Southern Kaduna is bleeding and those who should speak out are keeping quiet. The people dying in Kaduna are Nigerians. Their rights are also included in our binding documents.
I grew up hearing my late dad calling the name "Buhari" whenever he listened to the radio or watched the news with the unpleasant happenings in the early 90s.
To my late dad, screaming "Buhari" was like saying, "Where is the man who has the solution to Nigeria's problems?”
As I grew older, I began to watch a comedy TV show called Samanja. The show was sponsored by Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), so at every interval or break, advertorials of the many exploits of PTF came on air.
Some of the unforgettable phrases in the PTF advertorials were "All roads are now good, thanks to PTF", "Hospitals are now better, thanks to PTF...”
The PTF advertorials confirmed the developmental realities on our streets. PTF's free books flooded our schools and PTF renovated schools and equipped hospitals. Several roads across the nation were also constructed and reconstructed by PTF. To this day, many PTF projects are landmarks are still standing in Nigeria.
The man at the head of affairs at PTF was Muhammadu Buhari
I began to compare my late father's exclamations of "Buhari" with the capacity and ability of him to deliver leadership to my generation and my love for him grew stronger.
In 2011, when the jingles of "Goodluck to you, Goodluck to me, Goodluck to everybody, Goodluck Nigeria" dominated our political maps, I rose up to tell those who cared:
"Nigeria is too fragile a country to hand over to a man whose leadership qualities you don't know yet. I think we have seen Buhari's leadership credentials and I strongly believe he is the right man for Nigeria."
I declared my support for Buhari, lost many friends because of this move and for the first time in my life I voted in an election.
I voted for Muhammadu Buhari on the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) ticket. I kept my father's dream alive.
The results of the elections were announced, and it didn't go our way. Violence broke out, smoke billowed on our streets and the blood of NYSC members spilled on our lands. I turned to the man I voted for some hours ago – he was silent.
I was frustrated; a golden opportunity was open for the demonstration of golden leadership qualities but all the expectations I had perished on the altar of retrogressive silence. I expected more, far more than what he did.
The stance of Muhammadu Buhari was far away from anything posterity, statesmanship and patriotism stood for. His silence broke my spirit.
When it was time for 2015 presidential elections, I said this:
“I am not happy with the inept style Goodluck Jonathan handled Nigeria, neither do I support Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. His silence during the last elections left so much to be desired... I am not voting, because I don't have a patriotic candidate on any side. Anyone who wins has my support as a citizen of Nigeria."
I didn't vote; I kept my words. Elections came and went. I was at Eagles' Square on the 29th of May 2015, when the Oath of the Office of the President of Nigeria was being administered from the seventh schedule of our binding documents.
I had hope. I felt someone had gotten a chance to rewrite history. As a law-abiding citizen, he has my support.
While all of this was going on, my people came under attack in Agatu, Benue State. As usual, the first place I looked unto was the sacred leadership shrine of Aso Rock; the chief priest who swore to protect and preserve every Nigerian including Idomas in Agatu, but he watched in silence as we bled to death.
Our bodies floated on our rivers, our farmlands became our mass graves, and many destinies were cut in uncertainty... no visit or word from the man who swore to protect us.
Today, as Ngbede stands on an assembly ground at a school in Agatu for the national anthem, what country is he envisioning? When he sees the President of Nigeria, what would dominate his thoughts?
Leadership is all about taking responsibility. Whenever citizens are murdered, leadership has failed. It is insensitive to the sensibility of followers for leadership to keep quiet when it should speak out.
Southern Kaduna is bleeding and those who should speak out are keeping quiet. The people dying in Kaduna are Nigerians. Their rights are also included in our binding documents.
No world leader would keep quiet when his citizens are being killed. Nigeria must not be different.
We keep quiet when Nigerians are killed, but break silence and send armies when pipelines are vandalized. Do we value oil more than humans?
President Muhammadu Buhari is my president. My loyalty is to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not necessarily its occupants. Its occupants have my loyalty to the degree they constitutionally respect my rights, sensibilities, sensitivities, and privileges as a citizen of Nigeria.
I know of an adage that says, "Silence is golden,” but this is not the case with President Buhari, who is remaining silent in the face of violence and injustice.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Enenche Enenche is a writer and comedian.
President Muhammadu Buhari
BY ENENCHE ENENCHE
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