In the twilight of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Northern Nigeria, especially North-east, was devastated by the activities of Boko Haram. That was why people in that region had been looking for a deliverer who could fight not only the insurgency but all the corrupt practices alleged to be prevalent in the then government. Though our economy was far from being standard, at least, the economic situation was relatively bearable as one could survive with N500 a day and if one earned N30,000 per month, one could make a decent life.
Having already won the hearts and confidence of most Nigerians, Muhammadu Buhari seemed to be the ideal person for the job. Irrespective of political affiliations, Buhari was harmoniously believed to be the only possible option to be trusted with the country. He was generally assumed to be the Only Messiah capable of mysteriously straightening out this country.
Many politicians equally tried to rise to the occasion. However, their credibility had always been questioned whenever compared to the uprightness and saintliness of Buhari. He was so admired and venerated that even a word said against his person or political ideals was considered heretical. The masses, therefore, not only campaigned for him but also practically sponsored his candidacy.
I can still remember how the likes of Sule Lamido, Malam Shelarau, Tanko Yakasai and lately Ango Abdullahi were seriously reproached and called all sorts of names. Their fault being that they had made unfavourable political remarks against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kwankwaso with all his political significance, until recently, had chosen to tread with caution on political matters related to President Buhari, perhaps, for fear of losing his popularity. That might have been the reason Kwankwaso’s stalwarts did not massively vote for Jonathan in 20011 and Atiku Abubakar in 2019 presidential elections, respectively. Many other politicians in the North were also known to skirt over questions related to Buhari when interviewed by the press to avoid sticking their necks.
Shekarau and many other northern governors might not have become the governors of their respective states in 2003 but for Buhari’s political influence in the North. ‘APP SAK’ slogan will go down in the annals of political history of Nigeria. It was a slogan that shattered the dreams of many political aspirants in the North, in 2003.
It had once become a norm for the weak political parties to unofficially align themselves with Buhari at presidential level, confining their campaigns to the rest of the political seats. Posters of many candidates from different political parties tagging Buhari’s picture alongside to gain popularity were not uncommon in the northern part of Nigeria.
. It is still fresh in our memory how a number of youth would take to streets, protesting and revolting, usually, causing loss of lives and properties whenever a candidate other than Buhari had been declared a winner in 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections, respectively.
I cannot convey the sense of euphoria and ecstasy with which the masses received the news of Buhari’s success in 2015. It was a timet when our minor roads and lanes were turned into racetracks resulting into many injuries and fatalities. Different parties were organised to welcome the incoming oresident. Children born during that period were named after the new president.
Many Nigerians including people from opposition parties believed that it was a new daybreak for Nigeria as The Most Anticipated would now assume the mantle of leadership of the country. Some held the belief that Buhari could have been literally worshipped, had he died without ruling Nigeria for the second time.
For a government that has eight-year lifespan, six years are long time enough to build the confidence or otherwise of its citizens. It is the longest possible period to condone any wrong and try the patience of any mortal. It’s also the ripest time to bring that government under scrutiny for assessment and evaluation.
That is many Nigerians who had been struggling to bring this government to power. This is the reward for their money, energy and votes. This is the expensive price they have to pay for their tireless struggles. Though the president was often heard defending himself that Nigerians are not patient, that our situation is analogous to a person with a broken limb that we need to be patient as long as this person would take to heal his broken limb. But this analogy only works on the common man. We all witnessed how the president’s son literally got many of his limbs broken. Not only did he recover one year later, but emerged as one of the richest youth in Nigeria.manyIt’s high time the president, within these two years he is to stay in office, changed some of his policies that are anti-people and come up with the ones that are people centred to save his remaining grace. The
The credibility of Buhari has been questioned by many of his diehard supporters. Many Nigerians have begun to regret that Mr President is not The Political Magician they took him for, after all.
Disappointed with the only political saviour, the masses have now begun to lose hope, adopting devil may care attitude about who their next president should be.
It doesn’t matter to a common man again who wins or loses the next election. He is sunk in his hopelessness and despair as nothing matters to him anymore. His preoccupation is how to afford food and other essential items which prices have now risen to an all time high.
The economic situation has almost done as much damage to this country as the problems of insecurity
The economic challenges have forced many Nigerians to take shelter in the neighbouring countries. No one could have imagined there would be an influx of Nigerians into countries like Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Algeria, Sudan and Morocco, not as political refugees but as economic migrants. The majority that remain in the country are facing the toughest economic experience of their life.
The gap between the rich and the poor has become more yawning than any time in Nigerian history. Most of the civil servants, whose salaries were before big enough to make a decent living, are now trapped in abject poverty as their static income cannot match the ever soaring prices of food and other essential services.
That is to say nothing of those working under small firms, small businesses and the hundreds of thousands of the unemployed. Engaging in odd jobs seems to be the only option for many Nigerians.
There is one old man in my neighbourhood, for example, who works as a guard for one company at night and pushes wheelbarrow to sell water in the morning to support a few members of his family. Another elderly person who has always been Buhari’s diehard once narrated to me how he had to work for a whole month for N15,000 in a plastic company. What a ridiculous amount for a salary! The man then told me how he could have gone several days without food after the middle of every month but for his hawking young daughters.
This is the real life and emotional state of many Nigerians who had been struggling to bring this government to power. This is the reward for their money, energy and votes. This is the expensive price they have to pay for their tireless struggles. Though the president was often heard defending himself that Nigerians are not patient, that our situation is analogous to a person with a broken limb that we need to be patient as long as this person would take to heal his broken limb. But this analogy only works on the common man. We all witnessed how the president’s son literally got many of his limbs broken. Not only did he recover one year later, but emerged as one of the richest youth in Nigeria.manyIt’s high time the president, within these two years he is to stay in office, changed some of his policies that are anti-people and come up with the ones that are people centred to save his remaining grace.
The success of Buhari means a lot to any reasonable Nigerian because his failure would not affect his only person but all the good people who would like to contest a presidential seat in the future. It would cast a doubt in the minds of the number of Nigerians on people with integrity as being pretentious and phoney. Politicians with doubtful character would, then, be the only preferable alternative. If that happens President Buhari would go down as the president with worst legacy in Nigerian history. And he would not be forgiven, not by many generations to come.Yusuf writes via[email protected]07035176671
