Why President Buhari Must Help Himself

President Muhammadu Buhari

 

Once upon a time there was a man who had no shoes when growing up. Providence smiled on him and he became the president of Nigeria. In fact, it was almost because of his reference to his humble beginning that won him the support of ordinary citizens  many of whom believed if Goodluck Jonathan, the son of a fisherman from riverine Bayelsa could rise to the number one seat, anyone else  could. He was lucky. But it soon became clear that you needed more than luck to succeed in such high office. His first campaign slogan was ‘a breath of fresh air’. But by the time Jonathan left the saddle, the whole atmosphere had been fouled. He was hated more than loved. Not that he didn’t try, his best didn’t just measure up to expectations. Many things were said about Jonathan, a lot uncomplimentary.  He squandered his goodwill; He condoned corruption; He was weak, leaving some of his appointees to turn the nation’s treasury into personal till.

 

All the good things that President Jonathan did in all his years in power simply paled into insignificance. He suffered the same fate as previous rulers, most of whom left power discredited.

 

Not too long ago in this column I wrote that most Nigerian rulers, might be suffering from Abilu, an evil affliction that makes every step someone takes to turn the opposite of what is intended. When a person suffers from Abilu anything he says would be misinterpreted, any step he takes would be a mis-step, any action he performs would attract condemnation no matter how good his intentions are. No one sees good in anybody suffering this evil spell. If he was popular at the beginning, he would end up with scorn and disdain.

 

How many of those who have had the privilege of leading this country ended with wide acclaim? I asked in that previous column, who could have placed a curse on Nigerian leaders?  Or maybe there is no curse other than they just exhibiting their low leadership quotient. Or is it that anyone we entrust our fate to as leader simply gets overwhelmed by the weight of the task? Does anyone need to look too deep to see that another of our presidents, the Mai gaskiya, our Sai baba, Muhammadu Buhari is now losing the levers. Here’s a president who came to power with a great promise to make the country great. Widely acclaimed as incorruptible and principled, Buhari mounted the saddle with the determination to kill corruption that has for long held the nation down. He has in less than three years  recovered hundreds of billions of naira stolen funds and ensured that mindless stealing and profligacy are no longer part of the national way of life.

 

But is Buhari getting any credit for the feat? Is anyone hailing Buhari for halting the run of Boko Haram over Nigeria? Does anyone still remember that fuel scarcity was one of our profound problems a few years back? Are the people noticing the improvement in electricity supply?

 

The reality today is that the list of doubters who don’t believe in Buhari’s capacity to take Nigeria to the Promised Land is swelling. His flagship  programme, the anti-corruption war is dubbed a ruse and the accusers reel off instances of allegations of corrupt practices involving men close to the president, which nothing had been done about. And there are actions by some of the president’s appointees that suggest his presidency lacks coordination. The glaring conglomeration of influence mongers within the administration isn’t as troubling as its condonation by the president himself.

 

The latest of the several instances of the rudderless leadership is the recall and promotion of former chairman of Presidential Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina into the civil service. Maina was dismissed for absconding from duty and refusing to surrender himself to answer fraud charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). What’s holding the president back from stamping his authority and stemming the drift? Is it the Abilu spell?

 

What’s making the president run a system that allows his subordinates to take unbridled charge and actions at the expense of his brand equity? Whatever it is, President Buhari must help himself. He must demonstrate that he’s a president who is not only willing, but able.

 

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Written by Abdulfatah Oladeinde

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