Following doubts expressed by many Nigerians about the authenticity of interview granted by President Umaryu Musa Yar’Adua to the BBC in Saudi Arabia, the British radio service has shed more light on how it got the telephone conversation. The BBC had to introduce Jamila Tangaza, the Head of its Hausa Service, to speak on how they got to the President.

Tangaza explained: “Well, first of all, I must  say that it took a lot of time, persuasion, arrangements, phone-calls and cajoling to even be able to reach that stage, reason being that the President was all along receiving  attention from his doctors and the people that were looking after him insisted that he should be given space to recover.
“Now I didn’t do the interview personally (but) my Senior Producer, Mansur Liman, made use of his connections with some of these officials and at the end of the day, he was able to get that interview.

Are you sure it was the President’s voice?
Tangaza: Absolutely, sure. I have no doubt whatsoever. Like I said, Mansur Liman, who did the interview knows the President and it was his voice.
Going by what the President said, do you think that he would, in any way, satisfy those people who claim actually that the whole thing is unconstitutional?
Tangaza: Well, it is going to be very difficult because already there are calls from within the opposition, expressing doubt about the authenticity of the voice and that it would be better if we had got video images of the interview.

This is especially coming from the point of view of satisfying the ordinary Nigerians who, they say, are completely disconnected from the true position of things and that seeing Yar’adua speaking to them would have gone a long way in cooling their nerves.

But on the part of the elite and the government they are saying this would be enough to convince Nigerians that it was, indeed, Mr President (who spoke)  and that he is alive and willing to return  and carry out the affairs of governance without   hitches.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/jan/13/national-01-13-2010-06.htm

Yar’Adua’s BBC interview transcript

Exactly 51 days after he left the shores of Nigeria to seek medical help, President Umar Musa Yar’adua spoke in a telephone interview with the BBC Hausa service, recorded late on Monday and aired at 6.30a.m. Below is the transcript of the interview conducted by one Mansur Liman of the BBC Hausa service:

The President said: “My brothers in Nigeria, I want to inform you that I am getting better insha-Allahu.
“By the grace of God, any time my doctors discharge me, I will come back home to Nigeria to continue my work.
“I want to also thank all Nigerians for their prayers for me and for the nation.

“I want to wish our team, the Super Eagles, victory in the African Cup of Nations that is going on in Angola. Thank you.”
BBC: Your Excellency, do you know when you will go back home, because Nigerians are worried about your condition. Do you know how long it will take you to go back home to continue with your work?
Yar’Adua: Insha-Allah, I am getting better. Anytime God heals me and I am strong, that is the time, insha-Allah, I will come back to Nigeria, anytime the doctors discharge me.

BBC: There are a lot of issues (in Nigeria ), have you spoken with the Vice President and is everything going on well as you expect?
Yar’Adua: I spoke with him; I have been speaking with him. Everything is going on well in accordance with the constitution of the country.
Daily Sun learnt that the interview lasted for just 86 seconds.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/jan/13/national-01-13-2010-04.htm

Haha.the man is very much alive like my man 2pac shakur.

AH.AH.AH-AH-AH-AH-AH, U NO GO KILL PERSON WITH LAUGH O

Show us d video clip and let him speak 2us his follower live and direct even if it will last 4 20secs! Else we will doubt d auntenticity of d voice period. A change is what we all need. It is better 4 one man 2 die 4 a nation than 4 a nation 2 die 4 one man, NEVER.

If at all that was Yar Adua, then one thing is obvious- He wasn't told about the Nigerian terrorist!
How could he be talking about Super Eagles when Nigeria is almost on fire?

I sympathise with the guy sha, he is also a victim of the cabal! I hope he resigns then recovers.

PapaBrowne:

If at all that was Yar Adua, then one thing is obvious- He wasn't told about the Nigerian terrorist!
How could he be talking about Super Eagles when Nigeria is almost on fire?

I sympathise with the guy sha, he is also a victim of the cabal! I hope he resigns then recovers.

They told us that his brain is damaged and you folks think that it is a lie.That is how a damaged brain works.He was thinking that football is the anesthesia to all of our woes including the botched terror attack.If a president could not deliver simple Sallah,Christmas and new year massages,what has become of him.Last year,the Thai King had to be wheeled from hospital to talk to his people.He is a ceremonial head.In our case,no word from an executive head of state for 50days.This is made in Africa.Its only in our continent that such things happen.Most times I don't blame the white folks when they treat Africa as second class humans.

Total rubbish!!!

A whole Nation of over 150 million people should take the word of one facecless Jamila Tangaza?

Who is Jamila Tangaza?

What is her claim to fame sef?

Do Nigerians want an incapacitated president who grants an interview from Jeddah to some person we have never evn heard of till the BBC told us she exists, or do we want a president who is able to execute his function as executive head of state as "elected" by the people of Nigeria?

Nonsense!!!

The BBC should also be ashamed of taking part in this skulduggery!!!

Would they have sent some faceless correspondent to do a 1 minute interview had Barack Obama disappeared off the face of the earth for over two months and try and convince the Americans that it was indeed the voice of their president?

Shameless people.

If they have no positive contribution to make towards resolving our crisis they should siddon look at their one eed scotsman prime minister and leave us to resolve our issues with Yar'a dissapear, not compund them by bringing such unfounded rubbish to the international stage.

Liars!

BBC has lost some of its credibility with the fake Yar'Adua interview. I thought they were a more serious news media that went on concrete information. Maybe the British are still trying to help the northerners to push their agenda.

- Who is Mansur Liman . . .

- How did he verify the indentity of the person he was speaking with . . .

- What is BBC's protocol for vetting the indentity of the person at the other end of a phone call . . .

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Biggest lie of the century.

We don't want a president that can speak for 86secs on radio after 50days o!!!!!, (that's if he actually spoke to BBC) we need a president that can lead the diverse entity called nigeria with all its 'head aches'. i'll keep sayin this.