An Evening With Goodluck Jonathan

I was a year older recently. It was a privilege not only to be alive but in a clime like ours in Nigeria, each year is not just a privilege but a gift that one should grab with both hands and legs.

I had chosen to engage in sober reflection, more so as it coincided with Fathers’ Day. In a nation where it is increasingly becoming difficult to be a good father…one could best imagine my mood as I thought of the life of Auwal Shanono, the young medical student cut in the prime of his life, and several drivers that paid the ultimate price for no fault of theirs at the parking lot of the Police Headquarters in Abuja when Boko Haram militants bombed the place.

Coupled with the lack of security, alarming increase in cost of food items, and a waning public confidence in government, it was not a time for celebration except of course you were being awarded a Honorary doctorate degree in science for delivering electoral votes.

In these reflections, word got to me that the president wanted an audience with me…the President! Yes o, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of Nigeria wanted to see me.

I had thought of the transport money you get when you visit the Villa ála Bakare nee SNG’ and all those trado-religious guys and the tea they drink. I said to myself, after all its our money, I will go for my share or do I keep my small integrity and not show up, just decline the invite? After consultations that lasted some two days, I decided to go.

Besides, it was a chance to meet Nigeria’s first Ph.D. President, a nice man with a good heart. The man that no shoes as a kid but now has so many pairs of shoes that he does not know which to wear.

Got to the Aso Rock Villa that evening, soaking in my surroundings; it then occurred to me that this is one place with so much history…two presidents died here. Two were chased out under unceremonious circumstances, and another two got there by sheer luck. All these thoughts and more occupied me as I was taken into the expansive waiting room, like Obama had called him, I was called but I was not going to be over-awed I said to myself.

I was offered a foreign bottled water, I sat into the imported Italian sofa, the whole place was imported, except that I could hear the noise of a generator, not far away…in my heart it was a case of “even this place no get light”.

Ten minutes after, the man with the bowler hat that even the Clintons love, stepped in. Now at a close range, I noticed his big nose, on top of that sweet Ijaw smile of his. We shook hands, he took his seat and we began introduction formalities that I would not want to bore you with. I brought out my reporter’s notebook, a recorder and we began.

Your Excellency, because of the time constraints, pressing business of state, I will just ask you all my questions at once, so that there will be no need for follow-up questions, and debates… (As I know you do not like debates).

He obliged and below I have reproduced my questions as I asked them.

Are you ready for this job; is the job overwhelming, how difficult is it? Many of your statements are hurriedly made and thus quickly recanted by you or your managers (Like the football ban and FIFA, like you told Obama, Boko Haram was a domestic issue and then you told Nigerians, terrorism is an international affair and you are not safe, or the conflicting policy statements on power and energy, or like you promised a cabinet list with portfolios in two weeks but I am sure when this interview is out we may still not have got Ministers to help you not that anyone is noticing the difference, rather I think we are saving cost).

Sir, are you afraid of sacking the Inspector General, head of SSS, the NSA or any of those saddled with the maintenance of security for failure on their part?

How are you dealing with the opposition, do you think they are responsible for all these early morning sickness of your administration? There are persons that have a padlock grip on state matters positively and negatively, how will you deal with them?

We still have the Obasanjos, IBBs and co., how do you intend to handle them, in not many words one of them refer to you as a lame duck as far as corruption is concerned and you will do nothing, is this true?

Sir, what is your take on your victory at the polls, are you consolidating it, and efforts at nation-building are you ready for it? Your supporters say you need time, exactly how much time are we talking about, in fact when will you really start?

If you do not finish the good work you are about to start or have started or do not even start by next year don’t you think you will need more time…like tenure elongation, though constitutionally?

Can you disappoint PDP and toe a different line, many say you are a man of too many words these days, as against the very quiet Jonathan of Turai’s kitchen era. You have promised this and that, but opinion is divided on whether you have said anything, will you deliver?

Can you unite Nigerians, given the almost every day constant reminders that we are on the edge, Boko Haram Bombs, MEND Explosions, MASSOB (threats for now), OPC, robbers, terrorists, suicide and homicide bombers, unemployment bombs etc.?

In terms of our institutions, they are almost collapsing, PHCN, is no news, the health sector is another, and education is there. Will you bring on board old war horses with nothing to offer or at best same old 1975 attitude that got us here?

Your Excellency, are you a nice man, a weak man, humble man or a sly president or you are still trying to define yourself?

I paused, looked at my wristwatch, twenty minutes were gone, I had 15 left, there were more questions I wanted to ask, so many, like what did you do in Bayelsa, is it true that X, was not Y even though Z is the last, and all those kind of questions that emanate from the vendors’ shop or did Yar’Adua hand over to Yayale instead of you? But the foregoing questions would do.

After I had finished, Mr. President looked at the list, beamed his now usual smile and started answering them. An aide had just sneaked in with a file I could see from where I sat boldly written “Classified: The President’s Men, Promises And Realities”. I turned my head back and quickly interjected.

“Mr. President, I do not seek answers, Nigerians seek action, you are in charge, and the powers are yours, start to work, do something, anything, one thing or nothing”. Whatever reasons Nigerians voted you is getting inconsequential by the day…Prove yourself, the excuses are not tenable.”

And I woke up…it was a dream…I was sweating, not sure if it was a malaria bout or the fact that there was no light and the weather was hot…Life and its dreams. The Yoruba say it is a trap that the giant rat disdains that wrenches its testicles backwards. Dangers that one belittles are liable to cause great havoc. When a people suffer low expectation it’s easy for the Stockholm syndrome to set it…This president won an election, he must now earn it!

•Prince Charles Dickson is an Editor with burningpot.com, Nigeria’s 1st Online Newspaper. Tel.: 234-08033311301, 08057152301.