The former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has refuted claims that the former president was a religious bigot, drawing from personal experiences during their time in office. He recalled how, right from their first Christmas in 2015, Buhari encouraged Christian staff to spend the holiday season with their families—a gesture that continued throughout his eight-year administration.
He stated that Buhari consistently allowed his Christian aides time off during festive periods like Easter and Christmas, reinforcing his view that the former president was respectful of religious diversity despite public misconceptions.
He said in an interview with Channels TV, “I remember our first Christmas, December 2015. He called me. He said, ‘Adesina, I know you are a church person. When it is Christmas, go and be with your family, and when you come back in January, me too, I’ll then take a short leave.’ And throughout our 8 years, he ensured that we that are Christians working with him—when it is Easter, when it is Christmas, when it is December, Christmas—he will tell us to go and enjoy that season with our families. So contrary to what many people believed, he was not a religious bigot.
