PERSONALITY FOCUS The Joke in Their Change
The earlier people start to look forward to their expectations of President Muhammadu Buhari government in moderate measures, the better in managing what may turn out to be a disappointment, writes Olawale Olaleye
Perhaps, it is better to start with the cocktail of embarrassments that has begun to typify what ultimately may be defined as the Muhammadu Buhari presidency in recent weeks. In faraway Germany, Nigeria’s new president and the poster kid of the change campaign took the world many years back, when he reportedly not only referred to the country as West Germany but also described the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel as President Michelle.
In case Buhari does not know or has forgotten, Germany ceased to be West Germany in 1990. West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) or Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD) in the period between its creation on May 23, 1949 and the German reunification on October 3, 1990. It is also important that Nigeria’s president is told now that Merkel is the Chancellor and not the president. The president is Joachim Gauck – for the record.
Conversely, in what may also pass for a deliberate disregard to the sensibilities of the people, Buhari’s habitual mistaking “A” for “B” as if suffering the old age symptoms did not start with the comedy in Germany. But because the Nigerian people seemed desperate for change, the equally desperate All Progressives Congress (APC) covered up the many appalling inadequacies of the president for election purposes and stage-managed their way through to power.
For instance, Buhari consistently referred to the APC as All Progressives Confidence party during some of his interviews both on the local and the international platforms. He refused to acknowledge and adapt to the fact that the “N” in INEC is national and not Nigeria. But the APC made away with it by making it seem like it did not matter. But it does.
Where such minor details are not properly accorded their place, bigger things would not either, especially when they most matter. Wrongly pronouncing the name of his then running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Osunbade was described as an error anyone could gloss over, but it didn’t stop at that as he took it a notch up from the APC to the INEC and subsequently to Germany.
Moving up to a more serious realm, the joke of the APC change mantra is beginning to show its negative indications. This is because, for Buhari, no excuses can suffice for not hitting the ground running. A man who had aspired to be president three unsuccessful times before making it the fourth time; a man who had been head of state many years back; a man who had been military administrator; a man who had chaired a major government agency and a man who is said to have delivered an impressive showing during service to fatherland whilst in the military – it could have been taken for granted and it won’t be out of place.
But with what is lying flat on the card, former president Goodluck Jonathan may be clueless, there is no mistaking either that Buhari is “idealess” and this will come to full blown with time. His unreadable approach to governance is utterly ineffective in a country of complex heterogeneity.
Keeping quiet and alone to himself as if he were a Mafia is clearly not a strength; it is killing the country and too early in the day. He seems to take solace in keeping it all to himself even when he is obviously unable to analyse the consequences of this habit turned style, if there are any.
If after 21 days of assuming office, the president is yet or unable to announce even the basic of appointments that do not require legislative approval, perhaps for some ugly political considerations and or his own incalculable regional balancing, then change might not only be long in coming but could be a mirage after all.
It is instructive for the president to know that decision making isn’t done in vacuum or as the leader is so pleased. Time, of course, is of essence. Decisions not taken within time are as good as not taken. If a stich in time is said to save nine, ponder what could happen if the stick failed to come in time. Therefore, it is either his intentions are not genuine as presumed or he is simply bereft of ideas on what to do with the appointments.
In the week, Buhari in nearby South Africa made two curious statements. In one breath, he explained the delay in the appointment of ministers, ignoring the basic ones and in another, reportedly said not much should be expected from him because of his age. That is no more than sheer hypocrisy. Although Mr. Femi Adesina, his media aide and revered journalist, has done a very good job explaining the latter, whether or not it meets satisfactory condition is another.
On the delayed appointment of ministers, he said it was due to the late submission of the transition committee’s report on the previous administration to him. He claimed he was being careful in order not to make mistakes in appointing individuals especially into key positions such as in the finance and petroleum ministries.
“I don’t know why people are so anxious about ministers. But eventually we will have (them). The main reason is that I have an interim committee which I agreed with the former President Jonathan that the ministers of the outgoing government should hand over their notes or their documents to this interim committee so that a position can be prepared for the new government to start from with clear records from ministers.
