President Muhammadu Buhari has admitted that 2017 has been a tough year for Nigeria just as he expressed optimism that 2018 will be a prosperous one for the country.
He made the remarks on Monday when Christian faithful and FCT residents led by the FCT minister, Mohammed Bello paid him a Christmas Homage at the presidential Villa.
He stated that the rainy season has been good this year which resulted to bountiful harvest for farmers in the country.
He said “it’s has been a tough year for Nigeria and I hope next year will be a much more prosperous one but those listening to the Press are the majority of us the rainy season was very good.
“Some states have got very good information from home, I never knew that the people from Kano who are more resourceful used to go to my area and hire farms, this year nobody hired farm, and nobody regretted it.
“Governor of Sokoto state said all the people that really used to go to Mecca are farmers but he didn’t tell me if they took additional wives.
“But I am very pleased people have gone back to the land with very good harvests and taking their priorities.
The President also spoke on his illness which kept him out of the country for five months this year.
Describing the year as a tumultuous one for him, Buhari said he was so sick to the extent that he forgot his age.
He noted that he followed his doctors orders to the letter hence the reason why he is looking much better now.
He remarked” I am very grateful for taking time out on a very important day to come out and spend it with us, it has been a tumultuous year I am thinking I am 75, I thought I was 74 but I was told I was 75 I have never been so sick.
“Even the 30months civil war I was stumbling under farm of yams or cassava but this sickness I don’t know but I came out better, because all those who saw me before and when I came back said I look much better.
“I have explained it to the public that as a General I used to give orders now I take orders the doctors told me to feed my stomach and sleep for longer hours that is why I am looking much better,” he stated.
In the delegation were Senator Philip Aduda, Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Nicholas Okoh, Chief Imam of National Mosque, Ona of Abaji, FCT CAN chairman, Ministers of Niger Delta , Pastor Usani Uguru and Science & Tech, Ogbonnaya Onu.