Hasheem Suleiman, a native of
Katsina state who promised to trek from Lagos to Abuja if General Muhammadu
Buhari from the All Progressives Congress won the presidential poll, has been
seen in Niger state.
He was in Lagos when Buhari was
announced the president-elect of Nigeria. Hasheem left Lagos at about 5am the
next day and arrived in Ibadan around 6pm. The traveller vowed two years ago to
trek from where ever he was to the capital of Nigeria, Abuja, if General Buhari
emerges the winner of the poll in 2015.
The planned journey is long and hot: according to Google
maps, it is over 700km.
Hasheem went to get a police report to allow for an
unimpeded journey but could not wait and so the DPO gave him his phone number.
Despite several warnings from friends, and at the same time encouraged by
friends and loved ones, he continued from Ibadan to Oyo. Then from Oyo to Ogbomoso.
And from Ogbomoso to Ilorin with much welcome at every stop.
He continued his trip from Mkwa to
Kudu and then to Kutigi. He is now in Kutigi and will continue his journey to
Bida tomorrow by the grace of God.
People have welcomed him as a real
hero. They take pictures with him, ask for his autograph, help him, go some
distance with him, and sing songs for him.
Hasheem doesn’t know for sure if
Buhari knows of him but several of his support organizations do. He intends to
reach Abuja by May 27, and celebrate with the new president at his inauguration
ceremony.