presidential humour.
The Vice President started by telling the gathering that one of the great aspect of the administration that the book could not capture was the President’s humour.
He said “This book is a book that contains a lot that has been achieved by the present administration, but I must say there is still a lot that has not been covered on account of the fact that this book was meant to have been presented in May but we thought we would wait until the President returned before presenting it.
“Some things have not been included in the book and I might just supply some of that. One of such things, is the exemplary frugality, the honesty and humility, and sense of humour of Mr. President.”
He recounted how the President did not consider him a worthy cause to invest half of his salary cut on when they decided to cut their salaries by half in 2015 when they came on board.
He said “That frugality can sometimes be a problem, as you know, Mr. President decided that since government provides accommodation, food and transportation for the President and the Vice President, we didn’t need a full salary. Now how much is this salary by the way? It is public knowledge and I think it is N1, 750,000.00 or so, which is under N2 million.
“He said he would take only half of his salary and so I had no choice but also to take half of my own salary. Unfortunately Mr. President turned down my request, to give the other half to a worthy cause – his Vice President. He didn’t consider me a more worthy cause to give half of his salary! The hall erupted in laughter.
Osinbajo went on by saying : “In a country where politicians sometimes want to be as wealthy as Dangote, it is refreshing to have a President who most people won’t even dare to discuss any private benefit on a project let alone a bribe or a kick-back.
“Nigeria’s major problem is corruption, it is the main reason for the depletion of our resources, such that we had no savings when oil prices fell, and we were losing over 1 billion barrels a day.
“It was the prudence and honesty of the President that ensured that despite the economic downturn, we were able to support the States, spend N1.3trillion on capital expenditure, the largest in the history of the nation, and also to ensure we met all our other obligations, both foreign and local.”
Osinbajo declared at the occasion that President Buhari’s unassuming personality and humility, is probably his greatest strength.
“This is why he is never flattered, or carried away by praise or adulation. He has always said: “I don’t pretend to know all the answers. I am here to provide stability and leadership, to a generation, a group of people, determined to run this country honestly, to provide jobs and prosperity to the poor, and our huge youth population.”
The Vice President also went ahead to recount the President’s jokes with him when he was still on medical vacation in the United Kingdom.
He said, “I remember when he was on medical vacation, and I was speaking to him on the phone fairly regularly and giving him a rundown of what was going on, especially when he was on the first medical vacation.
“He said to me, ‘don’t worry about telling me all that is happening, I rely on your judgment, keep doing your best, what if I drop dead? You would have to run it anyway.’
“I had to say to him, that his dropping dead was not part of the plan.”
The guests again cut him short with laughter.
Osinbajo continued by saying “I think that his sense of humour, self-deprecating humour is one that very few people know about. As it has been said, he is a man of very few words.” he added
Osinbajo went further to recall another joke by the President on a cartoon of himself in a newspaper.
The Vice President said “I remember that very early in the administration, he directed my attention to a cartoon of him in one newspaper which showed him, sitting on a wheel chair in bandages, at the top of the cartoon, were the words: “you promised to hit the ground running” and then under it, it just stated: ”you just hit the ground.”
The hall again burst out laughing.
Osinbajo went on after the guests’ interruption “I had a good laugh, but I think it is also an understanding that leadership, is not about self-adulation and self-aggrandizement. It is first of all, an understanding and humility, knowing that you have been picked from millions of people to lead the people because you are trusted to do so, not because you are thought of as a man with all the answers but because you are trusted to be able to lead others to achieve the results.”
The Vice President again recalled another joke by the President on how the boost in farming in the country is now making more farmers to marry more wives.
Osinbajo said “The other day, he was saying that if you paid attention to what is going on with farmers, and how well they are doing, he said one way of knowing is by recognising that they would do two things, especially farmers in the North. They would go to Hajj and marry more wives. Already, we can see the increase in the number of wives farmers are marrying.”
The hall again erupted in laughter.
The Boss in the saddle
The new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, was the centre of attraction prior to the commencement of the the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last Wednesday.
Even though he resumed duties as SGF about three weeks ago, last Wednesday was the first time he was attending the meeting at SGF.
Many cabinet members, before Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, arrived to chair the meeting, took turn to greet the new SGF, who preferred to be called ‘Boss’.
The FEC members started approaching the SGF seat as the immediate past Acting SGF, Dr. Habiba Lawal, was briefing Boss on what to expect and do at the meeting.
Those that welcomed Boss to the new assignment before the meeting started last Wednesday included the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Sports, Simon Dalung, Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita.
Others include Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Bwari, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and his Minister of State.
Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan and the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Jalil Arabi also exchanged pleasantry with the Boss.
Photojournalists had a field day clicking away and taking shots as members of the cabinet took turns to welcome the new SGF.