“But the ministers knew that they were going but the technocrats, the permanent secretaries and directors and so on, they know they would remain. If anything goes wrong, they would be invited to explain. But unfortunately, the outgoing government did not cooperate. So, what the committee did was to divide itself into about five sub-committees and got a resource person that was willing to come and bring the document, and so they prepared and I got the report I think three days ago.
“I was waiting for this report because I would like to know what position in the government especially in terms of finance and petroleum industry. So, I am not in a hurry to get ministers. I want to get ministers after at least I have seen the report because I don’t have to appoint a minister today and sack him the next week because this report would give me what actually happened in terms of security, economy of the country.
“And since I have to have ministers from politicians and technocrats, I wouldn’t (like to) make the mistake of getting somebody, who has been involved on account of accountability.”
But on the contrary, it is believed that such was just one of the many excuses he’s exhausted after serving out their usefulness. With a supposedly good knowledge of the country and her people, Buhari cannot give such untenable excuses as the reason his government is yet to kick off 21 days after taking over the reins of power, whilst Boko Haram continues to have a field day and the economy still struggling as if it were business as usual.
The very disturbing one is his admitting that his age would limit his
performance as the president of the country. It is true he was a military governor at 33 and Head of State at 40. He will be 73 on December 17 of this year. “I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor, just a few years as a young man. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.”
His assurances notwithstanding and not forgetting that he was head of state at 40, Buhari would have done better if he had said this during the campaigns since he is very upright and willing to run a corrective regime and watch what the public’s reaction would be. He should have let the electorate make their choice regardless of his seeming adequacies. But he dismissed every insinuation including those that alluded to his health status as unfounded.
Of course, it is expected that at over 72 years, he would be tired now and may have been slowed down significantly by the many age factors; he would have done well by taking a back seat for the younger leaders to drive the change and campaign on their behalf. But he too wanted the presidency so bad as if his life depended on it only to start advancing excuses as if he did not know it would be this challenging. But since Mr. Adesina has said he was quoted out of context, it might be good for argument sake to leave it at that.
But as it is, the Buhari presidency might end up a disappointment, not because he would not make obvious efforts at changing things but because his efforts when juxtaposed with the expectations would be a child’s play and too insignificant. It would be the fallout of the inability to make hard choices. And without sounding cynical, the difference between Jonathan and Buhari is not so much in terms of capacity. But while he enjoyed and rode on the strength of the clamour for change, Jonathan’s administration had become sickening and Nigerians would rather anything but Jonathan.
Ironically, however, whilst most of the analyses that dwelt on the strength and weaknesses of the candidates alluded to not being a hands-on leader as one of the weaknesses of Buhari, not many people paid attention to that. The younger generation would rather an opportunity to personally observe and see Buhari in that light through their own lenses.
Therefore, allegations that as military head of state, it was the late Tunde Idiagbon that was in charge failed to fly. Reports that he literally handed over the administration of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) to consultants did not change anything. Campaigns that he had not done anything to show signs of regular mental exercise in a long time still would not alter the equation as it then was. And then, he coasted home to victory on a popular mandate and staggering goodwill with such expectations as if he bore the magic wand.
Seriously, nothing significantly admirable might change in the next four years with the Buhari presidency. To think that he is not conscious of the fact that time is fast ticking away should worry those around him and the Nigerian people, who gave so much to have change happen. But the joke is beginning to sound like a real thing and whether or not it is a joke, it remains an assumption that cannot be wished away on account of the reality on the ground.
Put more appropriately, Buhari is yet to start showing leadership – not even in any capacity – 21 days after. Leadership is not about traveling the world and wrongly identifying people or going cap-in-hand seeking help and support. Leadership starts with attitude. His attitudinal exertion to governance is yet to show competence and capacity but counterproductive and evidently inauspicious.
He cannot continue to feign to be all-knowing when indeed he appears to be lost as to what to do. At least, it is clear from recent experiences that he neither understands the nuances of politics nor its rudimentary literature. Nigeria is therefore bigger than anyone, the president inclusive and must be run like a federation that it is. But if nothing changes in Buhari’s attitude, change as it were will remain what it is – sheer mantra – and his government would be far more than disappointing when placed side-by-side with his clueless predecessor.