71st Birthday Celebration: Tinubu Calls Off Colloquium

The President-elect of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has announced that he won’t be holding the usual colloquium to mark his year’s birthday anniversary.

He instead directed that to mark this year’s birthday, special prayers and thanksgiving service be held on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, instead of the yearly birthday colloquium.

The special prayers will focus on the peace, unity, and progress of Nigeria.

The President-elect added that the birth date, which falls within the holy month of Ramadan, should be dedicated to prayers and seeking God’s guidance for him and the country as he prepares to take the reins of leadership.

Tinubu who clocks 71 this year made his intention known in a statement on Monday by his media aide, Tunde Rahman.

The statement reads: “To mark his 71st birthday, President-elect Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that special prayers and thanksgiving service be held on Wednesday March 29, 2023, instead of the yearly birthday colloquium.

“For the main event in Lagos special prayers will be offered at the Central Mosque in each of the five divisions in the state including the Central Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja.

“During the prayer sessions, special prayers will be offered for the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.

“Also to receive prayers among others are President Muhammadu Buhari and First Lady Aisha Buhari, President-elect Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President-elect Senator Kashim Shettima and Hajia Nana Shettima Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu, other state governors as well as members of National and State Houses of Assembly.

“The session at Alausa Central Mosque will begin at 10am on Wednesday and will include delivery of sermons and reading from the Holy Quran.”

Naija News reports this year will be the third in recent times the birthday colloquium will not hold in deference to developments in the country.

In 2020, the 12th edition of the colloquium marking Asíwájú’s 68th birthday was put off to empathize with those who lost their lives or affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

And last year, the birthday symposium was also called off by Asíwájú Tinubu right at the venue of the event when news emerged of the terror attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train in which several persons died and many others abducted.

The Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos venue was already filled to capacity with dignitaries to celebrate the birthday when Asíwájú took to the podium to announce the cancellation of the event.

He said then that for him to be celebrating, dancing and enjoying himself, does not speak well of him as a senior citizen of the country.