What AilsYar’Adua?

David Akindele,
Ilaro.

I advise the President to resign his position and go home to take care of his health. He knows that his ill-health will not allow him to do his best for the country, but his ego will not allow him to tread the path of honour.

Weyinmi Okotie,
Warri.

Before the general elections last year, the issue of Mr. President’s ill-health became an issue, but his spin doctors swept it under the carpet. Now, things are coming to the open about the true state of his health.

Emeka Agu,
Awka.

It is unfortunate that at this time and age, those at the helm of affairs in the country still hide information about our leaders. Nigerians don’t even know what is wrong with their President. It is terrible.

Fred Oruma,
Ughelli.

Yar’Adua should not die. He has started very well by canvassing for and adhering to the rule of law. All Nigerians should keep praying for the speedy recovery of Mr. President.

Abdul Salami,
Sokoto.

I know Yar’Adua did not win last year’s election, but I don’t wish him dead and I don’t think his condition is as grave as TheNEWS would want Nigerians to believe. In medicine, it is not compulsory for a patient to divulge his ailment to the public, his official post notwithstanding. So why do you over-hype the non-disclosure of Yar’Adua’s sickness?

Solomon Enang,
Calabar.

I disagree with your assertion that it is not good for Mr. President not to disclose what ails him. Afterall, Nigerians already know that he has kidney problem. So what do you want in the media.?

Christopher Onumah,
Maiduguri.

President Umar Yar’Adua should have disclosed what ails him because the rule of law he preaches cannot be real unless he makes openness a cardinal principle. And if he truly believes in it, he would have willingly told Nigerians his state of health.

Chidi Onyema,
Awka.

No human being, no matter the age, sex, class or creed is completely free from one ailment or another. So, Segun Adeniyi, the President’s spokesman and his boss, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, should not keep Nigerians in the dark. I advise they open up so that the citizens can pray for him to get better soon.

Samuel Akhibi,
Benin City.

Having secured the mandate of Nigerians to run the country for four years, I pray the Almighty God to come to President Umar Yar’Adua’s rescue now that the country needs him most. Whether the nature of ailment is disclosed or not, Yar’Adua must not die. That is what matters.

Felicia Aboderin,
Lagos.

Is this not the same President Umar Musa Yar’Adua who governed his home state of Katsina for eight years? Why then will he not be medically fit for his new task as President? If he is indeed troubled medically, we can only pray that he responds to treatment and puts the devil to shame.

Abdullahi Dass,
Bauchi.

It is about time Segun Adeniyi revealed to Nigerians the nature of the ailment that knocked Mr. President down for over three weeks. Afterall, former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Nelson Mandela and a host of others were at one time or the other sick while they occupied the office of President. If Fidel Castro, former President of Cuba would not remain silent when he was sick, President Yar’Adua should learn to emulate them.

Kemi Adeaga,
Ibadan.

President Yar’Adua’s frequent travels abroad for health reasons call for concern. It also beats my imagination why the true nature of the President’s illness is being hidden from Nigerians. I think it is high time our leaders learnt how to be open about their illness.

Efe Akpome,
Ughelli.

I don’t see any reason why President Yar’Adua should keep Nigerians in suspense about the true nature of his illness. Whatever ails him, I think it is the right of Nigerians to know about it.

Umaru Mohammed,
Sokoto.

President Yar’Adua should not think whatever ails him is his personal business. As long as he remains the President of this country, he owes it a duty to inform us about his illness.

Emeka Okafor,
Onitsha.

President Yar’Adua’s illness is really of great concern to Nigerians. This is because whenever the President sneezes the nation catches cold. So President Yar’Adua should not think it is proper for him to conceal the nature of his illness from his countrymen and women. As far as the President is concerned, he no longer has any personal business; he is public property.

Femi Aderounmu,
Ibadan.

Yar’Adua is sick and medically incapable of leading a complex and problem-filled nation like Nigeria. He needs to go on a long medical check-up to determine his level of medical fitness if he intends to continue in office.

Israel Omoluabi,
Lagos.

It’s a big shame that after being in power for eight years as governor of Katsina State, Yar’Adua cannot build a befitting hospital to handle his fragile health. Who says dialysis and liver biopsies cannot be done on Nigerian soil if money is spent on the right things in this country.

Mohammed Argungu,
Kano.

Agreed, President Yar’Adua has every right to fall sick. Yet, Nigerians also have every right to know everything about his medical condition. Once you become President your right to privacy and personal life becomes public property.

Blessing Okondo,
Akure.

Nigerians deserve to know everything about President Yar’Adua’s health condition and state of mind. When Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel fell sick and subsequently fell into coma, the Israeli public got a minute-by-minute update on his condition. That’s how it should be.

Yinka Oyelesi,
Ibadan.

The secrecy that shrouds President Yar’Adua’s ailment has to do more will the nature of the political space in Nigeria, whose citizens don’t know how the many top-level decisions that affect their lives are taken. It’s a sad commentary on Nigeria’s so-called democratic experience.

Shehu Umar,
Sokoto

The continued traffic of ailing prominent Nigerians to hospitals abroad is one of the greatest embarrassments any serious leader would strive to stem. Past leaders have failed in this respect woefully and it has continued to be a huge drain on this nation’s resources. Considering the huge amount Yar’Adua’s ailment has and will continue to cost the Nigerian State, I would rate the success or otherwise of his tenure on his ability to improve Nigeria’s healthcare facilities.

Abiodun Shitta,
Iju-Lagos.

I wonder why there is so much secrecy regarding Yar’Adua’s ailment. It has always been reported that the man has kidney problem, but his media aides continue to keep everything secret. What is the big deal about the president’s illness that justifies Nigerians being kept in the dark?

Kunmi Koledade,
Lokoja

For our president to have become a regular patient at foreign hospitals, it tells the story of our decadent health sector. If the necessary facilities are on ground with trained professionals to attend to the president here, the president would have been saved all the embarrassment and troubles of being rushed out of the country so frequently. It is indeed the shame of a nation.

Paul Olukunle Bello,
Ikorodu

It is hypocritical for the nation’s president and top officials to go to the best medical centres to treat the minutest of ailments while the masses die while waiting for medical treatment in our poor health centres. Our leaders simply lack the moral authority to lecture us on patriotism and faith in our country.

Joke Peters,
Lagos.

Since the undisclosed illness of President Umar Yar’Adua became public knowledge, it has never ceased to haunt my mind the dilemma and gamut of confusion that will unleash itself on the nation if the inevitable happens, bearing in mind the peculiar leadership structure in Nigeria. May God help us.

Adeola Adekanbi,
Abeokuta.

Nigerians demand to know the absolute truth from the presidency about the real nature of Yar’Adua’s illness. Any propagandist path in explaining the issue may be costly on the nation eventually. Let the truth be told, and nothing but the truth.

Stanley Azu,
Owerri.

We keep hearing that the president was only away for a mere medical check up. One wonders why such check-ups cannot be performed here rather than wasting our resources on overseas trips. Secondly, Yar’Adua always appears pale and far from being energetic most times we’re privileged to see him in public. I hope and pray his sickness is not terminal.

Dele Jonathan,
Oyo.

President Yar’Adua’s frequent overseas travels on health grounds are indeed causes for concern. Why is it that anytime he wants to do medical check-up he has to travel abroad? The implication of his overseas trips is that the medical facilities in this country are not good enough to cater for his medical needs. I think president Yar’Adua should think about this.

Yinka Omole,
Ibadan.