Agenda for Buhari on finishing strong

It was assuring to see President Muhamadu Buhari stand shoulder to shoulder with Nigeria’s female Basketball team, D’Tigress, as he celebrated with them their winning of the Afribasket tournament trophy. That is just as his erect and agile gait during his arrival at his hometown Daura for the Sallah break belied the flood of spurious tales about his purported incapacitation even after his hospital stay in London. Yet the news about the President goes beyond his assuring look, and includes a string of circumstances like his pass mark on the economy. After a meeting with members of his cabinet, Buhari gave a positive rating to the economy under his watch.

Interestingly his appraisal of the economy after his return to office from hospital coincides with the half term mark of his present tenure and commencement of its second half. It is therefore not premature to assist the President with a few ‘unofficial’, insights into the truth about life on the streets of Nigeria. After all it is not unfounded that often, Presidency handlers may cite the dictates of state protocol and shield their principals from the epicentres of critical issues and circumstances, thereby leaving the beneficiary of their ‘care’, bereft of the full complement of facts about a designated matter.

For instance, in the on-going crisis of apocalyptic dimension flooding in the oil city of Houston in Texas United States, even President Donald Trump was only allowed to access less critical areas during his visit to see the disaster zone. If the US with all its endowments and wonders can designate no-go areas for its President on a seeing-isbelieving tour of a disaster zone, who will blame Presidency handlers in Nigeria for ‘protecting’ the President from equally ‘dangerous’ tales of life on Nigerian streets - many of which are veritable danger zones already?

The truth is that often the country’s leaders may actually be working on pictures that are either far from reality, or at best poor reading of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the country. That is why the President needs to expand his gaze on the country beyond official briefings that are often not only at variance with the public perception but also generate anger in sections of the latter. For if the truth is to be told, Nigerians are angry with the present administration to the extent that a legion of indictments of the past officers in government no longer has the desired effect of demonising and criminalising such as the causative factors of the present pains of the citizenry.

In any case, even as the circumstances of ill health and hospitalisation might have largely eclipsed a fair narrative of the successes of the first half of Buhari’s first term, governance in Nigeria between the period under consideration recorded significant progress in the country - even with mixed outcomes. While an eclectic mention of them would lead to an endless list, it is still undeniable that Buhari came, saw, and conquered in many respects.

Meanwhile, just as much of the efforts of the Buhari administration and associated dividends fall within the realm of remediation of past failures in the nation’s public life such as endemic corruption, and insurgency, such along with the goal of growing the economy constitute the core features of the administration’s agenda; hence they fall in tow with the expectations of the Nigerian public that voted it into office. However at half way into its tenure, the exigencies of the time - especially the unending lament of the people down below, dictate a change in direction and pace by the administration with respect to growing the country’s economy. If the truth is to be told, the typical Nigerian pidgin parlance of “na wetin we go chop?” accentuates the reductionist yardstick with which Nigerians judge any administration, no matter its popularity at the point of inception. And Buhari’s cannot be an exception.

Besides, while the drama associated with the political terrain can often claim more attention in the reckoning of politicians, the ultimate success or failure of any administration usually lies in the terrain of the economy. As the provider for every citizen from cradle to grave, people usually see the economy not from the self justifying angel of government officials but from its pinch on their pockets and stomachs. And for Nigerians the Buhari administration is pinching their pockets and stomachs in a manner that really hurts.

Hence, in support of Buhari, let it be stated here and now that the most topical issue among Nigerians on the streets today, is how to reverse the situation whereby this country is still tied to the apron strings of the more economically advantaged nations, to the detriment of indigenous enterprise - the endlessly hustling Nigerians, even as the same handicapped people drive over 90% of the economy. With the serial failure of many government policies, with a view to end the second half the impression needs to be corrected of this tenure on a high note. And that the mainstream of policy hardly is there any other comfort makers understand the country for it than adopting a single item they are privileged to administer. agenda: which is increasing domestic This is especially so when with over productivity at the grass roots. If the 150 million telephone lines and a Nigerian economy is billed to grow, tele-density of 110.8%, as well as such can only be driven through internet penetration of over 28% in the transformation of our hamlets, the country, Nigerians of today are villages and rural terrain in general, no more as ignorant of global trends ostensibly under the auspices of as many actors in government may a transformed local government by their actions, be assuming. Little administrative structure. This is wonder then that most of the time clearly of more utility than can there is a glaring disconnect between ever be garnered from the extant the claims of government and public constellation of city - based glorified take on such. assembly plants that parade

