A role for Muhammadu Buhari

He can also be said to be the president Nigeria needs at this time but due to many factors, some beyond even his control and psychological fear of him by those whose hands, despite peoples’ thumbs, make a president, all conspired and will continue to conspire against him. Since conspiring against him amounts to conspiring […]

He can also be said to be the president Nigeria needs at this time but due to many factors, some beyond even his control and psychological fear of him by those whose hands, despite peoples’ thumbs, make a president, all conspired and will continue to conspire against him.

Since conspiring against him amounts to conspiring against the people he cries for and he will not give up the noble desire to salvage the nation, he has to change strategy, tactics and method. Being a soldier well trained in the act of leadership, warfare, deceit, camouflage and manoeuvre to dominate his environment, Buhari had fought wars and had brushes with enemies and always came out tops.

This “war” (politics) should not be beyond him to win for the people. He only needs to change his approach and undoubtedly have around him not ineffectual noisemakers and political jobbers but real foot soldiers who are grassroots politicians, have the confidence of their people, adept in politics and can deliver at least their wards.

Again in life, every man has a role to play for the advancement of the human race. Some, naturally, are born into it or are fortunate enough to meet theirs along the path they traverse from birth without hitches. But majority must consciously seek theirs.

Whatever that role would be, though, ones trajectory in life helps prepare one for one’s destined role in life just as George Bernard Shaw said “Man is the total sum of his experience”.

Enough of philosophy! Therefore, objectively and dispassionately, what role should suit the peoples’ General better? Whatever I am going to opine here are my contributions towards making the north and ultimately Nigeria a better place, at least if not for us, then for the next, innocent generation and how I believe Buhari can better make that happen.

There may be as many opinions on this out there as there are people out their but ultimately or in the final analysis, the decision is his to make and he cannot be begrudged that liberty.

While it may not be out of place to submit that age is no longer on his side, it is also true that what the wisdom associated with age fathoms, the zest that goes with youth may not see. A leading moral light, Buhari, apart from being a statesman is a father figure and so in a polar position to be a guide to the nation and its leadership.

But for that to be so, he has to start from his immediate constituency, the north. As it is now, the north can be said to be in disarray, in chaos, in turmoil, directionless, not sure of what it wants, needs or desires and all as a result of rudderless, insensitive and me-and-my-family or what now goes as F&F (Friends and Family) leadership.

The north needs Buhari to give it cohesiveness and the desired leadership so that rather than pull the nation down, the north, once again, as it was in the good old days, when it had a responsive leadership, will push Nigeria to glory land.

As it were, the south west is about the only region in Nigeria that can boast of cohesiveness, unity of purpose and under a strong and united leadership that cares for the welfare of its people.

A time there was when the north had a strong, foresighted leader who united it even though it was made up of people from diverse backgrounds religiously, politically, tribally and culturally. The Sardauna put in place all the necessary structures for the development of the region and educated the people. One cannot exhaust the achievements and contributions of the Sardauna and definitely it is impossible in this write-up.

Right now there are many who aspire to the north’s leadership but then the north should be in a hurry to put its acts together and get it right fast. In this respect, the north cannot afford to wait for the pretenders to rise above their current mediocrity. So for now, the north, for its sake, has to give its support to someone who has given mileage to the others and is neck shoulders above them. And this is where Buhari comes for he is the one.

Now, how does Buhari bring out the north from its current almost hopeless situation? To those not destined for that role, it’s a herculean or unachievable task but to the man, Buhari, it is going to be a piece of cake but there is a path he must follow.

Irrespective of party affiliations, Buhari should connect with northern Governors on the way forward and what is expected of them and the Governors must unite so that the north will produce the President in 2015.

Buhari, northern Governors, political elites and Emirs must sit together and bring out a real patriot who can lead the country out of its present doldrums. Of course he (Buhari) needs to sacrifice his ambition for someone who has the same traits as him but younger, intelligent and principled enough. That person must also be someone who can take guidance from the General as opposed to what we see daily occurring between those who rape our commonwealth and those they anoint.

This suggestion of how he is to start may look very simplistic in the sense that the Governors, Emirs and political elites are only three out of the many pillars on which the north’s fate rests. There are in the north a lot of registered and unregistered political groupings, pressure groups, Non-Governmental Organisations, religious associations, former Governors, Ministers, members of the legislator (national and states), party bigwigs, retired Military and Paramilitary rednecks, business magnates, corporate czars, nationally and internationally acclaimed journalists,  activists, unionists, students, etc. He has to meet with them as they are all stakeholders and let them see the precarious situation the north has found itself in and aggregate the solutions and suggestions of all into a master plan for the region’s revival.

In all these discussions, he must endeavour to earn their trusts that what he is doing is for altruistic purposes; he is only a guide, a father figure and that at the end of all these discussions meant to unite and give bearing to the north, he will support and mentor whoever all these stakeholders bring forth to vie for the presidency in 2015.

But to achieve this though, he must cultivate the attitude of embracing ALL as his as well as the spirit of forgiveness and give and take knowing full well that his house is on fire he has no other house to call his own. He has to focus on salvaging the north as a priority.

Ahmed writes from No. 42, Army Barracks, Potiskum, Yobe State. [email protected]