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| Buhari’s presidency: Vibrant support and agonising regret |
About five years ago, my decision to endorse retired General Muhammadu Buhari given the constraints at the time, was based on the promise that he would make a great civilian President of Nigeria. I scripted a widely circulated glowing affirmation of his candidacy. Based on my estimations, there were appropriate inadequacies associated with the other candidates that made them unfit for the job. Nuhu Ribadu, Goodluck Jonathan and to some extent my friend Dele Momodu were all contenders.
In all of the criteria that I applied to evaluate the candidates, the one that made President Buhari stand out was my conclusion that he would still be interested if the job had no pay and without the shine of the office. President Buhari, after serving in several “juicy” positions in Nigeria was not publicly known to be a billionaire.
The assumptions that led to the conjecture are still very logical in spite of his lopsided preference for appointing mostly northerners in his kitchen cabinet. Despite Buhari’s calm but implicit support for the out- of -control Fulani Herdsman, I still rate his intention to preside over the world’s most populous black nation as an honourable one.
However, from where things are today, one year later, it does not appear that honourable intentions alone will be enough.
Ribadu’s unpreparedness
Jonathan and Ribadu were not nearly ready both in experience and individual capacity to preside over the delicate and complicated affairs of Nigerians. Dele Momodu reportedly made an unstudied decision to join the presidential race in acknowledgment of Babangida’s conclusion that Nigerian youths were useless. I did not pay any attention to both Babangida’s contrived conclusions and Momodu’s sanguine response.
As President, Jonathan accomplished practically nothing. He successfully engraved his name in the elite club of those who served a few and failed Nigerians. As far as Nuhu Ribadu was concerned, it will always be safe to remain apprehensive of any product of the Nigerian Police. Ribadu’s EFCC was an effective tool that nearly succeeded in substantiating Obasanjo’s inordinate and destructive third term ambition. Almost all of Ribadu’s success stories as the executive chairman of the EFCC have question marks.
Unlike the United States or other western countries, Nigeria’s maturity have not got to the point where any Rick (Ribadu), John (Jonathan) and Dave (Dele) could roll over their beds and aspire to become the President of Nigeria. We do not have self -sustaining and functioning institutions that can mitigate the impact of ineptitude. Organising elections and offering the elected and their acquaintances endless prospects to do as they wish is not one of the main steering doctrines of democracy.
Today, with the luxury of time, I should have vigorously endorsed NOBODY for President. The theory of half loaf being better than none is no longer acceptable. Nigerians do not need a president to officiate the status quo. What we need is a reformer who will work diligently to construct a political and social landscape with flourishing ideas and enhanced rules of engagement. If we have any odds of surviving, we must make sacrifices to forge a union where there are no ethnic or tribal interests at the federal level but only a Nigerian interest.
My endorsement based on his frugal lifestyle in comparison to others may have been valid from a simplistic viewpoint but the passage of time has rendered it grossly inadequate. I take full responsibilities for my colossal blunder to provide a comprehensive analysis of Buhari’s experiences, antecedents, qualities and capabilities in direct comparison to Nigeria’s intractable problems. After one year in office, I have not seen any evidence and I do not think that Buhari has demonstrated what it takes to be a successful President. He has shown no desire or ability to challenge the needs of today and by extension is deplorably failing to persuade our hopes and aspirations for a brighter future as a people.
We may no longer be experiencing brazen stealing directly or indirectly sanctioned by the presidency but there are fears that financial improprieties and manipulations continue at all levels of this government. Where the legislative oversight is broken down or nonexistent, it is the responsibility of the presidency and the National Assembly to repair or initiate one.
The idea of a Finance Minister authorising the National Security Adviser through a letter to disburse funds not appropriated by the National Assembly based on the verbal order of the President should never be repeated. No one is suggesting that the current National Security Adviser is freely disbursing funds but the probability of another “Dasukigate” repeating itself in the future is still a possibility.
It is one thing to apprehend a thief but it is more important in any establishment to shut down the loophole that facilitated the undesired situation in the first place. Nigerians have not been provided any evidence that this government has made any stride in tightening the internal controls within and outside all government agencies.
The Minister of Information would have burnt his fingers when he turned to the National Broadcasting Service to secure a loan. The checks and balances along with the controls have to function to serve the people with or without any president paying attention.
President Buhari and the APC have to come out publicly to tell Nigerians how much was spent on the last presidential election in addition to the sources of those funds. It will be reckless to buy into the current anti -corruption hogwash campaign.
My biggest fluster with President Buhari is his disimpassioned attitude towards the daily killings and maiming of Nigerians. It was not enough to issue belated statements three days after the massacre in Enugu through a proxy. Also, the convenience and safe passage of the Army Chief of Staff should not be a justification for the massacre in Zaria. Our fellow citizens were slaughtered and the presidency remained silent.
