The harmless remark made recently by
Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic Nigeria
and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces about the limit of what he
can do given his advanced age has been completely taken out of context
and manipulated by people still suffering from the agony of defeat to
imply that the President is giving an excuse for failure! Nothing can be
further from the truth
Age is a number and while the
President is his seventies and cannot be expected to be as agile as a
middle aged person, he has a constitution, is in good health and
physically fit as fiddle. It is not how old you are when you assume the
mantle of leadership or how long you stay in that position that matters.
It is how well you serve and this is
by demonstrating political wi
ll and leading by personal example of
integrity, honesty, credibility, transparency, accountability,
justice, fairness, and equity. Leadership has always been the bane of
Nigeria and that is why we are always “a potentially great nation”
but would never reach there without a paradigm shift in the recruitment
and mentoring of leaders.
President Buhari’s personal integrity
and aversion to corruption is well known and this has
positively affected the way business is done by both international and
local enterprises who know they will be held to account for
all shenanigans because unlike his predecessor this
President’s “body language” does not “encourage corruption” (apologies
to Tambuwal).
The Transition Committee set up by
President Buhari worked under serious constraints but did a thorough
job. They were not given the desired cooperation by functionaries of the
out gone administration who laid so many booby traps for the
new Administration that are well documented-mass employment and
sensitive appointments, depletion of the foreign reserves, the Excess
Crude Account, devaluation of the Naira, an unsustainable fuel subsidy
regime and opacity in the management of the nation’s resources.
President Buhari just moved into
the Villa, about 23 days after assumption of office. It is erroneous to
say the President is too slow. The level of rot he inherited and
systemic dysfunction is unprecedented.
It will be foolhardy for him to rush
into making vital and critical appointments without extra careful
scrutiny to avoid shady characters and fifth Columnists of “Nigeria
corruption incorporated” from infiltrating his administration in which
the vast majority of Nigerians have high expectations.
The President unlike his predecessors is mentally,
physically, psychologically, spiritually and intellectually prepared to
govern this diverse and difficult nation. He has held all command
positions in the Military, including the ultimate-Military Head of State
and Commander-in-Chief.
He has headed the
vital Petroleum Ministry (which had a total of only
3 bank accounts during his tenure, compared to the uncountable accounts
of the Diezani era). He also successfully headed a special
intervention agency, the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).
That the Former General is now
a converted democrat has been demonstrated severally by his recourse to
the judiciary to fight his electoral battles. President Muhammadu
Buhari has therefore contributed significantly to the evolution,
development and advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
Mr. President has assured all
and sundry that he will not “rule” but “govern” with justice, equity
and fairness, providing the leadership which is critical to national
self-actualization, advancement and greatness.
His resolve to fight corruption
and insecurity vigorously will definitely be the prologue
in our long march to the Promised Land. As he is fond of saying,
“if Nigeria does not kill corruption, Corruption will kill
Nigeria”. Once corruption is tackled, all other things, including
insecurity (a consequence of corruption and social exclusion) will
be successfully tackled
The Asian Tigers were less developed than Nigeria in 1960. Today, South Korea is the world’s 13th largest
economy. These Asian countries-Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore-did not
make progress until the emergence of visionary leaders of unquestionable
integrity and political will, who fought corruption as the “Enemy No.
1”. Today, China has become the second largest economy in the world, and
if present growth rates continue, may surpass the United States in
the next 25 years! China deals ruthlessly with corruption and has
executed or jailed prominent Government, Political and Security figures.
President Muhammadu Buhari, like
Nelson Mandela is a man of history. His immense goodwill as contrasted
with “Goodluck” has already attracted international respect, recognition
for, and cooperation with Nigeria. A very meticulous planner, he will
implement policies, plans and programmes that are both short term or
immediate, and long term goals whose benefits will be relevant much
later.
He has proven that he belongs
to “everybody and to nobody” and has been aptly demonstrated by his
resolute decision not to interfere in the leadership contest of the
National Assembly (NASS). Even though Saraki and Ekweremadu’s emergence
is legally kosher, it is morally indefensible.
Now that Nigeria is regaining her
voice and influence on the African and International stage, it is a
moral imperative for all Nigerians, including the 40% who did not vote
for President Buhari to fully support him in the following
ways-prayer and supplication, being law-abiding and
respecting constituted authority, paying our taxes, being our brother’s
keeper, being selfless, and being the best we can, so that Nigeria will
attain true “greatness”.
The previous administration cooked the statistics and the Coordinating Minister of
the Economy and Minister of Finance has been lampooned and derided as a
“Voodoo Economist”. There was growth without corresponding jobs or
improved standard of living. The number of Nigerians living in
poverty has doubled in the past 6 years and after roughly $20 billion
spent on the power sector by the PDP Distribution Agency in 16 years,
power generation fell from 4,000 MW of electricity to less than 2,000MW
on the eve of Jonathan’s involuntary exit from Aso Rock.
Without Power, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMSEs),
which are the engine room of any national economy, cannot thrive.
By cleansing the opaque oil and gas sector, revalidating the failed
power sector reform and giving agriculture its due place, Buhari would
set in motion the machinery of our national progress and advancement.
This will equally entail a radical or revolutionary institutional re-structuring and true National re-orientation in all spheres of our lives and endeavours.
In spite of his age President Muhammadu Buhari will lead us to the Promise Land.
May God preserve Buhari, Bless and Unite Nigeria. AMEN!!!
Dan Onjeh was the former president of National Association of Nigerian Students/West African Students Union
He was also the Benue South Senatorial Candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
