I Didn’t Say Buhari Is A Private Citizen – Lauretta Onochie

Mrs. Lauretta Onochie is President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Digital/Online media.

Onochie wowed the internet a week ago after she was quoted as saying her boss is a private citizen who should not be pressured into disclosing the state of his health.

Onochie was among the party that included Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed; Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Senior Special Assistant Media & Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

“I am just trying to understand how things work in Nigeria. How we don’t understand things the way the world understands them. All these attacks, I haven’t seen any of them. We are so averse to change.

Nigerians are used to where a president travels and takes the power along with him. We are used to a situation where the president travels and doesn’t inform the national assembly, he doesn’t inform the Nigerian people, he doesn’t transmit power to the Vice President to become the Acting President.

It’s something new. We are mixing curtain and silk. We are mixing Yar’adua and Buhari. They are not the same. The scenarios are quite different. Unfortunately, many people quite do not understand the situation on ground.
I was really happy when I saw the statement issued by the senate because they have looked at the laws, they have looked at our constitution and they have seen that the president is quite in order. And it’s not as if the president is sitting in London, sipping tea and not wanting to come back. He left on health grounds.

The least Nigerians can do is be sympathetic if we don’t pray for him. Africans are known to be sentimental and sympathetic.

Most Nigerians have been praying for him. Most Nigerians are quite happy. They are pleased with the recent news that he’s recovered, that he’s recuperating and will come back soon. Nigerians can’t wait to have Buhari back.

People don’t listen. I didn’t say Buhari is a private citizen. That’s not what I said. Go and watch the video again. It’s English Language and that’s often a problem for many of us. Take for instance in Nigeria, if you ask someone where do you live and the person says I live in Wuse 2 and then I say to the person, I’m local. The person goes on to say why are you local? I like sociable people.

Because in Nigeria, the word ‘local’ means timid. But in English Language, local means somebody who lives in the same neighbourhood. I’m a local means I live in the same neighbourhood.”