Dear Obasanjo...Letter From A Loved One

By

Prince Charles Dickson

Jos, Plateau Nigeria

 
 
 
Dear Obasanjo,
 
 
No matter how annoyed the servant cannot beat his master, but the master can and in most cases loose his respect.
 
Oby I am tempted to skip the pleasantries and hit the nail on the head especially the mood in the land that is ravaged in blood, poverty and corruption, but I believe that it would be rude. However for all we have shared I should have the privilege to tell you the truth, which is why I am going through the pains of making this letter public...You are my President, by your theory of age and position as President, you have my respect I do not have a choice but without the people that respect is weak. A lot of people have written you public letters in the recent past from Awoniyi to Audu Ogbeh although in most cases you do not adhere to the advice in the letters and that is when you are not upset and posturizing as God.
 
 
Away from my introduction, my dear Oby, do you remember the day before the forces of PDP carried you, the same forces that took brother Abacha away. do you recall when you just left prison then you were a christian, a born again one at that, now I almost can say you are not. Then when you spoke it was broken with the whooping cough that you acquired in the prison but yet we listened to you, all of us that loved you from Solomon Lar, even Alex whom many believed would have been better than you loved you, the Awoniyis, all stuck their gun for you, IBB provided stolen money, Daddy Danjuma was there and what more could you have asked for. We saw  in you a uniting factor and even though Olu Falae was more sound than you we loved you more, by 2003 you were already bad market but for one goof by Buhari on the religious ground and your rigging machinery you won by slides yet to be seen even in America's Florida.
 
 
People are given second chances in life, for you, 1976 was the first, 1999 the second and by 2003 through a stolen mandate we believed at least some good would come out of Aso Rock, you seem to have started off well at least your economic team seem on the road to bring succor to the way of the ordinary Nigerian that really loves you but with days to your terminal date a lot seems obvious...Maybe you do not know or you are too far away from reality...
 
 
At the last Niger Delta Council meeting, it struck me that all is coming all too late, it was a hypocrisy filled event, in which sir, you showed the court jester that you are, thank God that you were truthful enough to tell the audience not to clap at nothing because that is the plain truth, the event was just a talk-shop when the issues were still left unattended.
 
 
Your education Minister one whom I respect has advised you to sell Unity Schools and Oby you have kept silent, even in the face of threatened strike from teachers you are more concerned with impeaching Dariye and dealing with Atiku...This is no news after all how many times have we gone on strike, how many times did you listen to us...teachers, doctors, nurses, students, journalists, (although for selfish reasons) even Senators threatened to go on strike.
 
 
Oby your Finance chaps have done well with the sector but inside the players would tell you there is more than meets the eyes...Afribank may soon be Enron, in Unity Bank despite being the biggest merger there is a lot going on inside. Apart from all these that can be regarded as teething problems...the so-called benefits in that sector still remain on paper. Oby this is unacceptable. I wont say much but I will tell you what people are afraid to tell you and that is, your reform programme has FAILED. It may not be a totally informed failure but in terms of percentage rating it has not been a pass-mark and that is my church-mind.
 
 
Take heart Oby you are not a complete failure do not mind us critics, we can be like this, we may know the way, we may know the road but most times we cannot drive, but Oby in corruption you have proven that a thief can catch a thief or better that it takes a thief to catch a thief because your chief weapon of blackmail has proved effective...a lot of Governors can tell. For all we care, for all we say, Oby darling this has been the very root of your successes. So never mind us, we are just jealous.
 
 
Dear President, I was of the opinion that even if nobody voted you, two constituencies would, the military and farmers...for the latter because you will facilitate the availability of fertilizer, move us to the next level of farming which is mechanized but you, not surprisingly failed. And this is one area if you had focused on, the Nigerian for his love for food would have loved you for life...because food prices would have been at an all time low. Yes the former is your first bus stop, lately you have made them happy with 206 car gifts, this is good at least they will think twice before planning a coup, but Oby never underestimate the man with the gun.
 
 
One thief in government once said that telephone nay communication was for the rich but today as poor as I am, my mother can afford one though the tariffs are still suicidal, I can ask how...ki na lafiya and know what the situation in the homefront is. It is to your credit, though I still often say, the telecom companies have brought the services not your farm nor Obasanjo Holdings, so maybe the credit is not wholly yours.
 
 
Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy. My dear Oby you have failed in anger management, you have managed the nation in anger and it has not paid off, the citizens do not fear you, they do not respect you. You have ruled us like an Emperor on a conquest, you have refuse to see that even if you had the best of plans, it would make no way if not properly executed. As an example, we know most of your Governors have helped themselves to the pudding however these are the men you gave green cards for their second terms, they were your and most still your party men.
 
Uncle Sege like we sometimes call you, last year you were abusing everyone on national television, the occasion was the Presidential forum on aviation, since that time, more crashes have occurred. Sometimes your actions betray your naivety, you initiate programmes that only to the learned showed that you just woke up. For all I care take it or leave, I do not hate you, but do I love you, that is some asking, but I know that Nigerians want affordable Sugar and Salt whether it is from Dangote or Ota Farms, In Abuja they all want transportation whether by Okada, SUV or the Presidential fleet.
 
In rural Nigeria like the woman asked at the Niger Delta Council meeting, give them access roads, fertilizer should not be a political franchise. Mr. President Nigerians want portable water, constant electricity, if these and so little garri with groundnut is made available...you will go to sleep and the word kidnap or hostage would be alien in our vocabulary...I once told you that if a vicinity had just 10 hours of electricity crime rate in that community would be down by 40%, give them recreational facilities to vent out juvenile energy and these boys and girls with a council library would find robbery, prostitution and such vices very repulsive.
 
I end this letter by saying that I know that you wont even bother to reply me, your aides wont mind at least I am not exposing any Cheque forged or otherwise, i am not an Atiku's pally, I do not belong to AC, ACD,  I am just nobody but a citizen that has stakes, for those who read for you I pray they tell you another foolish journalist, essayist is making noise..King Solomon was said "go learn wisdom from the ants". A word is enough for the wise, age I know has bestowed that upon you sir, use it, better late than never. Your friend on behalf of friends that care, our membership excludes Ojo Madueke, Ahmadu Ali, Fani Kayode, we are those whose mandate as stolen, at least let it be used for our benefit.
 
A personal soul searching visit to the Baptist church of which you profess would prick your conscience...May Almighty Allah give your wisdom in times like these, Nigerians are not happy. I anxiously await your reply which may never come, at least