In anticipation of President Bola Tinubu’s upcoming 72nd birthday anniversary on Friday, March 29, 2024, the Presidency has kindly requested that well-wishers and friends of Nigeria’s esteemed leader refrain from organising any celebratory events or placing advertisements in the media.
According to a statement released on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, explained that the President’s decision was influenced by the difficult circumstances currently faced by the nation.
“Given the current circumstances, President Tinubu, as the leader of our country, has decided not to hold a birthday event. He also requests that his associates and well-wishers refrain from organising any celebratory gatherings on his behalf,” Onanuga explained.
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The annual birthday colloquium for the former Lagos governor has been cancelled, according to the announcement. Due to current circumstances in the country, the birthday colloquium will not be held this year, marking the fourth time in recent years. The President has decided to cancel the upcoming colloquium for 2023, following the postponement of the 2022 edition due to a terrorist attack on a Kaduna-Abuja train. The former governor of Lagos also decided to cancel the 2020 edition as a gesture of empathy towards those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Onanuga, the President has been putting in significant effort to improve the lives of the majority of our citizens.
“According to him, because of the present mood of the nation and recent killing of the officers and men of our Army and Police in Delta State and recent spate of security breaches by criminal elements in different parts of Nigeria, there should be no form of birthday event and placing of birthday goodwill advertorial messages in newspapers. The statement emphasised that radio and television stations should not be used for sharing goodwill messages.
“President Tinubu enjoins friends and associates who may wish to place goodwill advertorials to kindly donate the money to charity organisations of their choice in his name.
“Although the President appreciates the gallantry of our armed forces in freeing our children kidnapped in Kuriga, Kaduna State and in Sokoto State, he will use the opportunity of his birthday to reflect and re-dedicate himself to the task of building a more stable, more secure, virile, prosperous and united Nigeria.”
