{"id":8083,"date":"2016-03-07T16:21:51","date_gmt":"2016-03-07T16:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=8083"},"modified":"2016-03-07T16:21:51","modified_gmt":"2016-03-07T16:21:51","slug":"because-i-love-the-president-dearly-by-charles-ayo-dada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/?p=8083","title":{"rendered":"BECAUSE I LOVE THE PRESIDENT DEARLY\u2026 ! by Charles Ayo Dada"},"content":{"rendered":"


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If a state of emergency is not soon to be declared at the Federal level, the President urgently needs to be called to order. He is blundering far too much and seems to be disconnected from the many realities that will provide him the necessary anchorage for an impartial and objective leadership.
\nI would first and foremost recommend that the globe-trotting he repeatedly embarks upon be substantially minimized to provide him with ample space and time to attend to rapidly deteriorating matters of State!
\nOn all fronts, the Nigerian state is hurting, comatose, disintegrating, and in a serious state of anomie! Implied in this confounding state of affairs, is the irrefutable fact that the leader sets the tone and the buck stops on his table! Even if it is argued that PMB inherited a wrecked economy, his utter tactlessness in handling sensitive National Issues has dangerously situated this potentially great nation on the edge of the precipice. The assumption is, of course, that we have agreed to co-exist peacefully; even though current events prove quite to the contrary and we have been potentially great for a very long time now \u2026<\/p>\n

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From the very onset, I had warned of a Northern Agenda being pursued by the General, who was brazen and insensitive in the first lop-sided appointments he made. (But this is mere speculation anyway; which can easily be dismissed by the President\u2019s Media Team, by providing us with regular updates on the radical improvements and changes that these establishments now enjoy under the special leadership …) This was further worsened by a stalemated situation the Nation found itself in, while awaiting a ministerial list that was meant to have been received under the guidance of the blessed Angels in Heaven\u2026 Lo and behold, after an agonizing wait, the Nigerian populace, nay, the world at large, was treated to a shock announcement! I need not delve into the minutia of the details\u2026
\nTragically, and rather tactlessly, there would be all sorts of derogatory comments passed in a bid to castigate the erstwhile regime. A monumental scale of corruption and theft were subsequently uncovered! Foreign investors who could read the handwriting on the wall quickly withdrew their capital and fled! As is customary, all sorts of arrests were made, but till date there have been no convictions! And even though the country has had to borrow money from the World Bank to fund part of its National Budget, members of The National Assembly are still living large, and irresponsibly at that too, to the detriment of the common Nigerian. As a perceived nationalist, one would have expected the President to have taken a tough stance on this issue; if only it meant enlisting the support of his citizens in ensuring forced compliance. The pluralisation of duties in the upper houses is also a needless waste of the much needed limited resources. The notable Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, once led a March that resulted in the enthronement of an elected democracy. Your Excellency, it cannot be business as usual, you see! So much Hope, or is it Change, is expected from you – granted the number of years you spent preparing to reach this exalted office. The recently-passed budget was a national embarrassment and the ridiculous figures that were being bandied for trite items leaves little or nothing to be desired! This was certainly not the change that you promised, Mr President, and how many such gaffes will you be permitted before the citizenry start to lose their confidence in you?<\/p>\n

