I was flogged a lot because I avoided school farm – Buhari speaks on how his growing up days was like

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he was flogged several times during his schooling years for avoiding the school farm.

He made this known in his documentary titled, ‘Essential Muhammadu Buhari’, which aired, on Sunday, via national television stations.

President Buhari, who was recounting his days in school, said that during his time, teachers were more committed and mentioned some of his teachers.

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According to the President, “Teachers of our generation were absolutely committed and dedicated. They treated us like their own children.

“If you did well, you would be praised before the classroom, and if you performed poorly, you would be flogged on the buttocks with your face to the wall.

“There is no way I can forget Mallam Abdul. He was a very strict person and he didn’t spare the rod — we called it ‘bulala’.

“Then, we didn’t like the rainy season because we had to go to the school farm. And if you were late to school, from 6am to 2:00pm, ‘bulala’ on your buttocks. And you had to remove your shorts so that you would get the message properly.

“Among the teachers, I will not forget our Arabic teacher. No matter how hot it was, he did come into the class with a turban. Every week, we were given verses of the Qur’an to recite.

“The only thing we could do to avoid it was to report sick. Even if you fell sick, you were stopped from going to have breakfast, break until you recited the verse you were given.”

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When the interviewer said that Buhari wasn’t flogged that much because he was a leader, the retired major general denounced that notion and revealed that he got beaten a lot.

“I got a lot of (‘bulala’) because I avoided going to the school farm. And if you missed it (the school farm), you won’t be allowed to go for a break. But what I used to do was to go all over the school restroom and sometimes, I would eat apples when others were in the classroom. And no one can forget…”