The other day a terrorist bomb went off in Brussels airport killing about 30 people and the whole world literally came to a standstill. Human life in general and Nigerian lives in particular should be inviolate. The right to life is the uniquely fundamental right on which all other rights are based.
Regretful acknowledgment
Following this regretful acknowledgment, other Nigerians who also packaged and sold Buhari to our fellow citizens should please stand up to be counted. This apology will not be complete if I failed to recognize one Nigerian who consistently predicted where we are today. His name is Remi Oyeyemi. Remi was right and I was wrong. To the ten or so Nigerians who relied on my endorsement to support and vote for Buhari, I say I am deeply sorry.
I did not set out to mislead anyone. America was founded as a nation under God but it appears Nigeria is a nation under gun. Our commitment to Nigeria as a nation is at best suspect. Nigeria is more divided today than it has ever been in my lifetime.
On a daily basis, President Buhari has consistently shown lack of vision to initiate and implement a strategic plan to unify the country.
Honest restructuring of Nigeria
A lasting unification and national renaissance will emerge from an honest restructuring of Nigeria. Economic prosperity will undoubtedly be an organic byproduct. Those who defend Buhari’s frequent foreign trips are the ludicrous who represent the unpropitious in our nucleus.
An Army General with a strategic vision retired or serving should secure their territory before embarking on any offensive. Buhari should have embarked on a listening and working tour of several States in Nigeria without any fanfare. The industrious men and women in Aba deserve a little encouragement.
The kids growing up in Maiduguri need positive encouragement and assurances that there is more to life and all that it offers. A united and vibrant Nigeria does not need any selling overseas. The world will notice and there will be long lines of potential genuine investors.
The other day, President Buhari signed the 2016 budget and declared that better days awaited Nigerians. It was packaged and sold as a budget of hope and change. A few days later, Nigerians are moaning under the choke of higher petrol price. I have no doubt that Buhari is passionate about making Nigeria a better place. My assessment cannot be wrong and I do not believe that he was shedding crocodile tears the last time he cried after losing the election.
I am not convinced that both the body and spoken languages of President Buhari will bring any lasting solution to any of our numerous problems. This president and future presidents will almost certainly deliver similar results that we are all too familiar with. The political and social architecture in addition to the rules of engagements need to be revisited and redefined immediately. Those who preach that this or any other President must be given time to deliver the dividends of democracy are simply delusional.
We do not require any time to plan and begin the process of national restructuring. We do not need time to begin to ask ourselves the very tough questions that needed answered.
-Hillary Okonkwo contributed this piece from Michigan, USA.
In all of the criteria that I applied to evaluate the candidates, the one that made President Buhari stand out was my conclusion that he would still be interested if the job had no pay and without the shine of the office. President Buhari, after serving in several “juicy” positions in Nigeria was not publicly known to be a billionaire.
The assumptions that led to the conjecture are still very logical in spite of his lopsided preference for appointing mostly northerners in his kitchen cabinet. Despite Buhari’s calm but implicit support for the out- of -control Fulani Herdsman, I still rate his intention to preside over the world’s most populous black nation as an honourable one.
However, from where things are today, one year later, it does not appear that honourable intentions alone will be enough.
Ribadu’s unpreparedness
Jonathan and Ribadu were not nearly ready both in experience and individual capacity to preside over the delicate and complicated affairs of Nigerians. Dele Momodu reportedly made an unstudied decision to join the presidential race in acknowledgment of Babangida’s conclusion that Nigerian youths were useless. I did not pay any attention to both Babangida’s contrived conclusions and Momodu’s sanguine response.
As President, Jonathan accomplished practically nothing. He successfully engraved his name in the elite club of those who served a few and failed Nigerians. As far as Nuhu Ribadu was concerned, it will always be safe to remain apprehensive of any product of the Nigerian Police. Ribadu’s EFCC was an effective tool that nearly succeeded in substantiating Obasanjo’s inordinate and destructive third term ambition. Almost all of Ribadu’s success stories as the executive chairman of the EFCC have question marks.
Unlike the United States or other western countries, Nigeria’s maturity have not got to the point where any Rick (Ribadu), John (Jonathan) and Dave (Dele) could roll over their beds and aspire to become the President of Nigeria. We do not have self -sustaining and functioning institutions that can mitigate the impact of ineptitude. Organising elections and offering the elected and their acquaintances endless prospects to do as they wish is not one of the main steering doctrines of democracy.
