For the third time running back-to-back, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forbidden any form of celebration towards his birthday on Friday March 29.
The Nigerian leader will clock 72 years old on Friday, March 29.
Tinubu had similarly cancelled the celebration of his 70th and 71st birthday in 2022 and 2023.
A State House Press statement on Sunday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that Tinubu had forbidden any celebration to mark the day, including placement of congratulatory newspaper adverts.
According to Onanuga, the austere measure was in deference to the challenging times, especially with the killing of policemen and soldiers on duty in the Niger-Delta.
Titled, “President Tinubu’s 72nd Birthday On March 29, 2024,” the full statement said:
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will turn 72 on Friday March 29, 2024. The day will be another important milestone in his life as a leader and a statesman.
“During an auspicious occasion as this, it is customary for family members, friends and associates to celebrate him in different ways.
“As the leader of our country, President Tinubu in deference to these challenging times will not host any birthday event and does not want any of his associates and numerous well-wishers across the country to organise any celebratory event on his behalf or in his name.
“President Tinubu appreciates the honour of being the leader of Africa’s leading nation at this time and he is working very hard to make life better for the generality of our people.
“According to him, because of the present mood of the nation and recent killing of the officers and men of our Army and Police in Delta State and recent spate of security breaches by criminal elements in different parts of Nigeria, there should be no form of birthday event and placing of birthday goodwill advertorial messages in newspapers. Goodwill messages should not be placed on radio and television stations too.
“President Tinubu enjoins friends and associates who may wish to place goodwill advertorials to kindly donate the money to charity organisations of their choice in his name.
“Although the President appreciates the gallantry of our armed forces in freeing our children kidnapped in Kuriga, Kaduna State and in Sokoto State, he will use the opportunity of his birthday to reflect and re-dedicate himself to the task of building a more stable, more secure, virile, prosperous and united Nigeria.”
As National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu, cancelled celebrations for his 70th birthday following the attack on a train that was travelling on the Kaduna-Abuja rail line.
In fact, guests were already seated at the venue of the event at Eko Hotel and Suites when the announcement was made.
Similarly, in 2023, Tinubu suspended the annual colloquium usually held in honour of his birthday and called for prayers to be organized.
The 2023 colloquium would have been the 13th edition.