Bashir, son of Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, says the leader of the defunct Biafran Republic, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, was a failed hero.
Bashir said this in a Twitter post while reacting to a comment by one of his followers.
The governor’s son had said Enugu State was the homeland of Ojukwu instead of Nnewi in Anambra State.
However, when his error was brought to his notice, rather than apologising, Bashir said, “Knowing your failed hero’s homeland that plunged misguided idiots into a civil war and ran away is not my concern. You do your research and find out his hometown.
“I could care less for the man. And he will forever remain a dent in our history.”
When the follower reacted by saying Ojukwu would remain greater than Governor el-Rufai, who kneels down to greet the President and others, Bashir said Ojukwu was a fearful man who ran away when the Nigerian forces were closing in on him.
He added, “Don’t cry please. Your hero was a failure that ran away when he saw imminent defeat. Get out of here.”
The governor, like his son, is not new to controversy.
El-Rufai last week said over 60 per cent of Christians in Southern Kaduna would not vote for him and this was one of the reasons he decided to pick a Muslim running mate.
He also made a mockery of a photograph of President Goodluck Jonathan kneeling down to pray on a pilgrimage in Jerusalem in 2013.
The governor has also been criticised many times by the Christian Association of Nigeria, especially when he made some remarks about Jesus Christ, which many found appalling in January 2013.
The sarcastic post, which many Nigerians, especially Christians, took offence at, was directed at defending a former Education minister, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, and attacking the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku; Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs Dr Doyin Okupe; and Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati.
He wrote, “If Jesus criticises Jonathan’s government, Maku, Abati or Okupe will say that he slept with Mary Magdalene.”
He later apologised for the comment.
