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Who is Nigeria’s President? By Salim Salihu Muhammed
I don’t underrate Nigeria when it comes to surprises, to me, wonders may rather be an understatement for a country to thrive this far without a president; after all, why should I bother when all machinery of government works without hitches, all infrastructure are intact, health care delivery is so functional that our mothers and wives need not travel to Ghana for birth delivery? Even our rural clinics are said to be running on steady power supply with standard medical equipments and well trained medical personnel, in spite of the rate of maternal mortality at a geometric progression. What’s more? Employment is on the increase as more industries from neighbouring Benin republic and Ghana are relocating into the country to compliment the banking sector in their drive to boost “employment” in recent times.
When governance is so true and fulfilling, who thinks of taking up the herculean task of a president or governor who works round the clock to ensure the state is doing well in all ramifications; if the cardinals of the constitution would be respected, who thinks about a zonal presidency, or debates as to when or who succeeds another. Above all, a government requires the commitment of representatives who will tell the citizens the true state of every issue that affects the governance of the nation, whether economical, financial, personal or social. It would amount to gross misconduct and abuse of office for government officials to result in lying to over 150 million Nigerians they should be protecting and serving. Where must our representatives lie to us about the where about of our president? Why can’t they face us and tell us the true state of his health or capacity as president?
Nigeria faces a difficult time, a time when the utterance of somebody in the capacity of a president would be respected and appreciated; alas! We lack the courage of a president to do so. In the international community, the country is seen as a den of terrorist, not minding the acts of Richard Ried, Al-Zawahiri, et al before now. The British government did not only have their citizen supported till proven guilty, they also ensure that the image and respect of all Britons all over the world is maintained; they did exhibit the importance of a leader. The Prime Minister was on-the-clock throughout the trial of Richard.
If we can’t get leaders who can guarantee us good health care delivery, provide us with basic infrastructure, stand by a mere promise to boost power supply in the country, then we should at least have one that can stand the test of time in defending its citizen against external aggression. We need leaders who can tell the citizens the truth; truth about the state of health of the nation, the where about of the country’s president, the truthfulness of the country in tackling poverty, mass unemployment, literacy and empowerment.
I believe the simple credibility that our leaders owe the nation is to tell us a simple truth; just like I did responded to a question from my Filipino friend who wanted to know Nigeria’s president. I told him we don’t need to have a sitting president to be able to survive, just like the bumblebee which shouldn't be able to fly aerodynamically, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway. |