Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
ACTING leader of pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on Friday reacted to the statement credited to Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, that his principal enjoyed more appeal among Nigerians than all past leaders of the country, describing the statement as unfortunate and sycophancy taken too far.
Adebanjo said this in a telephone chat with Saturday Tribune, describing past leaders, including former Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo; Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first Nigerian president; former President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Aminu Kano, late winner of June 12, 1993 election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, among others, as the pride of the country.
According to the elder statesman, Buhari can never measure up in whatever capacity with these icons, saying that it amounted to sycophancy taken too far for Adesina to compare Buhari to those past leaders whose records of attainments were legendary.
“For Adesina, with his record in journalism to have compared Buhari whose certificate is completely down and whose record of performance has been seen as battered, to the pride of Nigeria, is a disaster.
“For him to compare the man who has been regarded as clueless, visionless, a bigot and one also regarded as the worse of Nigeria’s president to the founding fathers of Nigeria, is sycophancy taken too far,” Adebanjo said.
Speaking further, the Afenifere leader maintained that the comparison was out of place, recalling that the sage, Awolowo, while alive, was seen as possessing the record and capacity to govern any of the Western countries successfully, “unlike someone who is not qualified to be an ordinary councillor but who found himself elected the president of a whole country.”
