President
Muhammadu Buhari has come under fire after his office released an audio of the
president greeting Nigerians in Hausa on Ed-el-Fitr, the Muslim celebration
after the month-long Ramadan fast.
Critics said addressing the nation in Hausa, a
language not understood by millions of Nigerians, was divisive and capable of
blighting ongoing efforts at lowering ethnic tension in the country.
In the recorded message, the ailing president
thanked Nigerians for wishing him quick recovery and preached peace across the
land.
A State House press statement had initially
conveyed essentially the same remarks in English on Saturday. But the
presidency later released the audio in an apparent response to distrustful
Nigerians who had not heard from Mr. Buhari for nearly two months.
Mr. Buhari has not been seen or heard since May
7 when he was flown to London on his second medical trip this year.
Reports that the president has lost his ability
to speak due to the undisclosed ailments have circulated online in recent days.
Government officials often dismiss inquiries
about the nature of the president’s illness by pointing to the role of Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo, who now wields all executive powers.
But rather than gushing over the audio,
Nigerians expressed outrage that the president chose Hausa over English, which
is the official language of the country. Estimates put the number of Nigerian
languages at over 500.
-PT
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