The development of any nation today is a somehow dependent on the thought process, enlightenment and pragmatism of the leader of that nation. This has been the case of most developed countries, where the summary of their development is ‘Leadership that work”. Unfortunately, same can’t be said of Nigeria, where we have an ethnic bigot and a monumental failure as President and commander in chief.
I was filled with hope when I heard President Buhari will address the nation through a media chat, after years of hiding. But I was disappointed, disgusted and sad after the whole talk show. Three things got me sad and I saw the damage this old man has done to our country. Firstly, his poor intellectual prowess as a leader, which if you compare with other world leaders, you would know he is an intellectual disappointment. His presidency since 2015 has been maimed with high unemployment rate, sorrows, killings, insurgency, banditry, political persecution, rising food cost, double digit inflation rate, weak naira, insecurity, police brutality among other results of his maladministration. During his media chats, his response & laughs to questions on the ills of our country were distasteful and a mockery of democracy. Also, his misplaced answer, glaring answers to questions not asked shows his intellectual poverty. Sometimes, I wonder how come Nigerians voted for a man that didn’t improve himself, even his cow since his first draconian – evil filled military regime. His intellectual prowess in the media chat shows he’s not fit for even a local government chairman. The media chat was an avenue to demonstrate to Nigeria the benefits of his policies & plans, whose effects are anti – people, but Mr. President goofed intellectually, demonstrating that he’s not the one running the government.
Moreover, the second point is his sympathy for the Fulani killer herdsmen. The media chat was an avenue to disassociate himself from their killings and condemn them in strong terms with his own mouth, but he said, he’s one of them and demonstrating his intellectual poverty oriented brain, he said there should be a revival of the old cattle route. The Nigeria senate said the cattle route the president mentioned was for Northern Nigeria promulgated in 1964, which has been repealed by the land use act. A leader in the 21st century talking about a 19 – 20th century mentality. He’s a disaster of a leader, even as a time southern Nigeria Governors are advocating for ranching in line with 21st century methodology for rearing cows. Fulani herdsmen, which the president identified himself with was classified by the USA as the 4th deadliest terror group in the world in 2015 in the Global terrorism index. What a morale booster! A Presidential endorsement! Due to their killings, farmers can’t go to farm again resulting in high cost of food. People can’t afford to buy a tuber of yam again, and they are buying cut yams, like a yam sett. Such a shame for a country like Nigeria. In 2015 alone, Fulani terror group killed about 800 people and from then till now, more than 5, 000 people have been killed, farms destroyed, houses burnt, people devastated, even a traditional rulers in my home state was killed. And yet General Buhari couldn’t condemn in strong terms in that media chat.
Furthermore, the Buhari Presidency is not a thinking Presidency. His government is an association, a collection of daft leaders. Nothing good has been seen from his presidency. In a 21st century economy, nations as big as Nigeria are talking about technological investment in Agriculture and manufacturing in order to boost the economy. You simply can’t give what you don’t have and the Buhari’s presidency, confirmed that in his media chat. It is a misfit presidency in a 21st century. A Presidency that lacks innovation in governance, creativity in approach and prudency in decision making. The sustainable development goal (SDG) ranking released this week for year 2021 shows that out of 193 nations on earth, Nigeria ranked 160, with 48.9 score. This shows that on all round development, we are failing and doing poorly. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. President does not know the meaning of SDGs. I wish elections were next months, but its two years away and I am deeply sad and asking who will deliver us from this bad leader. Let’s keep hope alive, since we still have our lives.
Timileyin Ayenuro
Former Vice President,
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)