Joachin Iroko, the man who named his dog Buhari spoke with newsmen shortly after he left the prison ward in Abeokuta, describing his experience as good and educative. When asked how he felt after leaving the prison yard, he said:
“I am so happy. It is a joy to me. I have missed my family; that was most painful. “Prison is a place to experienced in one’s life. It is like a rehabilitation home: you learn many things there and there are many people you may not have the opportunity to talk to. “But in prison, you will sit down with them and discuss. There are many things you take for granted, but when you go to prison you know there is law. “The only thing I am regretting about my coming to prison is the intimidation from the Hausa community. Going to prison is a golden moment for me.”
Explaining why he named his dog Buhari, he said:
“As a matter of fact, they misunderstood me. I have three dogs: one bears Obama, one bears Joe, an abbreviation of my name. The third is named Buhari. “I named these dogs after my role models. My late dog was named after Nelson Mandela. I don’t just give any name to my dogs. I give reputable names to my dogs. It is love I have for Buhari; he is my role model. “Buhari is not the President of the North. He is the President of Nigeria. I see no reason why Northerners should intimidate me: Nigeria is one. “I see no reason why they will be intimidating me. It is my right to name my dog any name. “Thank God, I have regained my freedom. The most painful thing is the way they treated my dog. I am not happy that they killed my dog, while I was in detention. “It is my dog, it is my pet. I love my dogs. They have no right to kill my dog. “Nigerians should know that there are other dogs in other areas that bear Jack as name. Why is Buhari so special. It is a name that has been existing for several years.”
Matters took a funny twist when Iroko was stranded after he was released, as he did not have transport fare to go to his Sango residence.
