My experience while trekking for Buhari – Hashimu

Weekly Trust: Why did you decide to embark on this journey?
Suleiman Hashimu: From the start, everybody knows I’m in love with Buhari, even before 2011. When it comes to Buhari’s matter you will see the way my eyes pop out, how loud my voice becomes. If in a gathering someone is castigating him, others will tell the speaker, ‘don’t let Suleiman hear o. It will become something else for you two if he hears.’ Two years ago, I decided I would make this journey if he won in 2015.
WT: Many have expressed doubts that you actually did what you did in the time you did?
Hashimu: Yes, I have seen some of it on social media. I would like to clarify that I covered the journey in 18 days and not two weeks as widely said. I left the day after the results were announced. Even before the announcement, BBC Hausa Service had mentioned me and discussed my plans; this is how some people got to know. But these were mostly Hausas. Also, Aminiya newspaper (Hausa sister publication of Weekly Trust) published my picture and the crowd as we celebrated Buhari’s victory along with a report on my plans.
On a daily basis, I jog at least two kilometres after my morning prayers. I train and take my exercises seriously. Coming from Suleja to Abuja is about 60 kilometres and on the way here about two of the security personnel who came to welcome me fainted along the way. I am healthy and don’t have fat in my body. I moved very swiftly and didn’t suffer fatigue. Even the distance from Suleja to Abuja is not a short one by foot. It should tire anybody who hasn’t properly prepared for the journey. But I wasn’t because I had adequately prepared. I normally don’t take medicine and hardly fall ill. Through the entire journey, I never entered a car or bike. Even if I were in the community and needed to go to the market or some other place to buy something, I would go by foot to and fro no matter the distance.
I left Lagos at 5.30 am from Berger Junction. The most stressful part of the trip was covering Lagos-Ibadan. That was when I felt like giving up. A mistake I made in the beginning was to put on jeans trousers. In no time my thighs were so sore they seemed like I had pepper on them. When I arrived Oyo, I bought proper outfits and got somebody who inscribed ‘Sai baba’ on the trousers and ‘you are free to ask me what the secret behind this journey is.’ The person did it for free when I told him my intentions.
My original plan was to start and end at 6 pm and pass the night wherever I was but various circumstances changed this. That first day, I walked the whole way until 6.15 pm. I slept close to Ibadan. In the end I spent two days from Lagos to Oyo. The next major town was Ogbomosho, then Ilorin. Leaving Ilorin and approaching Oloru, another big town, I began noticing that many people were aware of my journey. The first person who recognised me was a tanker driver who called me by name, commended and encouraged me and then gave me N2,000. On getting to Oloru, another person recognised me. In no time I was surrounded. Even while I went into the mosque people were coming around to see me and peeping through the window.
I went to greet the elders there and could hear people making calls to others to ‘come and see that boy who is trekking.’ I passed my night there. In the morning the villagers said they would walk with me to the next town, Bode Saadu about 60 kilometres away, also in expression of their love for Buhari.
WT: Were you taking notes of these places you arrived at and things that happened there?
Hashimu: No. When I started this journey, if I planned it for the publicity or reward, I may have taken things into consideration for proof. The decision is my own way of celebrating Buhari’s victory. From Bode Saadu the next major town was Jebba. A huge crowd was waiting there for me already. I was overwhelmed. I noticed that as I was approaching the town, bike riders would recognise me and make u-turns back to the town at neck-breaking speed. They wouldn’t even say a word to me. Apparently, they were going back to tell others of my arrival.
There is a community on the border of Jebba with Niger State just after you cross the bridge, called Sabo Nasarawa. That is where I spent the night and was met by another mammoth crowd because it was their market day. My hands were swollen from several handshakes but I had to oblige them because a lot of them were elderly.
I asked that I wanted to perform ablution and was told someone had sent for bottled water for me. Throughout the night people were visiting and even collecting my phone number. From there, about 20 people volunteered to see me off to Mokwa the next big town.
On the way, 18 of them left and two remained with me. Proceeding on to Mokwa around a hilly corner, we were ambushed by five people with cutlasses and sticks. They told us to lie down. One of them immediately recognised me and ordered me to stand up. He said ‘you don’t know me?’ I said no. It turned out he was the one who bought the bottled water with which I performed my ablution. Their leader shook my hands and gave me N2,000 and set us on our way.  
