The administration of president Muhammadu Buhari may have staggered several times against the tempestuous waves in a journey to direct Nigeria towards a path of social, economic and political change, his resilience against the hydra headed monster of corruption and security malaise will remain indelible and indeed a major reason why he had a cult followership at the polls in 2015.
He may not have picked an omnidirectional approach in his allegedly skewed fight against corruption, but his determination against North – eastern terrorism has paid off despite meeting the military in its most politicized, demoralized state. The victory against the immediate past tenants of Sambisa forest is indeed remarkable and a show of will power against all odds.
According to Pauline Kael who added more words to a quote in 1800 asserted that, “WHERE THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY. If there is a chance in a million that you can do something, anything, to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need be, wedge your foot in the door and keep it open.” The availability of fuel in 2016 yuletide is another testament to the resilience of the present administration to bring about traceable, positive change.
The president truly mean well for Nigeria, at least if that will make him deny critics of poisonous appraisal and keep his cult followers firmly behind him. Sadly, we are all Oliver Twist, (a character from Charles Dickens novel), we will always ask for more. In my wish list however, it would be awful if we deny ourselves the opportunity to remind Mr. President of some important items on its bucket list. My wish list should therefore serve as bucket list for the All Progressive Congress (APC) administration at the center. Once they are properly cancelled out, the real change will caress our faces like gentle early morning breeze to bring smiles to our faces with a strong feeling of hope, trust, peace and general prosperity.
- Psychological defeat of terror: Let me humbly start with this all-important area. It is instructive to intimate that the battle against terror may have yielded physical results in Borno state but the war is not yet over. While the president would be commended for his strides in combatting Boko Haram, Federal Government must work on correcting psychology of Nigerians against terror mentality, which has festered over the years.
Provision of jobs/food, social welfare/infrastructures, reduces incidents of youth involvement in terror organizations. Emphasis must also be geared against religious hate preachers. Schools and places of worship must make moral instruction a priority. The government should also engage stiff penalties against terrorists and terror sponsors.
The issue of rampaging herdsmen, Niger delta militants on economic terrorism must be handled with all necessary rules of engagement. Buhari must never tell Nigerians via his spokespersons that he doesn’t have to comment on every terror attack. If the spokes persons can comment on his silence, they’d better use that space to condemn violence on his behalf.
- Antcorruption war, beyond rhetoric’s: It is important for the president to embrace the fact that corruption is responsible for terrorism, poverty, fragmented interests and polarized structure in the country. The fight against corruption must be holistic. The dragnet of anticorruption must spread across all divides. I expect Buhari administration to clamp on corrupt officers within his administration, without having sacred cows – thankfully he has started.
The most positive anti-corruption weapon is good salaries for civil servants, stable economic environment for business and peace across societies. Once people can manage their resources, the urge to be corrupt wont be on the high side. We will however traverse no remarkable distance once Nigerians are hungry, angry and despondent.
- Cabinet change: I expect Buhari to effect immediate cabinet change. Most of his ministers have performed abysmally. Many analysts insist Buhari is indeed surrounded by misfits as co-travellers in the change administration. It is believed that most of the ministers are either inexperienced or too corrupt to be focused on people based agenda and patriotic in national interest.
President Buhari must be courageous enough to remove “unproductive” public officials in his administration. We have seen remarkable progress in the fight against terror on account of having the right military officers in their beats of competence. We must have well vested professionals to turn the economy around.
Once cabinet is changed to replace people who do not know our foreign reserve, those who do not know the right economic policies or those who use billions to either cut or buy grass, the economy will bounce back. A good economy will positively affect morale of citizens, which will in turn reduce corruption, terrorism, splinter agitations.
- Avoid skewed appointments: President Buhari must avoid the mistake of concentrating appointments from the North. His waves of appointments in the military and civil environments have been largely sentiment based. It has indeed pegged him as a leader ingrained in nepotism. .
Going by the present appointments, Northerners have been given priority over other parts of the country. If the president will yield to calls to shake up his cabinet/ political appointees, he must apply the federal character policy. The present status quo has copiously fragmented the country and further aggravated the sick call for republic of Biafra.
My wish list is endless, the presidents administrative challenges seamless. It is therefore my desire for him to leave an indelible mark that will redefine Nigeria economically, politically and socially. He must however be reminded that we cannot carry on as people deeply divided, vindictive, corrupt and bereft of sanctity to human life. May God help/bless Nigeria.
Written by Israel A. Ebije.
ebije05@gmail.com, ebijeisrael@yahoo.com
