By Chiedu Uche Okoye
THIS is not the best of times for the generality of Nigerians. Never before – save for the period when the Nigeria-Biafra war raged-have we experienced such excruciating economic hardship as we are passing through now. But we cast our votes for Rtd. General Muhammadu Buhari, our current president, in the hope that he would better our lot in life and take Nigeria to a great technological height. During the 2015 presidential election campaign, his legendary Spartan lifestyle, avuncular disposition and distaste for corruption won us over to his side.
And Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s lacklustre, inept, tardy and uninspiring political leadership helped Buhari’s political cause, immensely, too. Again, we should remember that Muhammadu Buhari contested the 2015 presidential poll on the political platform of APC, the slogan of which, resonated with us.
Having contested the presidential poll four times before clinching the presidential diadem, President Buhari ought to be very familiar with Nigeria’s hydra-headed national problems. He could have articulated and formulated policies and programmes of action before taking oath of office. So, after his assumption of office, we expected him to hit the ground running. But it didn’t happen.
In fact, it is sad that President Buhari’s occupation of the highest political office in Nigeria has led to his demystification. Now, it’s obvious to us that a man’s zeal for political leadership is not a proof that he possesses leadership qualities, and a guarantee that he will turn around his country’s economic fortunes.
President Buhari’s, inactions and frequent overseas medical trips have portrayed him as a man, who is ill-equipped, both mentally and physically, for the rigour of political leadership of Nigeria. In the United Kingdom and America, their Prime Minister and President named members of their executive cabinets soon after they were elected into office. But it took President Buhari ages to cobble together an executive cabinet that can be likened to putting square pegs in round holes.
When merit is sacrificed on the altar of sectionalism and other primordial and selfish interests, national development will be put in abeyance. Now, Nigeria’s economy has gone into recession owing to the slump in global oil prices and this political administration’s economic policies.
Consequently, some banks as well as companies have shed off some of their workers. That measure has compounded our country’s employment problem. More so, many states in the federation are so financially distressed that they owe their workers a backlog of salaries.
As a consequence, millions of children of school age engage in child labour to augment their parents’ income. They are out of school as their parents cannot afford to keep them in school owing to the economic hardship besetting Nigeria. As the price of almost every food item has skyrocketed, millions of Nigerians go to bed every night on empty stomachs. So when Tuface Idibia, a musical pop star, proposed and planned a protest to call government’s attention to our plight, not a few people applauded the proposition. But, behaving true to type, the Benue-born popular musician, backed out of the planned protest.
Thankfully, the protest was held in some cities in Nigeria. It’s a proof that millions of Nigerians are dissatisfied with their country’s economic status quo ante vellum. The people’s discontent can ignite revolution, which can sweep this political administration out of power. The Arab spring, which caused the dethronements of despotic leaders like Muammar Gaddafi of Libya; Ben Ali of Tunisia, and Hosni Mubrak of Egypt, is still fresh in our minds.
It is imperative for President Buhari to do the needful to avoid entering the pantheon of past leaders, who fluffed the opportunities offered to them to take Nigeria to great heights. It is high time he stepped up his act and reinvigorated his cabinet with fresh hands in order to solve Nigeria’s seemingly intractable national problems.
Now, Nigeria’s survival as a nation-state is being imperiled by economic downturn, Boko Haram insurgency, Niger-Delta militancy, Fulani herdsmen’s murderous deeds, IPOB agitation for a sovereign state, high rate of youth unemployment and infrastructural deficit. These can cause an anarchic situation in Nigeria.
But, is the absence of an anarchic situation in a country not a pre-requisite for its sustainable national development? The issue of Boko Haram insurgency, Fulani herdsmen’s murderous deeds and Niger-Delta militancy should be tackled decisively as they have the potential of sparking off political conflagration in Nigeria. They are not incapable of causing Nigeria to bowl over. While the Federal Government has dealt a big blow to the Boko Haram insurgency with the capture of the dreaded Sambisa forest, it still treats the issue of the Fulani herdsmen’s homicidal activities with levity and kids glove. Those cattle rearers bear A-K 47, invade communities and kill people with impunity. Yet, the Federal Government hasn’t cracked down on them.
But, the federal government’s heavy-handed approach to IPOB’s agitation for statehood is morally reprehensible and unjustifiable as the IPOB members do not engage in violent acts. And, every ethnic nation reserves the right to clamour for self-determination.
Okoye writes from Uruowulu- Obosi, Anambra State.