Following the two letters dated February 8 and 21 respectively by Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, it is now glaring that the president needs urgent assistance from his military counterparts, Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babaginda, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Abdulsalam Abubakar among others. As a matter of urgency, the ailing president needs not to be told by sending his letter of resignation from the UK any moment. Nigeria is one of the African countries where politicians are very deceitful and egocentric. If President Buhari had the people of Nigeria at heart, he should have come clean about his situation and stepped down.
Politicians in Nigeria have nearly turned the educated fellows to illiterates who do not know how to read, write and speak correct English. They come out with different lies on the pages of newspapers just to mislead people, not knowing that God is greater than any mortal. The former military leader and his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), made some promises which can be described as "stupid vows". Whether they want to believe or not, the unfulfilled promises are now affecting them in all areas. They made empty promises that fell flat on the face of numerous challenges that have plagued the country.
Jephthah led the Israelites in battle against Ammon. Before going off to battle, Jephthah makes a vow to God. The first thing that greets him from his home when he returns victorious from battle would be to sacrifice to God. The vow was not well thought out. Jephthah could not control who or what would first come from his door and leaving God to choose the victim. Jephthah likely thought one of the slaves would come out to greet him and be the burnt offering. God took Jephthah at his word, but he was stunned when he saw his precious daughter crossing the threshold to greet him. When Jephthah felt the loving arms of his fair daughter thrown around him, he cried and said, " My daughter, you have brought me very low. I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow." Jephthah's daughter was a vigil and had to tell her father to give her two months to go on the mountains and weep for her virginity. Indeed, Jephthah wins the battle but loses his soul. Jephthah had no choice but to keep his promise to God. What does this story of sacrifice teach us?
Unlike Jephthah who kept to his word, President Buhari and his party still have some pending promises to Nigerians which they are yet to fulfill. If what they keep saying is anything to go by - that is, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the one that put the country into a mess - one should let them know that they really need help. At present, Nigeria has no one trustworthy to keep them posted about the president's condition. Mrs. Aisha Buhari could have been the best person to shed more light on the present predicament of President Buhari, but report has it that the first lady was prevented from seeing her husband following the revelation she made to BBC last year that some 'cabals' had hijacked the presidency from Buhari. Without waiting to be told, one surely could agree with Mrs. Aisha that President Buhari no longer has control of the country. One wonders if his condition is tied to his failed promises.
Nigerians have been groaning over an epileptic power supply which has crippled many businesses. While campaigning for the presidential election in 2015, the APC, on which ticket Buhari contested, promised to expand electricity generation and distribution to 40,000 MW. Nigerians are still waiting for this to become a reality. The value of the naira has continued to dwindle. Today, it’s going up and the next day it’s dropping. As of now, it is trading between N517 and 520 per United States dollar. During the campaign period, Buhari was reported to have said he would make the naira equal to the dollar but to no avail.
On security challenges, while Buhari focuses on curbing the Boko Haram insurgency, he continues to keep mute on the wanton killings by Fulani herdsmen terrorizing farming communities across Nigeria. Fulani herdsmen are causing havoc and nothing is being done to checkmate their activities. President Buhari promised the creation of 1 million new jobs annually during 2015 election campaigns. While Nigerians wait for Buhari to fulfill this promise, some who have jobs are being fired on a daily basis as some companies are laying off staff due to the harsh economy. People that used to be employed have now joined the teeming population of the unemployed. All these aforementioned promises and others not mentioned, only God can forgive those who have made life more miserable for Nigerians.
The former military leader has forgotten that he is ruling over Ogboni Society, Council of Imams, Prophets, Herbalists, Market women among others. If these people are complaining as well, then something urgent should be done to appease them.
President Buhari left Nigeria on January 19 for what his spokesperson, Mr. Femi Adesina, described as “a short leave.” During the visit, Adesina said President Buhari would also undergo “routine medical check-ups.” Specifically, the presidential spokesman revealed that Buhari was only spending ten days in the United Kingdom. Waiting for the date Adesina said his boss would return, all Nigerians were reading online and on the pages of newspapers was that the president had extended his leave. They manipulated the story from a 10-day 'leave' to medical treatment that is now over a month. If Nigeria was to be a civilized and true democratic nation, President Buhari should have voluntarily bowed out of office. He was reported to have spoken with the United States president, Donald Trump, but is unable to address over 173 million Nigerians. Has Buhari's illness gone to a stage that he cannot address Nigerians on a short video clip? Who are the APC chieftains who reportedly visited President Buhari deceiving? Is it not better to quickly brief Nigerians of the true position of Mr. President before it goes out of hand? Now that the president has finally admitted that he is sick, who will now rescue him?
It is baffling that Nigerians don't know whether the president needs help physically, mentally or spiritually. However, his military kinsmen, Alhaji Abubakar, Chief Obasanjo and Babaginda should come to his rescue. An adage says,"Anyone who brings a cripple person will surely find a way of taking him back to where he belongs". These military leaders, either directly or indirectly contributed to what brought president Buhari into power. They should start brainstorming, including the National leader of APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and finding a lasting solution to Nigeria's problems. Nigerians are holding Buhari/Yemi Osinbajo to their promises of transforming the country better than they met it. It seems Professor Osinbajo has energy to move around.
Nonetheless, the Acting President should also know that," It is not how far but how well." Nigerians really want to see food on their tables rather than run from one place to another. The long-silence of Osinbajo has also contributed to what the country is experiencing. Since he assumed office as the vice president, the professor has been busy protecting his job instead of raising the alarm that he was being caged by some 'cabals' in the presidency. Osinbajo has made Nigerians, especially the Southern part of the country, to believe the assertion that Yorubas are known to be cowards as believed by people. Nigerians should know that it is better President Buhari is alive than to die and leave the country in uncertain prognosis. He started the work and must finish it. Honestly, I do pray for Mr. President to return in good health or else his name and the party he represents will forever remain in the book of history either for good or bad.
BY ADEWALE GIWA
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