He also disclosed how two of his children died from sickle cell anemia
President Muhammadu Buhari, has for the first time, expressed his disappointment over series of allegations against his person, one being that he was Jibril from Sudan.
Buhari also opened up on the reason and circumstances he married Aisha, his second wife, which was due to her AA genotype, different from his first wife’s.
Connecting the death of his children to sickle cell and his second marriage, President Buhari said in order to forestall the re-occurence of losing another child, he had to marry Aisha.
The President revealed this in a documentary aired at a private dinner organised by his family and close associates to mark his 80th birthday.
The event, which was held on Friday night, December 2023, at the State House Banquet Hall, had the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former Ekiti state Governor, Kayode Fayemi; the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Governors of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Katsina, Aminu Masari; cabinet members, family members, captains of industry, among others, present.
Narrating his life experience, Buhari revealed that two of the children born to him by his late wife, Safinatu, died as a result of complications of sickle cell anemia.
He said the bitter experience, made him to insist that his second wife must be AA genotype to forestall his children inheriting the S from his AS genotype.
The President also expressed his disappointment over the allegation by some Nigerians that he was dead and his body cloned and renamed ‘Jubril of Sudan’, as the worst thing anyone would say about someone.
Buhari attributed the lies and mischief to terrible people who wallow in ignorance.
As shown in the documentary, the President responded to questions about the rumour and declared that he didn’t find the allusion funny.
“Yes! People said I am somebody from Sudan. I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves. he said.
“No. It is not funny because those who made those statement, they just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue. Our main issue is to do the infrastructure, make people aware that they need to work hard to live well. They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on.”
