Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Monday, April 05, 2010

Another Woodrow Wilson?

There are several reports of a trustworthy witness who met with Yar'Adua. (The question has to be asked: "To whom is he trustworthy?") It's not an encouraging report. Yar'Adua appeared propped up on one side by his wife and on the other by his assistant. The imam couldn't hear the man speak (from 10 feet away), but thought he was responsive to prayer. Does it prove anything except that the man is still alive?

BBC reporter Caroline Duffield, offers a short bit a analysis in a sidebar to her report.

From Vanguard (Lagos): The Yar'Adua We Saw - Abuja Chief Imam

The Chief Imam of the National Mosque in Abuja, Ustaz Musa Mohammed has said that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua could not speak coherently when he led two other Islamic clerics on a visit to the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja weekend…

"We met him sitting down with his wife while his ADC stood behind him. Although we could not hear what he said, from where we sat we could see his mouth saying Amen together with us when we prayed for him.

"In fact contrary to rumours that he was seriously ill, we saw that he had improved tremendously and we believe he could be able to resume work any moment from now.

"When we were ushered in, we met the President and his wife seated side by side while his ADC standing, to his left side.

"He shook hands with each one of us..."

When the BBC asked Ustaz Mohammed why they did not try to talk to the President, he said they were not politicians and that as Islamic clerics; they were there to pray for him and to see with their eyes the President whose state of health had generated so much controversy in recent times…

"For now," [a family] source said, "he will only meet with friends and associates as he recuperates from his illness. He has decided not to meet with any state official in an official capacity for now…"

Nigeria clerics meet ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua

Senior Nigerian clerics have told the BBC they have met the country's ailing President, Umaru Yar'Adua, saying he had difficulty speaking…

Ustaz Musa Mohamed, chief imam of the Abuja National Mosque, said the president had sat next to his wife, with an aide close by, at the Presidential Villa on Thursday evening.

He did not stand up or move about but shook hands with the clerics, raised his hands to join them in prayer and moved his lips to try to speak…

Nigerian president 'meets clerics'

Ustaz Musa Mohammed, the chief imam of the Abuja National Mosque… met Yar'Adua at the president's palace and prayed with him on Thursday.

Mohammed said Yar'Adua did not stand for the five-minute visit, though the president could pray aloud and raise his hands when "communicating with Allah"…

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(If you don't understand the Woodrow Wilson allusion, check your U.S. history textbook. Look for information about Wilson's wife.)

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Labels: leadership, Nigeria, politics