Anyone who
followed my comments and posts during the build-up to the 2015 Presidential
elections will attest to the fact that I was not as rabidly pro-Buhari as most.
While I remained stoutly in defence of his squeaky clean record of public
service (any attempt to soil his record of integrity is laughable!), I
expressed deep concern and posed a number of questions to his supporters
concerning some of his earlier unguarded, highly provocative pre-elections utterances.
I queried his capacity to respond appropriately to twenty-first century
economic trends. I also wondered and asked why, in the area of tackling the
Boko Haram insurgency, as a member of the Council of State Buhari had not
offered his assistance to President Jonathan (whom, I am certain, would not
have turned him down). I got only two unconvincing responses. What I was
expecting was some sort of defence or contextual rationalisation to assure me
that my worries were unfounded.
Well, that is
all water under the bridge, now, and Nigeria has since voted. Muhammadu Buhari
is President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, as such, from the 29th
of May 2015, I unreservedly transferred 100% of the loyalty, respect and
support which I had for President Jonathan to him – along with my prayers and
best wishes. A necessary caveat at this point, though. My definition of
“support” abjures blind, slavish followership and engages constructive
criticism. After all, my Holy Bible instructs me that the wounds of a friend
are better than the kisses of an enemy!
I feel it is a
little early in the game for me to move into overdrive in “friendly wounding”
mode, especially in light of our most recent atypical inter-party transfer of
power. The ill-advised, over-hyped and quite unnecessary diplomatic trip to the
United States of America, with 32 Nigerian delegates (no less!), forced me to
uncharacteristically jump the gun. Nevertheless, now that I’ve had my say, and
the President and his team have had their way, let me settle back into my much
preferred role of looking for and accentuating the positives.
What do we stand
to get, as Nigerians, from a Muhammadu Buhari Presidency? I am not speaking,
here, about the over-flogged issues of tackling insecurity and corruption head
on, or improving energy and reforming the petroleum industry. The APC top echelon, the President, and his
kitchen cabinet know fully well that their credibility, nay, their political
survival, depends on their ability to effectively deliver on these campaign
promises. My emphasis, therefore, will lie on an area which is very close to my
heart; the area of reorientation of our national and societal values.
I believe,
without a doubt, that Nigeria is more than capable of a true renaissance. Everywhere
I go, the consensus seems to be that we can and will, as a nation, rise to significantly
greater heights; yet such optimistic assertions are frequently punctuated with
an “if only…”
“If only what!?”
The deluge of probabilities cascade forth.
If only this
insecurity would end!
If only
religious intolerance and bigotry would end!
If only ethnic
rivalries and discrimination against ethnic minorities would end!
If only
corruption could be dealt with and economic saboteurs punished!
If only the
economy were more diversified!
If only there
was stable power!
If only there
was affordable housing, education, health…
If only…
If only…
If only… we had
a focused, incorruptible leader!
Aha!
That, for me, presents
the missing link. Don’t get me wrong. I am too much of a realist to place all
of my hopes on a political messiah who, with a single wave of his magic wand,
will set everything aright. Yet, you must agree with me, after careful consideration
of historical precedents, that societal change frequently finds its most
effective leverage and expression in strong, individual change agents. Mao Tse
Tung, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and Jerry Rawlings were all
change agents. They each, as it were, represented a standard rallying point
that people could look up to. In most cases, the people provided the
foundational fulcrum which their leaders could lean and pivot on in order to
enforce and institute change. In each of the above historical scenarios, an
established order, which was hitherto considered immovable, was uprooted
entirely and replaced with a new, more people-friendly order.
I believe that
Nigeria has reached that particular point in its national evolution where such
change is imminent. The increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots,
the disempowerment of the middle class (or
what is left of it!) coupled with the current state of unyielding economic
realities has resulted in a progressively more agitated, disillusioned and increasingly
impatient populace. In fact, the victory of a perceived “people’s favourite” at
the presidential polls served to significantly dissipate the increasing clamour
for societal upheaval, smothering the rumblings and dousing the sparks of a
people’s revolution. Yet the embers still smoulder. With increasing levels of
political sophistication and citizen awareness, the Nigerian people are not as
gullible as they once were. They know that “change” represents nothing more
than an empty political catch word and slogan for many persons who were conveniently
positioned alongside President Muhammadu Buhari during his presidential campaign.
The President’s teeming admirers did not stand in the sun and rain, casting
their votes for these political pranksters – they did it for Muhammadu Buhari.
President Buhari
is not a difficult person to figure out. Basically, what you see is what you
get! Far from articulate, socially awkward and unpretentious, he may not be the
best of company as a dinner date at a social function. But that was not why the
Nigerian people elected him into office. If you want an interesting dinner
date, go with Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (Retd.).
President Buhari
is not politically savvy. We have all seen that. He has significantly limited
economic knowledge. That is already a given. However, the popular vote in
Nigeria did not go to Buhari the professional political economist. On the
contrary, the votes went to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the no-nonsense, patriotic army
general, and Mallam Muhammadu Buhari, the reformed democrat, social crusader
and defender of the masses. The perception that Nigerians have of President
Buhari is one of a man of nobility and honour, a man who is worthy of implicit
trust, whose self-discipline, candour and dogged determination is evident in his
family and lifestyle as demonstrated over the years.
You may, as I
have, argued that President Buhari is ill-equipped to lead in this 21st
century of innovation and new applications of technology and economic dynamism.
I held that opinion until I took a closer look at the successes of ex-President
Lula of Brazil. Prior to his campaign for the presidency, President Lula had
had no formal education, having worked as a plumber before joining the labour union
where he rapidly rose through the ranks. Yet as President, he masterfully
superintended over Brazil’s transformation into the veritable economic powerhouse
that she is today. How? First of all, he employed an efficient, committed team
of experts. In comparison to him, President Buhari has had much command and administrative
experience while in the military and after retirement. Clearly he has a
distinct foundational edge over President Lula. The final determinant of his
success will be the quality of men and women that constitute his kitchen cabinet.
Nigeria has
never been in want of certified experts and qualified hands. They literally
abound, in all sectors and at all levels. What has been sadly lacking is the political
will that is predicated upon focused, selfless, and strong-minded leadership by
example. And this is where President Muhammadu Buhari stands today, head and shoulders
above the rest, perfectly poised to make history as the leader of a resurgent Nigeria.
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