Today, with the luxury of time, I should have vigorously endorsed NOBODY for President. The theory of half loaf being better than none is no longer acceptable. Nigerians do not need a president to officiate the status quo. What we need is a reformer who will work diligently to construct a political and social landscape with flourishing ideas and enhanced rules of engagement. If we have any odds of surviving, we must make sacrifices to forge a union where there are no ethnic or tribal interests at the federal level but only a Nigerian interest.
My endorsement based on his frugal lifestyle in comparison to others may have been valid from a simplistic viewpoint but the passage of time has rendered it grossly inadequate. I take full responsibilities for my colossal blunder to provide a comprehensive analysis of Buhari’s experiences, antecedents, qualities and capabilities in direct comparison to Nigeria’s intractable problems. After one year in office, I have not seen any evidence and I do not think that Buhari has demonstrated what it takes to be a successful President. He has shown no desire or ability to challenge the needs of today and by extension is deplorably failing to persuade our hopes and aspirations for a brighter future as a people.
We may no longer be experiencing brazen stealing directly or indirectly sanctioned by the presidency but there are fears that financial improprieties and manipulations continue at all levels of this government. Where the legislative oversight is broken down or nonexistent, it is the responsibility of the presidency and the National Assembly to repair or initiate one.
The idea of a Finance Minister authorising the National Security Adviser through a letter to disburse funds not appropriated by the National Assembly based on the verbal order of the President should never be repeated. No one is suggesting that the current National Security Adviser is freely disbursing funds but the probability of another “Dasukigate” repeating itself in the future is still a possibility.
It is one thing to apprehend a thief but it is more important in any establishment to shut down the loophole that facilitated the undesired situation in the first place. Nigerians have not been provided any evidence that this government has made any stride in tightening the internal controls within and outside all government agencies.
The Minister of Information would have burnt his fingers when he turned to the National Broadcasting Service to secure a loan. The checks and balances along with the controls have to function to serve the people with or without any president paying attention.
President Buhari and the APC have to come out publicly to tell Nigerians how much was spent on the last presidential election in addition to the sources of those funds. It will be reckless to buy into the current anti -corruption hogwash campaign.
My biggest fluster with President Buhari is his disimpassioned attitude towards the daily killings and maiming of Nigerians. It was not enough to issue belated statements three days after the massacre in Enugu through a proxy. Also, the convenience and safe passage of the Army Chief of Staff should not be a justification for the massacre in Zaria. Our fellow citizens were slaughtered and the presidency remained silent.
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Regretful acknowledgment
Following this regretful acknowledgment, other Nigerians who also packaged and sold Buhari to our fellow citizens should please stand up to be counted. This apology will not be complete if I failed to recognize one Nigerian who consistently predicted where we are today. His name is Remi Oyeyemi. Remi was right and I was wrong. To the ten or so Nigerians who relied on my endorsement to support and vote for Buhari, I say I am deeply sorry.
I did not set out to mislead anyone. America was founded as a nation under God but it appears Nigeria is a nation under gun. Our commitment to Nigeria as a nation is at best suspect. Nigeria is more divided today than it has ever been in my lifetime.
On a daily basis, President Buhari has consistently shown lack of vision to initiate and implement a strategic plan to unify the country.
Honest restructuring of Nigeria
A lasting unification and national renaissance will emerge from an honest restructuring of Nigeria. Economic prosperity will undoubtedly be an organic byproduct. Those who defend Buhari’s frequent foreign trips are the ludicrous who represent the unpropitious in our nucleus.
An Army General with a strategic vision retired or serving should secure their territory before embarking on any offensive. Buhari should have embarked on a listening and working tour of several States in Nigeria without any fanfare. The industrious men and women in Aba deserve a little encouragement.
The kids growing up in Maiduguri need positive encouragement and assurances that there is more to life and all that it offers. A united and vibrant Nigeria does not need any selling overseas. The world will notice and there will be long lines of potential genuine investors.
The other day, President Buhari signed the 2016 budget and declared that better days awaited Nigerians. It was packaged and sold as a budget of hope and change. A few days later, Nigerians are moaning under the choke of higher petrol price. I have no doubt that Buhari is passionate about making Nigeria a better place. My assessment cannot be wrong and I do not believe that he was shedding crocodile tears the last time he cried after losing the election.
I am not convinced that both the body and spoken languages of President Buhari will bring any lasting solution to any of our numerous problems. This president and future presidents will almost certainly deliver similar results that we are all too familiar with. The political and social architecture in addition to the rules of engagements need to be revisited and redefined immediately. Those who preach that this or any other President must be given time to deliver the dividends of democracy are simply delusional.
We do not require any time to plan and begin the process of national restructuring. We do not need time to begin to ask ourselves the very tough questions that needed answered.
-Hillary Okonkwo contributed this piece from Michigan, USA.
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