|
Nigeria 2011: Is General Buhari the “Messiah?” By Zents Sowunmi
Freedom is like opium once tasted can never be taken away without a fight. I love my freedom and I also love my people, but I remember how General Buhari as military Head of State ruled Nigeria with iron hands in the eighties, how the people of Lagos were caned, and how the old civil servants were made to recite the National Anthem before they could take their pay checks. I saw how two journalist were jailed for publishing the truth, and how the government said “if the truth will embarrass the government it must not be published’, sadly, I saw how the people found guilty by Military Tribunals Courts of drugs were executed in Lagos without any option of appeal to Supreme Court, those were my fears of General Buhari
As a youth copper, in Lagos between 1983-1984 all the events of the regime contradicted all my past readings from the period of French revolution in 1789, and as a student activist which shaped my believe system in freedom and rights, rights for women, rights for children, and rights for Nigerian workers, it was difficult for me to let go of those physical abuse I witnessed. Yet, on each election in the last 12 years, General Buhari keeps telling Nigerians to vote for him, like Awolowo said “Nigeria must prepare for demolition before reconstruction” Buhari said “Nigeria has no any other place to call their own except Nigeria, the largest concentration of Black man on earth.
I never expected Nigerians to listen to him, but he keeps on asking with each election in the last 12 years and Nigerians are now gradually listening to him as things keeps on deteriorating some even called him the “Messiah”. I wrote of his past in one of my previous publications as if it was his present or future but Nigerians all over keep reminding me especially the youths that it is time to let go of the past and move on because the pain of the past was not as strong or as hard as that of the future. I questioned his leadership skills which was based on the language of force, and why the General never improved on his education despite being out of office in the last 25 years, and how his economic skill of “trade by Barter” of 1985 will not make Nigeria better in the 21st century but the youths told me it does not matter; all they wanted is for PDP government to go.
Sadly, the politicians and the PDP leadership in the last twelve years never allowed Nigerians to forget General Buhari toughness on the rights of the people, each day they behaved as if they leant anything or forgot nothing; they moved the goal post of corruption beyond the level of Umar Dikko to a mere child play, public funds disappeared in billions, roads not more than few kilo meters were constructed with billions of naira, the Speaker and Ogun State governor fought over a small bridge at Sango Otta. What a jerk!
“Lagos Boy” Bode George a criminals made a triumphant entry like Jesus entering Jerusalem into a church in Lagos and it was attended by a former President, a man who should have been given ten years jail term called himself a graduate of University of life, the system even disregarded the party primary and nominated people they like, some even appointed their wives and children for the coming election without any regard for the people they plan to govern, some candidates were forced to step down for others which is a criminal activity in a civilized world. The whole system is not only pathetic, but smells like central sewage system of Trinity river in Dallas Texas, all which made General Buhari more attractive to the youths.
The desire of a new generation like Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to participate in the Presidential election under ACN excited some us who still have confidence in Nigeria youths based on his performance as the most effective Police officer ever succeeded in any given assignment in Nigeria, as EFCC Chairman, he did more than what was expected at a time when Nigeria was a write off to the international community for corruption and advanced fee fraud, as President with a 21st Century tool in place we should expect the same or better performance.
Nuhu Ribadu is still learning on the job, he lacked political platform to start with , he moved too slow for a system that requires drastic solution, he allowed Senator Tinubu to hijack the system from him because he had no political platform before joining politics but the youths did not like his romance with Tinubu, a misunderstood politician from the West, he like other new breed politicians move with snail speed, he forgot that to unseat a sitting president a lot needed to be done, President Obama as a Senator started 2 years ahead hopping from one city to the other to seek for support, building bridges and consolidating before winning the Democrat Party nomination from a system already arranged for Senator Hillary Clinton the wife of a former and popular President.
Nuhu Ribadu did not roll up his sleeves enough to prepare for the difficult challenges ahead, like most educated person he moved with the dreams of 21st century in a nation not even grounded in 20th century tools. Just as the youths were getting disillusioned on the free ride of President Jonathan was having without any serious challenges before and after former Vice President Atiku dream was clipped with his so-called consensus nonsense of Mallam Adamu Ciroma group at the last PDP convention and how the oppositions seem helpless, or not moving enough to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan, and my own man Nuhu Ribadu was still looking for a good running mate which would have been better if Professor Etomi or Dr Ngozi Iwela had been selected, but he waited too long, he picked an unknown Igbo man from Texas which was a temporary relief to the Igbos in Nigeria but later changed his mind for a Fola Adeola which now makes President Jonathan the only viable person of the old Eastern Region background running for office of President of Nigeria.
However, General Buhari scored a touchdown point when he picked Pastor Bakare, a lawyer, a godly person as running mate, it is like Buhari is doing fine and reading the mood of the nation better than his previous steps. I am told, he will this around, respect the law of the land, he will not abuse rights of Nigerian women and children because we have laws now, not a suspended constitution unlike 1983, he said, he will remove the immunity clause which the governors were using to steal public fund which made the General much more viable than President Jonathan I believe him. Nuhu Ribadu has the record of 21st Century tools in fighting corruption while Buhari reminds us of his 20 Century system, will the past be what we need to clean Nigeria or the tools of 21 century as displayed by Ribadu as EFCC Chairman? The result of the election will tell.
Somehow, General Buhari weakened my tough stand on him with the selection a man I knew from youth to be sincere and Godly as his running mate, General Buhari said further, all the criminals will be prosecuted, despite my love for Ribadu I believe him, the General keeps on making me to rethink about my stand on him, only if he can promise Nigerians to respect the right of women, rights of children, follow the rule of law without bending it, create State and City Police, seek to amend the constitution to include creation of mayoral system for our cities with appointment of City Managers, maybe we can have him as a “Messiah” but all he has now is just this election after this, General Buhari political journey will be history, if he does not win and if he does his past will be placed side by side of his futures activities to see which one will be better, his crude military system of government of 1983/85 or a polished 21st Century tools whichever is, just let us hope all the rights we worked for since the first military coup suspended our constitution 1966 will not be lost due to fighting corruption, we can at least take solace in Pastor Bakare to remind the General that we are a nation of law and order.
Despite General Buhari past records and opinion of the youths and lack of compassion of the present politicians to poor and weak in Nigeria General Buhari philosophy may be the panacea required to clean the Augean table of corruption in Nigeria it is time for all to stand and get this job done by kicking the PDP out of office for the coming generation to have a future in Africa largest concentration for black people. Nigeria Bless your heart and do away with the man with funny resource control hat as President of Nigeria
Zents Sowunmi (Lives in Brooklyn New York)
Author: “What Happened to Our Democracy?” “Before the journey Became Home” “100 Ways to Laugh” |