An instance is the present themselves as Nigerian factories. fixation of the government on Meanwhile, available evidence seemingly cheap funds in form of indicates that the various aid, grants and loans from China governments at the federal and with its expansionist aspirations, state levels who call the shots even to drive economic development for the local areas are yet to look in in Nigeria, and to the exclusion of that direction. In most instances local enterprise. A concern over the of intervention by states in local alliance of the Nigerian government government areas under their with the good people of China purview, the focus is usually on should ordinarily not attract any dispensing gifts in cash and kind to untoward concern, if not for the designated beneficiary potentates, fact that Nigerians are yet to see any who in turn share such among significant transfer of technology themselves and their cronies leaving from that country down here. nothing for regenerating the local Hence they judge with the painful economy. For instance it was recently lessons of history whereby the same reported that the governor of a South syndrome of economic dependence Eastern state recently doled out the on foreign green fields, which stalled sum of N200 million to each of the meaningful economic development local government areas in the state and self-sufficiency progress, for projects of the latter’s choice. How courtesy of a jaundiced dalliance such a disbursement shall end up as with the Western world in the past, anything beyond pocket money for is recurring, only with the Chinese its managers is any body’s guess. on the stage this time round. As it The situation demands more always is, even if Chinese loans and than a passing concern by the handouts may seem cheaper for now, federal government in the economic they always come with a price. After wellbeing of local governments. If all is it not the same Chinese who in Buhari can within his remaining a popular proverb said that “when days in office, address himself to you give a man a fish to eat you feed re-orienting the country’s rural areas him for one day. But when you teach into viable hubs of industrial level him how to fish you feed him for a business activities that utilize local thousand years”. resources and labour, he would have

This is why the Buhari achieved the change he and his fellow administration needs to up its game Nigerians have been craving for since with respect to the economy, and time immemorial. Do you think Uhuru was foolish to say he will I think he should stop trying to impress us with obey the court decision? Me I prefer it your deadlines. We can just tell him, it is ok and that way darling. At least I know that you will do we understand asymmetrical warfare and there what you want to do in spite of a court ruling is no need to make promises he cannot keep. or judgment that says you should release My dear do you want to arrest Nnamdi someone for example. It makes you and the Kanu again? Someone told me you want to and country predictable. So that instead of waiting I said, sam! it is a lie my darling doesn’t want for courts we can just come to you and ask what to do any such thing. Can you tell me if this is your plans are. Centralisation is a good thing. true so that I will not give wrong information? We can’t have courts giving unpredictable Remember those northern youths who held judgements. Now Kenya will go through that a press conference in Kaduna? The ones that a terrible process again. governor promised to arrest? Well, the thing

Darling, I heard that the Cameroonian is, you know he wears glasses and I think he is president has banned the Anglophone TV having problems with them. Because I know channel. This is giving me ideas. You know when he had them on he was able to arrest how one of your agencies wants to censor people like Audu and harass other columnists. call in programs and newspaper reviews on So it must be the glasses because I know that the TV and radio? I think we should just be while he may not be as tall as you are, he is a bold and just ban TV stations or radio stations man of his word. I will wait for him to fix his altogether. Or make them begin their broadcast glasses so he can find them and arrest them for with a poem in your honour, just like NTA used hate speech against the Igbos. to begin its broadcast with the national anthem I trust that after you have rested in Daura, when we were growing up. It will remind them you will try to look into the case of the Shiite to be loyal and not give a platform to disloyal man whose children and followers we killed. people who want to ask what is happening Let us do it for Karma. We don’t know where with the economy or why you are not going to we will be tomorrow. Let us just release him. Makurdi or the state of your health. Please don’t eat too much meat o. And

Do you think we should talk to the head of remember to take your vitamins. the army? You remember he promised to catch Shekau within 40 days? Well, it has just passed. Let it be stated here and now that the most topical issue among Nigerians on the streets today, is how to reverse the situation whereby this country is still tied to the apron strings of the more economically advantaged nations, to the detriment of indigenous enterprise - the endlessly hustling Nigerians