Nigeria, armed with a committed and coherent plan, can conquer poverty and other problems as other countries have done.

commanding heights of the nation’s security and administrative machinery, his job is done and he can go back to sleep.

That is where I think that eminent Nigerians who are reacting to Buhari’s narrowmindedness,especially Northerners,must do more. The truth is that we have spent five years not simply going in circles but traveling backin time. And that the North has been hurt more.

But at his inauguration in 2015, Buhari reveled in what he called a reservoir of goodwill and high expectations, saying Nigeria had never enjoyed as much goodwill abroad. “The messages I received from East and West, from powerful and small countries are indicative of international expectations on us.” He squandered it. All of it. Of Nigeria’s challenges, he cited “insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages”as priority, bragging he would tackle them head on.

And he declared: “Nigerians will not regret that they have entrusted national responsibility to us.”

That clearly, was a hoax. Within six months Nigerians were regretting their votes, a whisper which has grown into a roar of outrage, as exemplified by the poverty challenge.

Nigeria, armed with a committed and coherent plan, can conquer poverty and other problems as other countries have done. With the kind of leadership Buhari is providing, however,the next three years are guaranteed to be worse than the last five. Infinitely worse.

But that is only partly because of the bad faith Buhari has shown since 2015. It is more because he simply—evidently—lacks leadership. To preach is not to possess. To claim is not to be.

That leaves the Nigeria leader, as he returns to the microphone on Friday, one year after his original declaration, with a critical broadcast. Will he come up with a detailed plan—including elements of economic growth and population— or with further bombast?

The omens are bad: Nigeria’s current Poverty Escape Rate is sadly -0.3 people per second, as opposed to the Target Escape Rate of 0.3 people per secondrequired for us to meet SDG1.

Hopefully, Buhari’s speech on Friday will recognize that on this subject, not only is he five years behindthe starting gate, few Nigerians outside Aso Rock would recommend him for the job.

His best gift to Nigeria,especially to the only part he appears to be interested in, would be for him to let someone else do this job.

That would be the best definition of “leadership and a sense of purpose.” [This column welcomes rebuttals from interested government officials].