According to former president Muhammadu Buhari, he purposefully withheld the release of his West African School Certificate (WASC) in the lead-up to the general elections in 2015.
The former Nigerian president was cited in Chapter 5 of a book written by his former media adviser, Femi Adesina, titled Working with Buhari – Reflections of Special Adviser, Media & Publicity (2015–2023).
The book detailed Buhari’s educational background as well as the political controversy surrounding his WASC certificate during the 2015 election.
“I was going through a drawer some days ago and saw copies of my certificate. I always had it, but refused to release it, so that those venting spleen on it could please themselves,” Buhari was quoted saying.
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Adesina quoted Buhari as he described the November 2018 event in which the WAEC Registrar and his aides gave the attestation certificate to the president.
“It would have been impossible for me to attend the Defence Services Staff College, India (1973), and thereafter, the United States Army War College, as a Nigerian military officer if I didn’t sit for the WASC examinations in 1961. My colleagues and I who spent close to nine years in boarding school both in primary and secondary, including Gen. Musa Yar’adua, when we intended to join the military we had to take a military examination.
“We were examined in three subjects, English, Mathematics and General Knowledge because English is the language for general instruction throughout the country because of our colonial heritage.
“Mathematics in the military was necessary, coupled with Geography. We were trained how to be dropped off in the bush, given only a pair of compasses and since we’re not astronomers, we’ve to learn to find our way, and calculate, using the Pythagoras Theorem and others to work out our position.”
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli
