Hitherto,
it is believed by a section of Nigeria that the APC, Buhari campaign was one
fraught with histrionics, intangibles and bogus promises. But how better can
power be absolve from political cartel bent on running the nation aground if
not by any means! Lest I forget, that discourse is no more relevant. Now that a
new horizon has set in with historic victory of Buhari on March 28, the focus
should be on the future- relevant questions like where are we coming from, how
do we get here and how do we get rid of the bottlenecks that have held us aback
should agitate us. That said, it is instructive to submit that the ‘Buhari
factor’ alone cannot change Nigeria: absolute change rest on all the citizens.
Yours
sincerely, that Buhari will fail Nigerians is only the gospel truth but hey
that will not last throughout his first four years tenure.
That claim irk you
right? But how soon can the plethora of problems that Jonathan has and is still
creating for the new government be solved or atleast be tackled? On security
for instance, BokoHaram still rages, recent of which is yesterdays borno catastrophe
that claimed almost 50people, armed robbery, kidnapping and brigandage are still
holding the country in the jugular- this, Buhari will inherit. With Nigeria
being an homogenous (crude oil) based economy, oil price now goes for as low as
52naira per barrel, the immediate consequence of which is dwindling revenue,
the remote implication being government owing its workers a backlog of salary
and her inability to fund critical projects- it might interest you to know that
eighteen states are owing its workers chains of salary, also that Nigeria
Labour Congress in Oyo, Osun, Cross-River are currently embarking on strike due
to unpaid salary. This will continue months after Buhari takes over because a
large sum of billions is needed to offset the problem but the fund is not there.
Surprisingly, Jonathan as a president for six years had the ample opportunity
to diversify the economy but that he failed to do. Of the huge challenge that
Buhari government will have to deal with is the Naira slash- now that a dollar
now exchange for about 180naira and the country’s foreign reserve has plummeted
to below 30Billion dollars, the country’s economy is indeed on the precipice.
Under Jonathan’s nose, youth unemployment is estimated to skirt around
22million, inequality in the society has spiralled to a height that cannot but
increase civil unrest until something drastic, decisive is done to salvage the
situation, within 16years of PDP government the middle class has fizzled out,
poverty index had risen to an all-time high and the society is soak in
desperation to make ends meet. This imbalance, Buhari will inherit also. What
about corruption? Where do one start? But the reason why corruption festered
this much is not far-fetched, the arrowhead of government himself is though
lost on what corruption really is, and he quipped: ‘’ Nigerians do not know the
distinction between ordinary stealing and corruption, stealing is different
from corruption’’. So why wont the system stinks of corruption? No way!
Power
is another albatross to quick delivery of change promise of the new president
as generation now stood at 1,327MegaWatts for 170million people against South
Africa that is generating well above 40,000MegaWatts for about 60million
persons. That’s a gulf difference! Therefore, to stabilise the power sector good
time will indeed be needed yet without adequate power generation the nation
cannot significantly fly. Nigerians will have to understand with the new
government.
Yet
corruption alone is enough to undermine development of a nation, meanwhile in
the case of Nigeria it is not just corruption, in Chinua Achebe’s word:
‘’things has fallen apart’’.
Practically,
therefore, in order for ‘Buhari factor’ to mainstream the country to path of
sustainable development, it will take atleast one year- it is safer however if
we realise this in time as this will allays our worries from thought of
disappointment in Buhari’s few days as president. It is impossible that he
cleanse Nigeria under one year…
Ofcourse,
the man Buhari will not ultimately disappoint Nigerians, his antecedent,
dispositions and life perspective has proven his candour, credibility,
commitment and sense of purpose- those attitudes of his are exactly what it
takes to revamp the country from its debacle. He was the brain behind WAI (War against
Indiscipline), he crushed the Maitatsine Islamic Sect, and he reduced
corruption to the minimum and was restoring confidence and sanity to the
society when his government was overthrown in 1985.
But
citizens will not stand akimbo, deep-necked in our old ways and apportion blame
on leadership. The opportunity the ‘’Buhari factor’’ afford us must be
maximise. We must give this government ultimate support on his policies and
programmes, no more should we be critical of government doings because the GCFR
belongs to a separate faith or other tribe or other political divide- it’s
important we become truly Nigerians. We need to be our brother’s keeper-
neighbourliness is a profound way to build a great nation and this we must
start to show- let who have surplus give those who are in need- let no man squander
public wealth- let all man live a conscious life- a life that ‘live and let
live’!. We must bear in mind that we are the Nigerians; our actions and
inactions speaks of the nation. However, just as we give fervent corporation,
we must also charge his government to perform but this we must do in good
conscience.
The
past is a story told; the future may be writ in Gold, our destiny is in our
hands.
And don’t also forget in a hurry that: ‘’ we
were all humans until ethnicity disconnected us, religion separated us,
politics divided us and wealth classified us but yet we can bring our common humanity
to bear on all our endeavours and by this, post 2015 Nigeria will be better for
it.
Congratulations to
Muhammadu Buhari as he gets inaugurated on Friday, 29, 2015…
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