Presidential aide, Femi Adesina, has said although President Muhammadu Buhari contested for president four times, he ended up getting “the most unenviable job” in the world after winning the 2015 presidential election and was re-elected into same office in 2019.

Adesina said even though President Buhari has been achieving “diverse developments” despite inevitable economic challenges, people were more focused on negative occurrences such as the daily reports of killings, banditry and insurgency, amongst others, being recorded in the country.

The presidential aide noted that some of the unfortunate occurrences, including the beheading of over 40 rice farmers in Borno by Boko Haram, had prevented two of Buhari’s recent achievements from gaining “traction on social media”.

Adesina identified the achievements as the commissioning of the “5,000 barrels per day Waltersmith modular refinery in Ibigwe, Imo State,” and the unveiling of “the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP),” which he said would launch the country into usage of compressed natural gas (CNG) to power automobiles.

The presidential aide said these in an opinion article titled “Autogas, Modular Refinery: PMB Making Conquests Steadily , Surely,” which he posted on his Facebook page on Thursday night.

Part of the article reads: “If we are not discerning enough, the tendency is quite strong to think that all that is happening in Nigeria is evil, evil and more evil. Killings by insurgents, bandits, and assassins. Violent protests leading to loss of lives and wanton destruction. Kidnappings for ransom. Mayhems and murders. Sorrow, tears and blood (dem regular trademark, as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang).

“Yes, all these negative things happen, and you would think all that God does now is to frown at us as Nigerians. He frowns, quite alright, but “behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.” His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour.

“Last week and this week, two developments occurred that lend credence to the fact that Nigeria is not just what the poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, calls “a thoroughfare of woes.” Good things are happening in the country, and if we are not discerning enough, they will pass us by, and we will just sit at the complaint counter, bemoaning our woes.

“Let me make it clear at this point. It is the duty of government to secure lives and property of the citizenry. Even our Constitution says so. But challenges do come, as we currently have in the country. And every honest effort is being made to tackle the challenges. But does governance stop? No.

Adesina said the achievements Buhari recorded in the last two weeks failed to get people’s attention, “…because they are almost crowded out by sad news of slaughter of rice farmers in Borno State..”

He noted that, “President Buhari must perhaps have the most unenviable job in the country, if not in the world. He must secure the country, and also manage it efficiently. Whether oil prices collapse or not in the international market, salaries must be paid, and infrastructure works must continue. If COVID-19 pushes the economy into recession or not, life must continue merrily. Whether the man sleeps at night or not for worry, the country must run, and run well. He asked for the job, didn’t he? And he ran for office four times, before he got the coveted position.

“Amidst the ravening clouds which seem to hang over Nigeria, President Buhari is making conquests. And it pays us to see our cups as half-filled, rather than half-empty. Despite all the challenges, good things are still happening in our country. The modular refinery is one, the gas expansion program is another.”

The presidential aide added that,” Today, you hear negative energy from everywhere: churches, mosques, offices, media, homes, in markets, indeed, in all traffic lanes of life. If only we can see our cups as half-filled, instead of half-empty.”