Ex-President, Muhammadu Buhari gifted a geometrically patterned leather mat to former U.S. President Barack Obama shortly after winning the 2015 presidential election, according to a document from the U.S. State Department.
According to Peoples Gazette, the document shows that the gift was a 7-foot diameter circular leather mat and three 28-inch diameter leather covers for seating pads.
These gifts, received on July 19, 2015, were valued at $2,260.00 by the U.S. government.
Buhari had assumed the presidency on May 29, amidst accusations by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party that Obama had interfered in the election to the detriment of then-President Goodluck.
This information comes from the annual filing by the U.S. agency’s protocol office, which details gifts given to U.S. presidents by foreign leaders.
Many of these gifts end up in the National Archives and Records Administration.
The document also explained that the list includes gifts received in previous years, some as far back as 2010.
These gifts were reported in this year’s filing for 2018 because the Office of the Chief of Protocol, Department of State, did not have the information to include them in earlier reports.
The agency explained, “Also included are gifts received in previous years, including one in 2010, one in 2012, 17 in 2013, two in 2014, two in 2015, and 34 in 2017. These latter gifts are being reported in this year’s report for the calendar year 2018 because the Office of the Chief of Protocol, Department of State, did not receive the relevant information to include them in earlier reports.”
