Long Treks for Buhari, Jonathan

In this piece, ENIOLA AKINKUOTU writes about the penchant for treks since the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the president-elect 

Nigerians have never been known to participate in long distance races in international sports competitions. In fact, since Nigeria started participating in the Olympics in 1952, the longest distance race Nigeria has ever participated in is the 800-metre race.

However, since the victory of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, was announced on April 1, 2015, some youths have been embarking on extremely long walks.

 The trend started with Katsina-born Suleiman Hashimu, who claimed to have walked in 18 days from Lagos to Abuja, a distance of over 700 kilometres, to celebrate Buhari’s victory at the poll.

Hashimu, while meeting Buhari in Abuja on April 23, presented to the president-elect, a folder filled with messages from emirs and other Nigerians in communities he passed through on his way to Abuja.

He said, “I made a promise because of the love I have for Buhari. I said should he win the 2015 presidential election, I will trek from Lagos to Abuja which I have done. I thank God that I made a promise and I fulfilled the promise.”

Explaining how he accomplished his task, he said, “I passed through Kwara and Niger states to Abuja. I was trekking from 6am to 6pm and anywhere I found myself when it was 6pm, I passed the night there. I spent 18 days from Lagos to Abuja.

“Once, I found myself inside the bush by 6pm and I managed to continue the trek till 9pm to a nearby village. I made this promise two years ago. I am based in Ibadan and I started my journey from Lagos because Lagos is the most popular city in Nigeria and I started from Berger junction in Lagos. I am not bothered about what people think. It is a promise between me and my God. I don’t need everybody to believe me. I left Lagos because I made a promise. Right from Kwara State, I never walked alone for five kilometres as people would walk with me to the next village. I work with a construction company based in Ibadan.”

However, while most Nigerians were still debating the plausibility of Hashimu’s claim, the social media was buzzing over another Buhari supporter, Abubakar Duduwale, who told journalists in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, that he would trek from Yola to Abuja, a journey of 750km, to attend the President-elect’s inauguration.

Duduwale told journalists on April 25 that he wanted to start the walk a day after Buhari emerged winner of the March 28 presidential poll, but Hashimu did it in Lagos and he wanted to wait for Hashimu to accomplish his task before beginning his own.

He said, “The reason why I am trekking from Yola to Abuja is to express my joy and solidarity with the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari. I want to trek from Yola to Abuja to witness the inauguration of the President-elect.” But Duduwale has yet to complete his journey.

While Nigerians were still trying to comprehend the new frenzy, on April 27, a 35-year-old Kaduna-born cyclist and supporter of Buhari, Mohammed Jafaru, embarked on another over 750km journey to meet with the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in Lagos State from Kaduna State.

Jafaru said he was coming to Lagos on bicycle to thank the Yoruba for voting for Buhari.

Jafaru, a resident of Hayin Malam Bello in Rigasa district of Igabi local government area of Kaduna State, took off on his journey to Lagos at exactly 6.35am at the palace of Sarkin Hayin Malam Bello, Alhaji Kabiru Gangarida.

While addressing journalists before embarking on the journey, he said, “I have decided to embark on this journey to Lagos because I want to go and thank Yoruba people for their immense support and contributions that led to the victory of General Buhari during the March 28 presidential election.

“The decision to undertake the journey came to my mind after analysing the votes cast for Buhari by the Yoruba people and after I discussed my intention with my immediate family and friends, they encouraged me to go on the journey.”

Jafaru, who is a father of four, said he had never visited Lagos before but was hoping God would guide him on his task.

He said, “I have never been to Lagos before; this is my first time and only God knows how many days I will spend before reaching Lagos. I don’t have any fear because I believe in God that nothing will happen to me on the road; all I want is people’s prayers so that I will reach Lagos safely.” Like Duduwale, Jafaru has yet to accomplish his journey.

Also speaking, an All Progressives Congress leader in the state, Kailani Mohammed, said Jafaru would be received by Osinbajo and other prominent members of the APC in Lagos on his arrival even as he wished Jafaru a safe trip.

Forty-five-year-old father of four, Adamu Abdullahi, also has a similar story.

Abdullahi, who started trekking on April 30 from Maiduguri in Borno State, said he would trek to Abuja to congratulate the President-elect.

