President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not unmindful of the loss his directive against congratulatory advertorials to mark the anniversary of his 72nd birthday will cause media organisations.
He plans to apologise to newspaper organisations for denying them the opportunity to generate revenue through celebratory advertorials when he turns 72 on Friday, the Presidency said yesterday.
Admitting that the directive to make the anniversary low-key might have hurt newspapers, the Presidency said the prevailing challenges across the land informed the President’s choice.
For almost two decades, well-wishers have been organising colloquiums every year to mark Tinubu’s birthday.
Two years ago, the President cancelled the conference at the venue following the attack on an Abuja-Kaduna-bound passenger train by bandits.
Tinubu told the guests who were already seated to return home and pray for the safe release of some passengers, who were abducted by the attackers.
Yesterday, the president explained his decision to forego an elaborate celebration in a message posted on X (previously Twitter) by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to him, the ceremony will not align with the current mood in the country.
Onanuga said: “Besides, he didn’t want government agencies to use public money to place congratulatory adverts for him.
“He (Tinubu) restated that he would rather want well-wishers to give the money to orphanages or old people’s homes.
“He acknowledged that newspapers who were expecting to make money may have been hurt.”
Onanuga quoted President Tinubu as saying: “I know they will be angry with me. But I will apologise to them later.”
In a statement on Sunday by Onanuga, the President appealed to his family, friends, associates, and well-wishers not to host elaborate events in his honour.
The statement reads: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will turn 72 on Friday, March 29, 2024. The day will be another important milestone in his life as a leader and a statesman.
“During an auspicious occasion as this, it is customary for family members, friends, and associates to celebrate him in different ways.
“As the leader of our country, President Tinubu, in deference to these challenging times, will not host any birthday event and does not want any of his associates and numerous well-wishers across the country to organise any celebratory event on his behalf or in his name.
“President Tinubu appreciates the honour of being the leader of Africa’s leading nation at this time and he is working very hard to make life better for the generality of our people.
“According to him, because of the present mood of the nation and the recent killing of the officers and men of our army and police in Delta State and the 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. Goodwill messages should not be placed on radio and television stations either.
“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.”