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The Boko Haram insurgency, which has brought about untold hardship and devastation, has been effectively tackled; and the normalcy in many of these regions is gradually being restored. Your military background is no doubt an advantage in the strategies effectively employed to stem the menace of terrorism! I congratulate you on your worthy efforts! Till date, however, and despite the fact that one or two prominent citizens in the National Assembly have been fingered, none of the sponsors or backers of the dreaded Boko Haram sect have been brought to book! This acutely undermines the credibility of our security organizations and tells us something is seriously wrong! Considering the scale of the devastation and onslaught witnessed, how do we explain that there have been no high-profile arrests? How?!
\nIt was long ago rumoured that the sect was founded to destabilize the GEJ regime, and we are fervently praying that no one will enjoy the protection of government in these grievous crimes perpetrated against humanity. In saner nations, the culprits would long ago have been cooling their heels off at the Hague, while answering to their war crimes. History will vindicate you when you openly address this issue that is in urgent need of redress! This comes at a time when the security forces have been drafted to the creeks in search of Tompolo, the Niger Delta Warlord; a daring misadventure I must say, as very few times in world history has it been demonstrated that defeating combatants in swamp territory is a piece of cake! Vietnam is one of but several examples \u2013 and the losses being occasioned by the blowing up of petroleum pipelines at this economically dire period, would need you lending yourself to a greater diplomacy! It is already perceived that you are no friend to the Niger Delta people and this \u201cmisconception\u201d needs to be clarified quickly! They feel themselves vilified, and it is equally rumoured that you take no interest in them since they did not give you their votes. Of course, this cannot be true! But the military should also be drafted in to bring the sponsors of Boko Haram to book!
\nThe economy is in complete shambles! But we are all to blame as a people. The senseless and greedy over-dependence on oil revenues, which have been greatly depleted by the recent drop in the price of crude internationally, has created problems of all sorts. Fortunately, the ingenious TSA offers the necessary reprieve at this opportune moment, and the many types of taxes being levied on Nigerians will to an extent cushion the impact on government. It is hoped, that by diversifying the economy and wiping out corruption, the nation will start to rise again. Economic experts like Pat Utomi are wasting in the fray, and the inclusion of some of these brilliant think tanks in your cabinet, could proffer the much needed panacea.
\nOn the issue of Biafra, I would ask you to exercise great caution and restraint lest you one day be accused of genocide. The most important question to ask is: why are those – your? – people agitated? Conflict resolution lends itself to a wide range of options including dialogue, and every discord will not be resolved by gun-brandishing security operatives. You promised to uphold the Constitution and to protect the citizenry. I ask again; why are our brothers in the East agitated? I have listened to Kanu\u2019s hate-filled speeches and would not subscribe to his crude methods. But the agitation is genuine and has gone beyond the reaches of this one person. Can dialogue not be embraced and sore wounds healed? Will military methods be effective in dealing with such upheavals? Will the recent killings serve to assuage the plight of those who already feel themselves maligned? Much wisdom and tact needs to be employed here and a National Conference may one day have to be convened. This does not necessarily mean that the country has to divide; but if a people have chosen to go, surely they have a right to self-determination. But if on grounds of patriotism it is refused them, surely, their grievances need to be heard. A commission can be set up to provide invaluable suggestions that will placate the agitators.
\nThe sudden empowerment and emergence of ravaging and rampaging Fulani herdsmen around the country is equally worrisome. Herdsmen, who have been around for hundreds of years, now brazenly brandish sophisticated weapons while grazing their flock from one community to another; but not without first raping, maiming, and killing innocent members of society. This usually happens after they have devastated the farmlands of their hapless victims and they would hear of none of their complaints! This orgy of violence needs to be investigated immediately! I suggest that the military be drafted in immediately to curb this menace! Who is arming them anyway? Why do they find themselves so comfortable under your government to perpetrate such mayhem? People are asking questions and the undue delays in addressing this hazard is highly worrisome!
\nThe collateral effects of these murders and arsons have led to many civil unrests, and in many quarters today, many persons have died fighting \u201cstrangers\u201d whom they deem security threats in their enclaves. The levels of tribalism and religious intolerance are on the rise and this threatens our common humanity. A greater intervention is sought from you on these fronts, Your Excellency!
\nIt is often said that leaders are surrounded by all sorts of sycophants, who by night and day, sing their praises. This often prevents leadership from having an objective assessment of situations. It is in that light that I present you an alternate view which I hope you will carefully consider. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown; but it is also given unto to the head that wears the crown to make decisions that will positively impact upon its citizenry. The plight of the average Nigerian is miserable. More miserable than it has ever been in this Nation\u2019s history.
\nIn spite of the seeming scathing criticism, which nonetheless is founded upon glaringly evident grim scenarios, it is my hope that you succeed as President. In this effort, you will have to parley with both ally and opposition towards the common good. You will have to exhibit the highest levels of character and statesmanship, devoid of any form of ethnic and religious bias. You will need to be selfless, firm and courageous. You have to surrender your ego when necessary, and look into the eyes of the suffering and oppressed, towards alleviating and ameliorating their plight.
\nAbove all, you will need to continually ask the Heavens to guide you unto the noblest paths while taking crucial decisions and would do well to listen to the counsel of the elders and wise men who surround you. These people may not necessarily be deemed your friends \u2026
\nFlashes of your good intentions have oft revealed itself. You stoutly refused to embrace the gay culture and told this to the world. It was a proud moment for Nigeria who stood beside you at that moment. Your refusal to devalue the currency and your efforts in curbing corruption are also very commendable. More work still needs to be done, nonetheless; especially when it comes to ridding us of a corrupt Judiciary. If that cankerworm is not immediately tackled, all your other efforts will be in vain. Your competent Vice \u2013 a distinguished legal luminary \u2013 who is currently underutilized, can be saddled with this assignment.
\nA daunting task, Mr President, but none the less achievable. This you will not achieve alone either, and will need the support of well-meaning Nigerians to effect the needed transformation. It is especially pertinent that the average Nigerian changes! Each and every one of us has to play his own part in nation-building; we must first and foremost become the change that we seek! We must eschew tribalism, nepotism, hatred, and all forms of biases that counters the good in us. The perceptions, or reality of, a North-South divide, needs to be completely eradicated if we are to honestly refer to ourselves as a Nation.
\nYour Excellency, it is my earnest prayer that posterity remembers you for the advancements and great changes that will be effected in the course of your elected tenure.
\nMay God Bless Nigeria!\"Buhari\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If a state of emergency is not soon to be declared at the Federal level, the President urgently needs to be called to order. He is blundering far too much and seems to be disconnected from the many realities that will provide him the necessary anchorage for an impartial and objective leadership. I would first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6889,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[197],"class_list":["post-8083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","tag-mohammadu-buhari"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Buhari.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4oswh-26n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8083"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8084,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8083\/revisions\/8084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/newsroom247.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}