Matthew Agu
There is a philosophical axiom that every generation has its time, leaders, challenges and heroes. There is no doubt that President Muhammadu Buhari is a man and a leader for our generation in Nigeria today. He was during his first outing as a military Head of State in 1984 through divine providence at a critical juncture in Nigeria’s socio-political and economic journey to nationhood.
Although a few Nigerians knew his antecedents then as a no-nonsense, dutiful, patriotic and Spartan fellow, his zest for quality leadership, revolutionary vision and zero tolerance for corruption soon manifested and endeared him to all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe and religion. His famous ‘War Against Indiscipline” was electrifying as it was penetrating, and Nigerians, in all nooks and crannies felt and indeed knew that a leader was on the saddle.
But unfortunately his first missionary journey was short-lived, courtesy of dark forces and men who conspired against him. With the benefit of hindsight, Nigerians now know better, as his successors foisted on the country the worst form of economic policies that subjugated the country to the whims and caprices of neo-colonial economic slavery under foreign financial institutions.
There is no doubt that President Buhari is a leader with great zeal to change Nigeria and make it better than he met it. Ken Byler in his article, “Zealous Leadership” gave a dictionary definition of zeal as “eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something; fervor.” And zeal is also associated with causes. In today’s Nigeria, zeal seems strangely absent or a scarce commodity.
President Buhari has proven, time and again, that his is a divine mission steeped in patriotic fervor and iron zeal for public good. His vision is to create a corrupt free society, or at least a society that will punish mindless looting of national patrimony and where corruption will be reduced to the barest minimum. Indeed, no society can make any headway in terms of development without first exorcising the evil spirit of corruption. No wonder Nigeria, since her independence, has continued to totter and wallow in miasma of under-development, mass poverty, high rate of violent crimes, separatist agitations, terrorism and unemployment. But through the mercy of our divine creator, President Buhari was overwhelmingly, against all odds, voted into office again in 2015 to continue from where it was terminated in 1985 through a military
coup.
And as his trademark, he again went into the business of clearing the deep mess created by economic and political buccaneers that have been feeding fat on of innocent Nigerians. For any objective observer of political and economic trend prior to 2015 general elections, there was no doubt that every growth and economic indices were pointing southward.
The nation has since exited the recession which the profligate spending of the past regime foisted on it; and the inherited security challenges with respect to Boko Haram insurgency and Niger Delta militancy are today greatly degraded. That nation has also made significant progress in agriculture.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s roads, rails, agriculture and power (RRAP) projects, as well as Foreign Direct Investment and other critical infrastructural projects flowing with the RRAP are on course.
The issue of herdsmen/farmers clashes associated human casualty are vigorously being tackled, despite efforts by the opposition to make political capital out of it. It is obvious that those latching on the herdsmen/farmers clashes to mount unbridled campaign against Mr. President’s second term bid are discredited politicians and opposition leaders who are pained by the progress being made by this administration in the war against corruption. As for my Igbo brothers and sisters, my appeal is that we should not toy with the fate of Ndigbo who remain one of the ethnic nationalities which will benefit most from President Buhari’s regime.
We know that for 16 years, Enugu-Port-Harcourt, Enugu-Onitsha and Aba-Ikot-Ekpene roads among others, as well as second Niger Bridge and Akanu Ibiam International Airport were abandoned. But they are currently receiving greater attention, courtesy of this regime. President Buhari has demonstrated that he loves Ndigbo and would want to work with them. That was why in 2003, he ran with Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, the Oyi of Oyi. Okadigbo was President of the Senate of Nigeria. Again in 2007, Buhari ran with Chief Ume-Ezeoke, a lawyer from Amichi Nnewi, Anambra State, who in the Second Republic (1979-1983) became Speaker of the House of Representatives, a little after his 44th birthday, under a power-sharing accord that his party, the Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, had with the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.
And twice, Ndigbo did not show commensurate support to President Buhari in those elections. This is therefore time to do a rethink. It is regrettable that other tribes in Nigeria are now ahead of Ndigbo politically simply because of the individual interests of Igbo nation.
Mr. President, you must see yourself as the man God has sent at this point in time to rescue this country from the hands of the dark forces. It is a cross you must carry to deliver Nigeria. You are re-contesting for the sake of this country.
All the scheming by the opposition, the realignment of forces, or second force are all efforts by those who destroyed the economy to take over again to continue their carnage on the economy. Mr. President, Nigerians are looking for a decisive pronouncement from you, not a slow motion. You must be assertive and come out with full force. It is a battle between good and evil. A former President once said it was “do or die” but Mr. President you should take this battle to be “fight to finish.” The important thing is that the masses of this country are behind you.
Nigeria has been under evil dictatorship. Nigeria today desperately needs a benevolent dictatorship. Nigeria needs you to toughen up, don’t be deceived by the platitudes about democratic niceties, there has never been democracy in Nigeria. We know that governors handpick chairmen and councilors in the name of council elections! Mr. President what should be uppermost in your mind is public good. And examples abound, when we consider President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who is a benevolent dictator and now re-elected for the fourth term.
Much as we are not calling for life presidency, but Mr. President we need you to be the Putin of our time. If presidents like Rodrigo Duterte of Philippines and Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza were given long term opportunity to redeem their countries, why not Nigeria under your revolutionary watch? There is no doubt in my mind that Nigeria will be doomed should the political buccaneers succeed in blackmailing and discouraging Mr. President from seeking a second term in office.
Agu writes from Enugu.