He said he hoped to end his over 800km trek on May 29 so that he would be able to attend Buhari’s inauguration. Adamu, while speaking with reporters shortly before he began his trek, said he would depart from Jimtilo Park. He asked all Borno State indigenes to forward their petitions to him so he could forward them to Buhari.

While most Nigerians were thinking that only men had been possessed by the ‘spirit of trekking,’ pictures of a Kaduna-based woman, wearing a Muslim veil and carrying a backpack surfaced on Twitter.

According to information posted on the Facebook page of Buhari’s wife, Aisha, the female trekker, Hajiya Talatu, started trekking on May 2. Talatu, like others, is said to be trekking from Kaduna to Abuja in order to show her commitment to Buhari. She also aims to attend the inauguration of Buhari after her over 200km journey.

To the surprise of many, on Tuesday, a 30-year-old physically challenged man, Ibrahim Musa, announced that he had started trekking from Kaduna to congratulate Buhari in Abuja. Musa, whose hands have been amputated, said he had a petition to submit to Buhari on the need for the new government to consider the physically challenged in the country.

In a bid not to be left out, an admirer of President Goodluck Jonathan, on May 1, said he would be trekking from Taraba to Bayelsa State to honour Jonathan for conceding defeat.

The 35-year-old man, Paul Tankwa, who hails from Taraba State, said after ending his trek, which is not less than 660km, he would present an award to Jonathan on behalf of Taraba youths.

Tankwa hopes to arrive Bayelsa State by May 29, so as to be able to meet Jonathan who would have vacated Aso Rock and returned to his native home of Otuoke.

On Monday, another Jonathan admirer, Oladele Nihi, announced on Twitter that he would trek from Abuja to Otuoke, Bayelsa State, for Jonathan and would document his trek. He said he hoped to arrive in Otuoke latest by May 28 which is approximately three weeks’ time.

While some Nigerians have praised the trekkers for showing commitment and creating political awareness, others have described the trekkers as attention seekers who have no evidence of their exploits apart from pictures which could have easily been manipulated.

Some other social critics described the season of treks as a consequence of the high rate of unemployment.

Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor, Patrick Obahiagbon, described the treks as laughable. The former lawmaker described the trekkers as attention seekers and urged them to also walk to the home of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Ota, Ogun State.

In a series of tweets, he said, “Why are we giving publicity to these individuals? This selfish side attraction is needless and foolish to say the least. Why isn’t anyone trekking to Ota farm? I am sure baba (Obasanjo) will need help too.

“In developed countries, people trek for charity but I think in our case, it is mostly a cry for help.”

Popular radio presenter, Tolu Oniru, popularly known as Tools, said the treks showed that there was a high rate of unemployment.

She said, “Another trekker? We definitely need to create more jobs.”

A commentator on Linda Ikeji Blog, Vera Egelamba, wrote, “Honestly, if a person has a job he won’t have time to be trekking for people who will never really have regard for you because they are too busy running their business. Word of advice to all trekkers: No job? Get handwork.”

However, a former athlete and Olympic medallist, Falilat Ogunkoya, told our correspondent that the treks were not impossible.

Ogunkoya, who won a bronze medal in the 400-metre race at the 1996 Summer Olympics, said those embarking on the treks would need to see a doctor before setting out. She added that they would also need to drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.

She said, “I don’t think trekking from Abuja to Lagos in 18 days is impossible. However, those trekking need to ensure that they are fit by first seeing a doctor. Also, they need to wear socks when trekking. They also need to drink a lot of water because one could die while embarking on such a task.”

When asked why Nigerians were not participating in long distance races at international competitions, she said, “Athletics is completely different from trekking.”

Also speaking with our correspondent, social commentator, Prof. Pat Utomi, said the treks were a sign of renewed political consciousness. Utomi, who commended the trekkers, said it was part of the beauty of democracy. He said, “If trekking makes them happy, then they should go on. It is an indication of increased political consciousness and people have a right to make a point. Of course, there are also imitators and attention seekers among them but it is all part of democracy.”

Utomi said some of the trekkers should be closely monitored by the sports sector as some of them might be able to represent Nigeria internationally.