The country was the butt of a cheeky piece of trivia on the latest edition of The Global Public Square (GPS), a foreign affairs show anchored on CNN by Fareed Zakaria.

In an apparent mockery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ill-health and Nigeria’s health sector, the following trivia was displayed at 4:59pm on Sunday: “The head of state from which country has not set foot in his homeland in over two months?”

The options were given as Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Nigeria and Syria, with Nigeria eventually confirmed the answer.

 

A screenshot of the trivia was tweeted by Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Buhari has been receiving medical attention in the United Kingdom since May 7.

 

Senior media aide to former president Goodluck Jonathan has blasted President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) for dragging Nigeria through the mud enabling CNN to mock the country as a result of Buhari’s continued stay in London for over two months for medical leave.

 

Yemi Osinbajo, his deputy, visited him on July 11, and returned the following day to say the President would return to the country “sooner than you expect”.

In the last week, two separate batches lof governors visited him the UK as well, many of them expressing divergent opinions of how soon the President is likely to be back in the country.

And this morning, reports emerged from one of the governors that visited the President in London last week allegedly saying the President is not likely to return to the country anytime soon. THE reports expkains that the President although well anf fully recovered has been advised to stay on in london to gain weight and mire strength before returning to the arduous duties if running the country.

According to the governor, “The truth is that the president is in a very fit state of mind. His sense of humour is back and the rate of recollection is encouraging with a very keen presence of mind. But I think the reason he has been asked to stay behind is to observe sufficient rest to be able to regain some more physical strength, away from his present gaunt look”

But the truth of the matter is that Nigerians are tired and fed up with the very thought of an absentee president “resting” in the UK when millions of Nigerians have no access to decent health care in their own country. The President and his  advisers should consider the fact that had his administration made the provision of useable and effective health care his priority, there will be no need for any government official to travel outside of the country for treatment.  The President’s prolonged absence regardless of the unquestionable capability of his deputy, is taking Nigerians and the loyalty of his supporters for granted just a mile too far.