With all these discoveries and recoveries of looted billions of dollars (cash in apartments) from government officials who were trusted with the nation’s revenue sources, you still doubt why Nigeria is on its knees? We’ve never seen this before, not as far as I know. We had seen such amount of money taken to chambers’ floor for gratification, but not taken out of residences as evidence of criminalization. Fellow countrymen, this is a clear path to the sanity we all prayed for so hard.
It’s not about Buhari, at all! But, whatever the case, having a credible leader to take heads on people who destroyed our country because they were believed to be sacrosanct is a great God-given deal that is difficult to achieve in a hundred years. We must acknowledge the sacrifices of the Nigerian security, the EFCC and the Nigeria Customs. The Judiciary is under check and balance. The financial system, not the whole economy, of course, is being transformed to boost the country’s global credibility for investment. Agriculture is reclaiming its original place in the economy.
With so far what’s going on, we expect to see a reverse in unemployment, infrastructural dilapidations and institutional weaknesses – it’s about reforming core societal values to achieve the rest!
I pray this administration will be successful in its fight against corruption, something that we all agree is the biggest obstacle ahead of our collective progress. I also pray God will strengthen us, as a nation on trial once again, with the grit to put off things that really aren’t the core issues and give this administration a chance to succeed.
The biggest criticism of the present administration, as far as I know, is that President Buhari turned a blind eye to the corruption allegations of some of his subordinates. Did we say Buhari is corrupt himself? If a government is like a family, with the president as the head, striving to make a difference, why can’t we take a minute and reflect into the membership of our own families – the role that everybody plays?
Let’s not forget, building a nation is like a battlefield. Your commandant, like the head of your family, might not necessarily be your smartest or knows everything. How much support you give him and how willing you are to sacrifice, utilising your strengths and weaknesses, determine your collective victory.
That was why Obama maintained decorum by not only respecting a smooth transition but also appealed to Americans to support Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton did the same, and despite all odds, graced Trump’s swearing-in ceremony with her husband and participated in all activities. Again, that was why recently a supreme court judge vowed and took a leave when President Trump sacked her on a decision that even the Court of Appeal stood by so far.
All these actions were clear instances of wisdom managed to look beyond Mr Trump’s controversies in the non-negotiable and sovereign interests of the American system.
Often time, we do things in Nigeria either for or against an individual at the cost of the nation. The looted funds are a good example. A pointless opposition is another. I agree, blind support also does not allow people with genuine arguments to keep governments on their toes. We must distinguish between criticism and castigation, the former is meant to improve, the latter is to pull down.
The way forward is to put the nation first. Part of it also is to carefully give the government of the day a chance to experiment its antidotes. We need time. We need confidence in our government and ourselves. Above all, we need perseverance. May Allah make it easy for us.
Lawan Dalha 