Introduction
Long before the Nigerian election became big international news and even had to postponed for six clear weeks because of the vexatious insurgency of Boko Haram, I hadn’t been a keen follower of Nigerian politics.
That Nigeria’s own electoral commissioner, Prof. Attahiru Jega had decided to allow the polls to be moved because of security especially in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, whipped up some interest.
I must admit that a twitter onslaught (word advisedly used) by some Nigerian friends and the unmissable hashtag #Febuhari (given that the election was in February) got me into the groove.
That resulted in my facebook following of General Mohammadu Buhari and @ThisIsBuhari (his twitter handle). At the time I restricted myself to just a few facebook likes of anything Buhari and APC (the political party he was leading)
My crush on Nigeria’s North
Once a colleague asked where else I would love to live beside Accra, my present location; almost instantaneously I replied; “Northern Nigeria.” But that was an answer that threw the entire office into a state of hysteria.
What! One exclaimed and continued; “as for you, for all the places in this world, you want to reside in Northern Nigeria?” Well I don’t care about New York, London or Paris insofar as I can have Kano, Katsina or Zamfara.
Disclaimer: Makkah and Madina are places I love and long to visit insha Allah ta’aalaa but for me Northern Nigeria has always been top of my list of places I would love to stay. Surely a religiously, culturally, politically, socially and artistically balanced stretch that lies atop Africa’s populous country is my dream destination.
Death of Yar Adua: Divine Test To The North
My meager tracking of the Nigerian political landscape was about the North – South, South – North unwritten rule within the ruling PDP which produced where a candidate from one side had to pick a running mate from the other side.
That arrangement produced three successive presidents two of southern extraction (Gen. Olusegun Obassanjo and outgoing Goodluck Jonathan) and one Northerner (Alhaji Umar Musah Yar Adua.)
The death of the latter was to be a turning point in Nigerian political dynamics as Goodluck then vice – President was sworn in as president but expected to step down after completing the Yar Adua term for another Muslim candidature. That was not to be. Goodluck soldiered on with his first full term (2011 – 2015)
All through the tenure of Obasanjo, Yar Adua, Jonathan; one name almost always popped up as opposition candidate. That is the president – elect; General Mohammadu Buhari (native of Daura in Katsina State, same as the Late Yar Adua)
Buhari was a losing candidate to Obasanjo in 2003, Musa Yar Adua in 2007 and Jonathan in 2011, against Jonathan running for a second term; Buhari beat Jonathan in an election which’s main record is the first to defeat an incumbent president in the fourth republic.
Now to the question of why Buhari?
For any country that is referred to as a big brother in Africa with it most populous record, matters to do with them especially political must concern us all one way or the other.
First and foremost Buhari was a Muslim and with a record of having governed Nigeria with sweeping reforms and decisions, all be it in a military ambience. It has not all been rosy but certainly his sense of discipline and incorruptibility was undoubted.
Shekau and his Boko Haram hooligans were running riot in the North and cheap political enough, the PDP would rather blame Buhari for it and call Boko Haram the Islamic wing of Buhari’s party the APC.
“I assure you that Boko Haram would soon know the strength of our collective willand commitment to rid this nation of terror…. We shall strongly battle another form of evil even worse than terrorism – the evil of corruption. Corruption attacks and seeks to destroy our national institutions and character” (typical Hausa tonation) quote from Buhari’s first address as president – elect. General: I salute!
Nigeria’s economy was booming with the instrumentality of rebasing and ingenuity of the Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, yet cronyism and corruption was gradually eroding the gains that had been made. The wind of change had began blowing.
The Buhari candidature was more focused on issues of security and basic needs of the Nigerian whiles the ruling party was among others, questioning his school certificates and playing other mischievous pranks.
My Conclusions
All that said, it is not as if the General can turn Nigeria around as though it was a saloon car on a roundabout. More than anything; Nigeria is like an ocean liner going towards an iceberg, it would take time and tact to avoid the crash and make a turn.
Bold decisions would have to be taken, friends may turn into foes overnight. Foots shall be trampled upon, and the challenges would have to be handled like a rogue bull; by the horn.
A northern Nigerian wife won’t be a bad idea at all and life lived in Yobe, Borno, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa or Zamfara would be dream come true. For now, an old family connection and Nigerian social media friends are the main bond.
Once a military ruler and three times failed presidential aspirant. Today the landlord of Aso Rock (presidential Villa), Chief, Igwe, Oga, Oba to the southerners and Baba and Sarki to fellow northerners but above all, federal boss of a Nigeria in dire need of security and incorruptibility.
May Allah grant the General the neck and shoulders to carry the hopes of that great country. In his words: “… with the help of God, we pledge to do our best to bring forth the Nigeria you seek.” God bless Africa’s BIG brother. Ameen.
28th Jumadath Thaane 1436 = 17th April 2015
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