When The United States’ senator and former presidential candidate, John McCain threw aside all diplomatic norms and called the current Nigerian leadership “a practically non-existent government”, he might have either been carried away by emotion as a father on the fate of over 200 schoolgirls abducted or simply comparing notes between what he was taught as governance in an American high school and what is obtainable in Nigeria today. It is equally possible that his motives were different and insincere. I actually felt insulted by his judgment on behalf of the sovereignty of Nigeria and tried to mobilise fellow citizens to demand retraction and apology. To my chagrin, the vast majority of the people I contacted didn’t share my enthusiasm and to my severest shock, some totally agreed with the old man. The fact that some of us even believed him is a great blow to our posterity and prosperity as a democratic state, but the greater blow is the reason behind their belief i.e the nauseating reality and our loss of faith in our government. The Hausas are right! There must always be a crack before the lizard finds entrance in to the wall. I later realised my reaction was more of patriotic protectionism than fighting falsehood. It is now clear to everybody that we ain’t being governed correctly. We deserve a better treatment. The One-fifty-Million-Naira-question is ‘shall this continue?’
The problem with continuity is that it is either the repeatability of or progress in the status quo. No! This is not what we bargained for before when things ain’t this bad and we cant bargain for it now that things are worst. What calamities will be worst to a nation than the very poor handling of Boko Haram insurgency, multiple corruption scandals swimming with impunity, marginalisation, extra judicial use of police to harass and threaten the opposition and a generally poor performance of the present administration? And if truly our vote is a wand that serves our best interest, then here it is not serving us for four years and it is expected that we place it elsewhere. Anywhere, even a millimeter better than this.
The Nigerian constitution has bestowed upon my honourable and humble citizenship a right to vote and to be voted for. This, I revere so much. Nigeria is the only country I have and here it is giving me a chance to chose and to also be chosen. But I am too young to be eligible to contest for presidency though qualified to vote according to the same constitution. I always believe my vote counts and commonsense and conscience shall guide where it goes. I have always dreamt of a developed Nigeria with better economy, efficient railway system and more universities but my priority is for me and my compatriots to be alive and lively to enjoy the labour of our heroes past. Unfortunately this dream is daily being threatened. God forbid! This shall not continue.
It is only conspiratorial to blame government for unfortunate events occurring while it reigns. Conspiracy theories are agents of confusion and I don’t subscribe to them. I only hold government responsible for its responses. The challenges may be enormous, that is not my problem. I want the government to act and I want its actions to conform to the huge resources we voted to put under its trust. In a country with more than hundred and fifty million people, if President Goodluck Jonathan and his team failed, let another do it. But the man and his team have denied any presence of failure and all they ask us is to give our votes again for them to continue the ‘good’ they are doing. Haba! As generous as religions are, some require one to first of all declare he has sinned, exercise penitence and carry out penance before his repentance is complete and he is cleared for ‘another’ chance of a faithful life. All I see here is denial and that makes my allergy to this continuity grow bigger. Change is more appealing to my senses. I pray for change!
Change! This brings us to Muhammadu Buhari, the face of common man ‘s hope and a man more of phenomenon than personality. It has since turned commonplace for the word ‘honest’ to be replaced with the name ‘Buhari’. A friend recently told me “I am not Buhari” in the middle of a heated debate. We all knew he meant “I am not perfectly honest”. It may be wrong to call a mortal perfectly honest but in the words of Mahmud Jega “Where can you find another Army General, a former state governor, former federal minister and former Head of State who, on top of that, has a reputation for firmness and incorruptibility?”. He is now the presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) party and unlike his opponent, he admitted we are in a mess and at least promised to give us change through well laid plans he is daily presenting.
We need a president that exudes a national reputation for integrity and commands international respect. We need a president that knows the right place of Nigeria in Africa and the world and vigorously pursues our aspirations and defends our place. We need a president who will respond responsibly to whatever eventuality occurring while he reigns. We need a president who is incorruptible and has the will to fight corruption at all cost. And most importantly we need a president who will put us on a good track, strengthen our institutions and raise the standard of Nigerian presidency so that in the nearest future, only the competent among us will even dream of ruling us. All these require sufficient knowledge of the country and its problems and the maturity and capacity to bring the desired change. Among all the contenders one stand tall and accurately fits all the prerequisites. He is Buhari! He is the change we need!
But Buhari is being unjustly tagged with many things. Fortunately most of the harsh tags are not only parochial but equally provincial and each end up attracting more supporters to him for most curious and discerning minds that go an inch deeper into confirming the tags end up convinced about his innocence and competence beyond what a sincere conscience will dismiss. Many former opposers are now campaigning for him. Surprisingly, the rants remain relentless but consistent in their cluelessness from Secondary School Certificate (of a retired General and former Head of State!), to the man’s cap and to his phone number. The most disturbing so far is the advert sponsored by a ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governor wishing the man dead and the most foolish is the threat by a Presidential Aide preferring to hand over our hard earned sixteen year old democracy to the military if the man eventually wins! So much for the constitutionalism and rule of law!
The writing on the wall is obvious. The options are conspicuously demarcated; continuity and change. The ball is in our court and more than any other time our conscience and patriotism are being put to test. Barrack Obama has said it all, “if you want something better, you’ve got to vote for it”.
Dr. Marzuq Abubakar Ungogo a2marzuq@yahoo.com @Marzuq_Ungogo
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