Buhari, Marabouts And Good Governance
The President has started on a good note with his faith in God, contends Tony Nyiam
Always filled with light when I am reminded to commence and do, indeed, heed the prompting to begin any action with a deep in, and out, breath; followed by a moment of meditation in the way the Bible teaches us to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Such pausing to remember God is delightfully enlightening. This is what happened to me on the morning of June 10, 2015. I was filled with delight after reading and internalising the significance of what I learnt from June 9, 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari’s clear expression of faith in God.
Many of us have become so idolatrous in the observances of our Islamic or Christian faith. Our mullahs or pastors, as the case may be, have become pop-idols who we, literally, worship. A good number of Nigerian Muslim leaders cannot take important decisions without consulting at least one marabout. So too have we seen the extent, some Christian leaders go in worshipping their ironic soothsayer-type of men of God.
There has been an increase in the, inadvertent, introduction of fetishes in the way a number of our supposedly role models’ practise their Islamic or Christian faith. Hence it was such a breath of fresh air, to be reminded by our new president of his belief that: “no true believer combines faith in God and reliance on the power of ordinary mortals who can neither protect themselves, nor protect others from the hands of fate.”
It is noteworthy that this is the second time, our sincerely practising Muslim Head of State has rejected these Senegalese or Morrocan or Agege or Katsina- originated marabouts. The first time was over 30 years ago, precisely on January 1, 1984. Then General Muhammadu Buhari rejected any persuasion for him to allow marabouts to spiritually cleanse the Dodan Barracks, Lagos, Villa of the Head of State before he moved in. To the utter amazement of his aides, General Buhari slept on the former President Shehu Shagari’s bed without any, so-called, spiritual-cleansing.
How did Tony Nyiam come to know of this? You may be asking. It was from the then aidede-camp (ADC) to the Head of State and later the Emir of Gwandu, Major Mustapha Haruna Jokolo (rtd). The admiration of General Muhammadu Buhari’s courage of believing outside of the box of social-cultural superstitutional influences on his faith led the then young officer and later His Royal Majesty (HRM) Jokolo to share what he had just then witnessed with me, a close course mate and friend.
President Buhari’s unshakeable belief in God appears to account for his courageous political declaration that he “belongs to everybody and … to nobody”. I do however hope that the president extends this resolve to assuring the non-Hausa-Fulani Nigerians that, he belongs to every Nigerian ethno-nation and not to only his native ethnic nationality.
Why am I urging President Buhari’s governance to be guided by the motto: liberty, justice, equality, righteousness and compassion? This is because if governance is not anchored on these virtues, the government and governed will be deprived of sustainable peace. This is why the Bible reminds politicians that “when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29:2). I have included compassion, as it is a pre-requisite to the putting to practice of any of the virtues. This is why the Islamic revelation warns us, that “by no means shall ye attain righteousness unless Ye give [freely] of that which ye love” (Koran 3:92).
The president’s antecedents do assure me that he would not be nepotistic. The same cannot however be said of one or two of his well-known irredentist advisers who would not stop pressurising the president to be partial. The question might then be: will the people of the president’s native constituency allow Muhammadu Buhari to be, in practice, the president of the people of all six geo-political regions? The qualities of the fear of God, highly self-disciplined and transparent public servant, mark out Buhari to be the best candidate to become Nigeria’s Nelson Mandela. Especially if President Buhari can avoid pressure from his kinsfolk to be nepotistic.
The unmistakeable signature which President Buhari has begun signing, by his businesslike approach to problems solving, is re-assuring. The president’s recent meeting with the presidents of our neighbouring countries at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, and the actionable decisions reached at the gathering, are signs of the beginning of a much more result-oriented style of governance.