Yar’adua’s Baptism

By

Yima Sen

yimasen@yahoo.com

 

 

There seemed to have been some apprehension about Umaru Musa Yar’Adua becoming President of Nigeria. There were several bad theses: one, that as a supposed puppet of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he would not be his own man; two, that since he was taciturn and not “loud” like some of his former colleagues, he was a weakling; three, his health; four, his alleged frugality meant that money would not be spent on projects; and five, the fear that the professional politicians would not allow him to deliver.

 

But there were also good theses:

 

One, that as a graduate, in fact a post-graduate intellectual, the trained power of analysis, reflection and reason would be an advantage; two, his good family grooming as the son of a disciplined and leading political leader, when politics was good, was a plus; three, as a progressive social democrat, he would govern for the masses; four, as a prudent manager of resources, Nigeria would see good governance; five, as a meticulous analyst and servant leader, Nigerians would not be bullied; six, with a corruption-free record in his life, he would properly check this great menace to national development.

 

How has Yar’Adua fared so far? To my mind, very well. I remember three critical issues he raised during his inaugural speech: reform of the electoral processes that brought him to power; he would be a servant leader; and he would pursue restoration and inclusion. The other issues he had already articulated during his campaigns.

 

The Labour challenge was quite tricky. Here is a progressive social democrat, a comrade of the workers, who came to power miraculously, in fact a pleasant surprise for Labour, confronting his first major challenge as a workers’ strike. And over policies which were inherited. Nigerians must quickly forgive Yar’Adua for the three or so dark days of the strike and appreciate the dexterity he employed to address the issues.

 

There is a sense in which we can talk of booby traps. It is not surprising to expect a lot of pressures from all quarters, most of them from them from the kind of Nigeria that Yar’Adua would want to reform. The ancien regime is still lurking. There is a massive “largest party in Africa” looming. There are heavy weight lobbyists.

 

We must commend President Yar’Adua for his caution. Where he has been in doubt, he seems to have tactically opted for the status quo, until later. This is wisdom.

 

But there will be murmurs of his being slow, and would Nigerians not complain when he quickens the pace as I think he will, sooner or later do?

 

This is my take on some of the issues:

 

The selection of ministers has always being a battle zone. In the end the Presidents somehow compromise. Sometimes they stiffen for quality. Names come from heavy weight sources in states, in most cases for reasons peripheral  to national service.

 

President Yar’Adua should work the tight-rope here, by insisting on at least 70 per cent and conceding 30 percent, for ministers. For Advisers and Special Assistants, it should be 90 percent for quality and 10 per cent for politics. For Board appointments it should be 60 per cent for quality and 40per cent for politics.

 

Most unemployable politicians should be empowered within the private sector, in order to gradually rid politics and governance of trader-politicians. We do not want the Nigerian state to fail its people and the world.

 

The first 100 days have already lost 30 days to the baptism which has involved detonating booby traps. The next 70 days will entail a smooth take-off with qualitative ministers and aides. Nothing is lost yet.

 

An inclusive government is commendable and the opposition will have to show self-respect to appreciate the reality that they are enjoying a favour and so should be humble enough to know that they will have to accept what they are given. During the Second Republic, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) opted to share some power with the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). NPN soon found that the NPP misunderstood the “accord” and there was a painless divorce, because the NPN did not really need the partnership.

 

President Yar’Adua has started well, considering the mine field he walked into, and we await the smooth take-off of his administration in the coming weeks, with great hope.

 

 

* Yima Sen is a former Presidential Aide.