President Muhammadu Buhari and the things around his neck by Tunde Ososanya (Opinion)
Editor's note: The writer, Tunde Ososanya, highlights some national issues facing Nigeria which, as a matter of urgency, must be dealt with by the number one citizen of the country. He also recognises the fact that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration inherited quite a number of problems from his predecessor, to which solutions must be proffered.
The title of this piece is coined from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story, entitled The Things Around Your Neck. I’ve previously played around with this title in a piece I wrote sometime ago. It is largely due to its suitability in the previous piece and this.
Our dear President Muhammadu Buhari is the focus of this piece. It is no news that the man from Daura has been in the news lately. Of course, the number one citizen of any nation is always a news maker.
President Buhari has been in the news because of the things around his neck, which he has overtly ignored. To some of us who have been following the president’s political career since the 90s, it wasn’t a surprise that Buhari has decided to move about with these things around his neck instead of taking them off and proving to us that he is indeed what his propagandists sold to the masses before the 2015 general elections.
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It has become our culture as a people to ignore things that beg for utmost attention. Our society is such that whatever that does not serve our own interest is not worth giving attention. It is a sad reality if you ask me.
I must admit, however, that steering the ship of state is not an easy task, but then leadership should be voluntary. If the captain finds the ship too difficult to steer, then it behooves him to leave the wheels for a capable captain.
The ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan, failed to come to terms with the reality in the twilight of his administration. He believed he had performed well and he thought he would coast home to victory if he threw another shot at the presidency. Well, the rest, they say, is history. If he hadn’t forced himself on Nigerians, he would have left Aso Villa honourably.
The things around Buhari’s neck were the same things around the neck of his predecessor. To take these things off his neck demands dealing a heavy blow on each of them. GEJ was incapable of doing so, and it consequently led to his eviction from Aso Rock to Otuoke.
Insecurity is one of these things, and it should be noted that apart from corruption, the former is Nigeria’s major problem that needs to be nipped in the bud.
In fairness to this administration, however, the war against insurgency is being fought with resilience and bravery by our troops who have been recording some progress in the battlefield. But the current abduction of some schoolgirls in Yobe state is a setback to the war that is gradually being won.
But aside insurgency, what about the crisis between herdsmen and farmers that ought to have been settled before now? It is saddening that some of our countrymen and women lost their lives in this crisis.
Kidnapping is on the rise, and this, of course, has become a national embarrassment to us.
Corruption is still the order of the day in the country. This is sadly so because those currently on corruption trials haven’t been used as deterrents against corruption. Even with irrefutable evidences against them, their cases are still in court, and will be till God knows when; perhaps until the court decides to strike out the charges against them.
We understand that the executive will not do the work of the judiciary, but there is a lot the president can do to make sure that those who have milked the nation of her resources do not go unpunished.
Nigeria’s unemployment rate has increased from 18.4 percent to 18.8 percent, and many of the youths have turned to crime in a bid to survive the hardship in the country.
It is my hope that the president successfully takes care of these things around his neck. He shouldn’t allow 2019 general elections to be a distraction for him.
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By May 29, it would be three years this administration came on board. The basis on which he was elected in 2015 will not guide the electorate to the polls this time around. His scoresheet will determine if he will stay in Aso Rock beyond 2019. How he tackles the issue of insecurity, corruption and unemployment, will be the major determinant of his second term in office.
I wish the president good luck as I hope he takes care of the things around his neck. God bless Nigeria!
This opinion piece was written by Tunde Ososanya.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.
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