Keeping Faith With Buhari's Pace

Opinion

By Tayo Ogunbiyi

While addressing some Nigerians in Diaspora in the course of his recent visit to the United States of America, President Muhammadu Buhari revealed that he was aware that some Nigerians are already becoming impatient with the perceived ‘slow’ pace of his government. He even informed his audience that some Nigerians now refer to him as ‘Baba go slow’. He, however, pledged that irrespective of his country men’s initial misgivings about his style of governance, his government would not disappoint the people.

In reality, no one should begrudge Nigerians about their early distrust of the Buhari administration. Really, these are not the best of times for our beloved fatherland. The economy is currently in a comatose. The nation’s foreign reserve has been recklessly depleted. To worsen things, with the continued somersaulting of the naira, inflation and unemployment are at an all-time high. Indeed, one would not be missing the point if one should assert that the Nigerian economy is in shambles. The decline in the global price of oil has continued to deal a devastating blow on the Nigerian economy.

With major consumers of our crude oil such as the United States and Britain now looking elsewhere to source for their oil needs, we have had to cut down on our daily crude production. The reality of our awful economic situation is already biting hard on almost every facet of our national life. Lots of the states in the federation are almost grounded economically with some having difficulties paying workers’ wages. Currently, aside the various federal government agencies and parastatals that are being owed various salaries and emoluments, about twenty state governments owe workers salaries ranging between seven and two months while some have resorted to paying their workers half salaries.

Aside the poor state of the economy and its devastating effects on Nigerians, the fuel situation remains largely unchanged as access to this all important product remains restricted to most Nigerians. In the few places where the product is available, it is being sold at very exorbitant prices.

In Lagos, motorists, commuters and others have continued to groan under the heavy yoke of fuel scarcity. From all indications, this particular scarcity might take a bit longer before it subsides as the Buhari government is yet to come out with any clear cut policy direction on local fuel consumption. The current fuel situation has, undoubtedly, brought untold hardship to many Nigerians. A major by product of crude oil, the availability of petroleum is crucial to the continuous survival of the country’s economy as factories, companies, industries and, indeed, homes hugely rely on accessibility to this product, on a daily basis. In essence, its non availability could spell doom for the local economy considering the not too reliable state of public electricity.

The security situation is not getting any better either. Insurgency in the north-eastern part of the country is gaining a new momentum. Rather than diminish, the devilish activities of the Boko Haram group have gained astonishing impetus in recent times. Indeed, there is a renewed Boko Haram offensive in Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi and other northern states of the country as the group now strikes with disgusting audacity. According to reports, the “godless” and “mindless” group has killed close to 500 people within the few months of the Buhari administration. Nothing seems to deter them from perpetrating their dastardly act. For churches, mosques, schools and many other hapless Nigerians, the fear of Boko Haram is now the beginning of wisdom.

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From all indications, our beloved country is certainly passing through tough times. Many Nigerians are becoming frustrated that things are not getting any better as they would want it to be. It is, therefore, quite logical that some Nigerians are not satisfied with what they have termed the ‘slow pace’ of the Buhari government. Those who hold this view readily points to the inability of the
Some of them based their reasoning on the inability of the President to form his cabinet after almost two months in office. Others also fault him for not coming out to make categorical policy statements on the agonising fuel situation and other such critical aspects of the nation’s life. Many also claimed that he is foot-dragging on the issue of prosecuting perceived corrupt political leaders.

While it is apt for Nigerians to express their reservations concerning the ‘slow pace’ of the Buhari administration, it is, however, important for all and sundry to keep faith with the government. Nigerians need to bear in mind that the rot in the nation is too deep rooted to be taken care of within a few weeks of the Buhari administration. Almost every institution in the country has been dealt a fatal blow by years of poor governance and bad planning. To properly fix the rot in the system and put the comatose economy in good shape would, therefore, require lots of meticulous and painstaking strategizing on the part of the government.

In his Eid-el- Fitr message to Nigerians, President Buhari clearly agreed that there are daunting challenges facing the country but at the same time emphasised that “we must do things well and carefully to ensure that the great opportunity which we now have is not lost to the ‘business as usual’ group who selfishly or shortsightedly prefer a status quo that panders to their personal or group interests.”

One thing that would definitely assist Buhari in his mission to rebuild the country, which past Nigerian leaders did not have in sufficient measure, is his integrity. Integrity remains Buhari’s best selling point. Among Nigerian leaders, past and present, Buhari is renowned for his anti-corruption stance and honesty of purpose. He is one Nigerian who has seen it all as far as occupying privileged public positions is concerned. He had been military Head of State, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Governor of old Borno state and Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which was then the cash basket of the country. However, there has not been even an accusation of him using those positions to corruptly enrich himself. This is quite extraordinary in a country where people see public service as a means to an end.

Through his handling of state affairs so far, the President has come through as a meticulous leader. What we owe him is to keep faith with his style of governance. Our present sorry state as a nation is partly a culmination of the previous cabinets, policies and programmes that were hurriedly put in place by successive administrations. Hence, we need to patiently trust Buhari’s cautious and painstaking style of government. According to Greek philosopher and critic, Aristotle, “patience is bitter but its fruit is sweeter.” God bless Nigeria!

—Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

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