President Muhammadu Buhari expressed surprise at leading Nigeria not once, but twice, as a military Head of State in 1983 and as a civilian President from 2015 to 2023, during a meeting with a delegation of children at the State House in Abuja.
Buhari told the children that he never expected to be given the opportunity to lead his country.
He addressed the young audience, stating;
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 launched a comic book titled “How To Make Nigeria Great.”
The book focuses on seven lessons that can shape Nigeria’s future, such as the value of faith, love for the country, understanding and respecting differences, following the rules, thinking for the community, embracing good values, recognizing government resources as public funds, and being responsible children at home and in school.
On the occasion of his final Children’s Day celebration as President, Buhari expressed his joy at interacting with children and emphasized the importance of children as Nigeria’s future leaders.
He urged them to be good citizens before taking on leadership roles, emphasizing their role in shaping the country’s destiny.
President Buhari reminded the children that Nigeria’s fate is in their hands.
He urged them to promote honesty, patriotism, and unity, emphasizing that these values are the foundation of a peaceful and prosperous nation.
Buhari affirmed his confidence in the new generation, stating;
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.
Expressing gratitude to the children for their presence, President Buhari concluded his speech by reaffirming a statement he made over four decades ago: “We have no other country but Nigeria. We will stay here and salvage it together.”
He reiterated his commitment to working with the young generation to build a great nation.
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