Skip to main content

(46): Now Nigerians Need Patience; Good Luck to Buhari

Muhammad Muhsin Ibrahim
@muhsin234

I read and heard that no fewer than 100 souls were lost and dozens of others injured in celebrations over General Buhari’s victory in the 28th March Nigeria’s presidential election. How sad and unfortunate! While telling my wife that people were euphoric to that extent, she instead inadvertently said to me that when we returned to Nigeria in the middle of the year, there would be no more electricity outage, no more terror attacks by Boko Haram, and no more any other unpleasantness. That unrealistic wish left me transfixed, for I have heard and read many others expressing the same or similar expectations, as, to them, the ‘Messiah’ has attained power.

So much has been written on the election and on the way and manner President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat. I have, however, yet to see any piece on that hankering of the 15 million plus electorates, most of whom are masses, who voted for Buhari. People yearn for Change—the slogan of his party, APC—in the country. They want a transformed Nigeria where lives and property of its populace are secured, its economy blossomed, its military might restored, its public office holders corrupt-free, and, as a whole, its worth and esteem revived. But I think, in fact, believe that only a miracle can do that within the four-year-tenure provided for Buhari by the constitution.

General Buhari & his deputy, Prof. Osinbajo (left)
The destruction done to Nigeria by the outgoing government and the previous ones under the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) is a well-known phenomenon. Imagine the country as a house. It will take only a minute or less to demolish it with, for instance, a bomb; but rebuilding the same house will take no less than a week, no matter the technology. This is the condition of Nigeria today.

The President-Elect should carefully and conscientiously use the two-month period of the transition to organise his government; to ponder and focus; and do everything in no time, for he’s just returning to the office he was once in. We have seen how the current governor of Kano state, Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso did when he came back to power in 2011 after his defeat in 2003. The second tenure was by all parameters far more systematised, focused and purposed. That’s why he’s able to perform well and achieve remarkably.

The General amidst the usual crowd during a campaign 

Evidently enough, most of us were only endeared to Buhari after hearing how well he led Nigeria as a military Head of State in the 1980s. A few knew him as head of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) during General Abacha regime and saw how astutely and efficiently he ran the office. But the Nigeria of today is not of those days. Likewise, the people he governed and with whom he governed are not the same. Although we cherish to see similar, if not surpassing, achievements, witnessing the contrary is possible for many reasons.

General Buhari now lacks the power he had then, and the country is very, though regrettably, divided mainly along regional and religious lines. Thus, executing many projects and policies are going to be tougher, if at all possible.

Moreover, the economy of the country is in bad shape, though it’s said to be the biggest in Africa. Where, for instance, the US dollar was reportedly equivalent to naira during his leadership in 1984/85, a dollar is now worth more than 200 nairas. Worse still, the price of petrol is at its lowest level in the world market, and our foreign reserve is depleted because billions of dollars, as exposed by the former apex bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, are, literally speaking, missing. Nothing moves without money. Thus, Buhari needs gigantic good luck to satiate the hunger of Nigerians, while Nigerians require enduring patience to give him space and time to govern.

As Nigerians are people who believe and trust in God, we shouldn’t, therefore, forget to regularly wish and pray for the success of this incoming government. And prepare for the change we called for. General Buhari’s victory is ours, for, after all, the country is ours now and always. I believe we would be happier if he records more success than the previous governments. That will set a pace for any other subsequent governments to see that they out-perform his, therefore putting themselves in the annals of history and in good light.

Long live the General! Long live Nigeria!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

(168): Top 7 Kannywood series of 2023

By  Muhsin Ibrahim & Habibu Ma’aruf muhsin2008@gmail.com As 2023 draws to a close, the closure of Kano Filmhouse Cinema is one of Kannywood’s most regrettable events in the outgoing year. Consequently, there was a significant decline in the number of cinematic releases. Nevertheless, amid this setback, a silver lining emerged as it spurred a notable shift towards series films, with prominent producers and directors venturing into the evolving market. From  Labarina ,  Alaqa , and  Manyan Mata  to  Fatake ,  Amaryar Tiktok  and  Gidan Sarauta , Kannywood’s audience has been captivated by numerous enthralling TV and web series. While the series market faces criticism for potentially fostering second-rate productions, the following list highlights the best seven series films aired in the year. Please note that the numbering is not hierarchical.  1. Labarina Labarina  stands out as a household name among Hausa film enthusiasts. Desp...

(143): On Connection Regrets: My Excruciating Experience

On Connection Regrets: My Excruciating Experience   By Muhsin Ibrahim Khadija, nicknamed Kashe-Kala, who I ‘re-nicknamed’ KKK, was one of my dearest classmates during our undergrad at Bayero University, Kano. Honestly, KKK, a sickle cell patient, was pretty, posh, and from a wealthy family. Hence that sobriquet. So, admittedly, I believed she was out of my league. However, we became so close. Despite our closeness, we disagreed pretty often. About a year after graduation, I met the lady I later married. The day I told KKK about my newfound love, she jokingly bragged that I chose this girlfriend because she’s her namesake: Khadija. On hearing this, some friends thought she loved me. It’s not true; our relationship was platonic. I had visited KKK’s house countless times. I barely missed seeing her at the hospital. Her relatives know me. I can’t forget the day I was riding my motorbike to their house when I stopped by the roadside to answer her call. From nowhere, someone snatch...

(113): Kwana Casa’in: A Short Review

Kwana Casa’in : A Short Review If posh locations, number of cast and crew members, sophisticated camera, etc. are enough indicators for the budget size of a production, then Kwana Casa’in [90 Days], produced by Arewa 24 channel, is doubtlessly an expensive soap opera. Directed by Salisu T. Balarabe, the drama is arguably the best of its kind in the Hausa language. Being funded by foreign, non-profit, non-political bodies, including the MacArthur Foundation, Kwana Casa’in stands out as a socio-political critique of our people and governments. It unmistakably aims to provoke reflection and introspection and to spark conversation and action within and outside the corridors of power. Is it able to achieve that? Set in a fictional town called Alfawa, the drama begins at the peak of governorship electioneering. The current governor, Bawa Maikada (acted by Sani Mu’azu), is highly corrupt and desperate to win re-election in spite of doing very little for the people. The health sec...