Buhari, the Truth and the Alternative Facts
In civilised settings, the presidency as an institution is run through established but modified tradition and practice. Whilst certain things are meant to be in conformity with established norms and with peculiarity to a particular presidency, a few other things are not even allowed a thousand miles close, because it is the presidency.
From the gait of the president to his smile, the way he shakes hands with people, his demeanor and of course, the totality of his composure – his minders take these things seriously because they speak largely to the uniqueness of that institution.
Of utmost importance to this institution is controlled information system. Information dissemination is not done haphazardly in an organised presidential institution and as it is in journalism, it is better to leave out where you are not sure. “I’m not authorised to speak on that subject” is a commonly used statement by people, who are adept at this job.
Unfortunately, back home here, the health challenge of President Muhammadu Buhari exposed the inadequacy of his minders. Not only is this team uncoordinated, their poor insider knowledge of happenings within the corridors of power often puts their job at risk and by extension, paints them in bad light.
Buhari’s medical vacation had raised a lot of questions from the Nigerian populace, many of which the president’s minders couldn’t provide answers to. And rather than keep mute, they resorted to rhetoric, which further complicated a rather simple case of indisposition. But the president soon took the lid off the long sealed ‘ lies’. Three things that the president said on arrival did it.
One, he said he had never been this sick in 70 years. But all along, his handlers said he was not sick. He punctured that. Two, he said he had never done blood transfusion before. That way, he gave an insight into the nature of his sickness, although neither Buhari nor his aides have come out to speak about the nature of the president’s sickness, being the truth in all of these.
And lastly, he said he would soon be back in London in furtherance of his treatment. This is yet another way of confirming the degree of his illness.
In all of these, he literally dispelled all the alternative facts put forward by his minders. And until they come out to disclose the nature of the president’s illness, what is so far in the public is still the alternative fact. The least the Nigerian people expected at that time was full disclosure of the nature of his ailment. It is however hoped that this experience alone serves as a worthy lesson, albeit in a hard way.