At Mokwa there was another crowd waiting for me. I doubt that while in Kwara State and coming to Abuja I hardly walked five kilometres alone. There were always people volunteering to accompany me.
From Mokwa, I went to Kudu and passed the night in a small village after there. I arrived the place after Jumat prayers on Friday and did my own prayers. I visited the emir and the mother of the land as well. They both prayed for me. If I didn’t visit the elders in a community, the indigenes would complain that they heard I did it in other villages and I therefore must do the same in theirs.
The next place I arrived at was Kutigi, on election day. I pleaded with people to go and vote and I was taken to a hotel to sleep and rest. But they didn’t go. They broke things in the hotel and the owner had to take me through the backdoor to his house at night.  
Staying at his house didn’t help because some people noticed the unusual number of visitors trooping to his house.  
His house entrance became a market for photographers. They were taking shots of me and selling them there. Some were offering money for me to pose for their shots.
I went on to Bida and was forewarned about the crowd that would besiege me. I was even receiving phone calls from them asking when I would arrive. On my way I saw the Niger State deputy governor who parked, commended me and urged me on. My phone number had been posted online so people had access to it.
When I began receiving international calls from Nigerians and foreigners alike, I knew that it was a serious matter and I had to take it so as well. Their encouraging words gave me the strength and courage to carry on.
There were times I had injuries on my feet, I didn’t realise until I took off my shoes. I was determined to finish the journey and would over look them.
I was welcomed by security sent by the Emir of Bida. As I was preparing to leave the following morning, the security man came to warn me against it because a crowd had already gathered. I exclaimed ‘at 5 am?’ That’s how I stayed another day there. I decided to leave at 4 am the next day. As I stepped out of the hotel, there were at least 20 people already sitting at the entrance fully kitted in canvass and socks waiting to accompany me.
From Bida I went to Agaie where I met the Niger State APC PRO who came with a band to play the national anthem. I went on to Lapai and was welcomed by students at the IBB University in their multitudes. The next big town was Lambatta, then Suleja, Zuba before Abuja.
WT: When you decided to do this what were the reactions you got?
Hashimu: I called my mother and told her I wanted to travel and needed her prayers and forgiveness which she gave. She asked if it were abroad and I said she shouldn’t worry about it. It was when I arrived Abuja that she knew I was trekking all along and got worried about my state of health. But I assured her I am fine and also from what she saw in the media she knew I was fine. People were going to congratulate her. My father waved it aside when I told him. He said I was jobless and out of my senses. He said we should forget the matter and talk about something else. But my friends who knew I was serious have been in touch and encouraged me all the way.
WT: What were the most memorable things that happened during this trip?
Hashimu: There are many. My Blackberry passport was stolen and as replacement I have received a Samsung tablet and three new phones. People I haven’t been in touch with for more than 10 years have been calling and asking if I remember them. Some I do, some I don’t. I know everybody likes to associate with success. Somebody even gave me a goat to give to Buhari.
WT: Was this a gift to Buhari?
Hashimu: No! He said Buhari should take care of the goat for him since he heard Buhari is interested in helping the masses. I looked so stupid pulling the goat by its rope as I trekked and had to give it to somebody (laughter).
WT: Are you in a relationship?
Hashimu: Well … I am not.
WT: Why the hesitation?
Hasimu: This journey has earned me more than 30 ‘girlfriends.’ There are a good number of them consistently calling and texting me daily. The line which they all have is now permanently switched off. One was here to visit me the other day and insisted on seeing me. It is a lot of attention.
WT: Is it true you got money and gifts from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and free accommodation at Hilton?
Hashimu: I was told accommodation was paid for me at the Hilton but I didn’t take it because I already made my own plans. I don’t even know who paid for it. No, Alhaji Atiku never gave me any gift.
Somebody who commended my effort asked his assistant to give me N200,000. This I haven’t received and haven’t followed up because it wasn’t part of my plans to receive any form of rewards for this.  The most ridiculous I heard was that I was given 10 jeeps (laughter). I haven’t received anything from anybody.