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Welcome On Board With President By Bukhari Muhammed Bello Jega
I wish to join million of Nigerians both
home and abroad to formerly welcome president Goodluck Jonathan he begin a
new term in office as the President, commander in chief of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. As you are aware, there is so much expectation from
Nigerians on fulfilling your campaign promises. These Nigerians in their
millions, lined up in various polling units to vote for you(?); because of
the promises, for total transformation of Nigeria, after 12 years of
democratic and leadership failure by your party the PDP. I must be sincere
with you, I really did not vote for you; but, all same, I have to take the
verdict of the majority as an indication of ideal democracy and a good
sportsman.
As you begin a new term in office, it is
important, to see your victory as a victory for all Nigerians, not as
victory for one side of the country. You must not see the north as an
enemy to dealt with; due to the violence that greeted your announcement as
President elect. But, you must do everything within your powers, to
assuager the fear of the northern against your presidency; especially by
calling your kinsmen and the so called militants to see your victory not
as a conquering of the almighty northern political machinery but, as
victory for all Nigerians. The outburst of people like Asari Dokubo, and
his demonizing comments against the north, without your disclaimers, will
send a wrong signal to people in the region that, he Asari has your
blessing. So, every effort must be done to caution your kinsmen against
attacking and insulting some parts of the country. I believe without those
parts of the country, you wouldn’t have been celebrating your victory
today. So, your kinsmen must be made to understand that, everyone
contributed one way or the other for your victory. And that in any
democratic contest people are bound to prefer other against another.
Mr President I am writing this short note to
you, because, I believe you are a man who listens to advice. There is no
doubt; you will agree with me that, Nigeria currently needed vertical and
horizontal surgery. And since God (?) had saddled you with such an
opportunity, you must not fail the people of Nigeria, who had so much
expectation from your campaign promises to deliver the goodies and
improvement of lives and properties . Indeed, your emergence as President,
no doubt, gave us some sought of worries especially the companies that
surround you, or your party, which is the biggest Multinational
Corporation in the Nigeria today, that, operate profits and loses account
(People Democratic Party). Worries in the sense that, these were the same
men and women that have destroyed our democratic credential and
developmental strives as nation. It is not only perplexing to see you
nominating these men and women of yesteryears; but, it questions the kind
of fresh air you promise to give Nigerians. We thought the breath of fresh
air will be a departure from the past; where old and octogenarian were
saddle with responsibilities as ministers. Mr President you must
understand that the task ahead of the Nigerian state goes beyond the
current partisanship of sharing the spoils of war (elections) to the bad
and good guys who help in pioneering (legally or illegally) your victory
at the poll. After all, was it a war, or political contest that gave
Nigerians the opportunity to choose among alternatives? I think Mr
President, whatever, transactions you have or have had with these
neophytes during the campaigns and elections period have been fully paid,
and as such, such transactions are no longer attainable within the
microchip of the Nigerian realities today. After all, they were working
for the party. Now it is time to work for Nigeria. In your choice of
Ministers please be guided by competence, patriotic countrymen and women
who had excel in the various field of endevours. Also there is need to
utilize the energy and passions of the younger generations in the private
and public sectors, not these political or family appeasements of the
devils in your inner circle.
I need not to remind you that, the task
ahead of you and us, as a nation is quite challenging; and require all
hands on deck to actualize the collective zeal of Nigerians people; who
are anxious for improvement in their standard of living. You will agree
with me, that, infrastructural development is critical to economic
development. There is need to fix the basic infrastructures from the power
sectors, road network, revamping the railway network, water supply, and
creation of conducive atmosphere for businesses and private sector to
strive. There is need to revamp the education sector, by implementing the
road map to educational development you have presented to the Nigerian
public. There is no doubt, our educational sector need a state of
emergence. You will agree with me, education is catalysts to the
development of any society. Nigerians are desiring qualitative educational
system that, build a Nigerian personality, who will not only appreciate,
and understand his environment, but, will harness and utilizes these
environmental realities for national development. The current educational
system only ended up awarding certificate to undeserving graduate who
cannot be employed in any sector of the economy. This is a knowledge based
century. The ability of any nation to compete favourable in the global
competitive market lies in its knowledge based and qualitative educated
citizens. So, building knowledge based and educated society will be the
springboard that will fix the crisis of national development. As former
lecturer, I know you will not joke with this all important sector of the
economy.
Corruption is another factor that has
destroyed the Nigerian developmental aspiration over the years. The fight
against corruption must be pursue vigorously, if we truly need to achieve
the desire objective of building a virile society. That is why, it is
important to listen to wise counseling of Nigerians, on the kind of men
and women that you will be saddle with responsibilities of leadership, as
ministers, Managing Directors, chairman of board of parastatals. If what
we are hearing is true, then we can only pray that Mr President has begin
to lose track and will definitely fail on the promises he made to
Nigerians, for a breath of fresh air or the total transformation of the
Nigerian state. If not, we can only wonder what the like of Alh Yayale
Ahmad, Alh Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, Ojo Madueke
etc will be doing in your propose cabinet. These were men of yesteryears.
Nigerians are tired of recycling old unproductive elders who have nothing
to contribute than the furthering of poverty, hopelessness and confusion.
We truly need a breath of fresh air from these men and women of the past.
Millions of Nigerians are scatter all over the world contributing to other
country’s development while their country bleed to death from the hands of
these neophytes. Mr President, you must understand whatever attracted you
with these nuisance is over, now it is time for national service. This is
the century of discovery, challenges, development, frustration and
youthful leadership. So, Nigeria must utilize the quantum of the country’s
population, especially the Nigerian youths, in policy formulation and
implementation; thereby giving them sense of direction, leadership
recruitment and mentoring process for the future of the country.
There is no doubt, what the government needs
are technocrats to manage the Nigerian state; by building institutions and
the needed policies that will kick start prosperity journey again. You
will agreed with me, the last four years have been a trouble years for the
country and for our enduring democracy; your actions and inaction from May
29th 2011, will seriously shape the direction of the country in
the years to come and also your government as whole. You have one or two
choice to make; to either dedicate your self in the total transformation
of the Nigerian state as you promise or you succumb to the whimsical and
caprices of the enemies of Nigeria and record your name in the hall of
shame as some seem to be doing today. Finally, I wish to use this medium
to welcome you on board the Nigerian air space as you pilot the affair of
the state in the right direction. On once gain welcome on board flight 234
Nigeria, Mr President.
Bukhari Muhammed Bello Jega Beijing, People’s Republic of China |