Nigerians fault PMB Hausa voice note, demand apology

By Nofisat Marindoti, The Nigerian Voice, Osogbo

Nigerians have tagged the voice note released by President Muhammadu Buhari in Hausa language as a big disappointment which the President must quickly apologise for.

It would be recalled the Presidency released a voice note of the President to debunk the news of his death and critical health issue in Hausa language on Sunday which was the Muslims festival named "Eil il Fitri".

A lot of reactions have followed this event, Nigerians have continued to express their dislike for the President choice of Language.

During a cross interview with our reporter, Mr Olaniyi said, " The President address should have been in an official and intelligible language. This festival we are talking about, Eid il Fitri is not just for Muslims just as Christmas is not just for Christians. The President must apologise for using that particular language because it is divisive and a blunder. It is a sectional audio tape and it is the biggest disappointment to Nigerians who have been patient since his absence. His address should have been a statement of hope and optimism. Nigerians deserve better than that from the President."

Also Mr Lawal said, " What the President did is totally wrong, the communication supposed to be in English language since that is the official and common language. He should have addressed all of us, we are one and not just the Hausas alone."

Rasheed Ademola from the Mass Communication Department,

Fountain University, Osogbo in his own view said, 'It was a wrong Public Relations move. Yes. The President's men wanted to clear the air on insinuation of mental incapability of the president that has taken over the social media, but it should have been properly done. President Buhari is not a sectional president. He should have been allowed to have spoken in English not Hausa and even not this period when there is increasing call for ethnic agitations. It was a wrong PR move."

Ibraheem Abdullateef expressed that "l can say that PMB ought to have passed his Sallah message in official language since Nigeria is a multi lingual country. He should be liberal enough."

Olatunji Taiwo said, "Let's accept that Buhari sent a voice message, so he did it in Hausa language? To me, Buhari is a threat to National Unity. He can't be gone for 50 days with no sight of him, only for his team to release an audio in Hausa language. I call him a bad president."