Is Buhari the Messiah or…

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind […]

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  Matthew 11:2-5
I am certain that many who campaigned fervently for President Muhammadu Buhari’s election had reached the point where like John the Baptist in the Bible text quoted above, they are anxious to know – “is Muhammadu Buhari the Messiah to come or do we look fo another?”  In these desperate times, Nigerians who placed their hope and confidence on Muhammadu Buhari, believing that their aspirations would be met, were beginning to be horrified by the country’s worsening circumstances and were needful of words of assurance, particularly from the President himself.
Today the Naira, for long in a free fall, is changing for nearly N300 to the US Dollar at the bureau de change. High exchange rate apart, restrictions make it almost impossible to make payments abroad. Naturally, this first hit industries that depend on bulk importation of raw materials and later, travellers and privately sponsored school children abroad. Many soft drink confectionaries have closed shop. Imported brands are thinning out. Travellers for the season have in most cases changed plans, even medical trips abroad are a more distant consideration. The Hausa foreign exchange operator, part of the Buhari “APC SAK” screaming supporters are mouth agape, at a loss what has become of their hopes for better business climate under the new regime of their fervent choice. Parents with children in schools abroad are in fever-pitch panic. Youth who clamoured for CHANGE loudest, have lost jobs and more are losing as investors reduce burdens.
In the last two months, Nigeria has been bent over by the crushing weight of scarcity of petroleum products. Embarrassing long queues have been nationwide. Today a jerry can is N4,500 in semi urban centres selling for more in cities. This has affected costs of transportation and basic needs badly. Making matters worse is the global salary uncertainty affecting all tiers of government.
While challenges could be well articulated, spokesmen of the Government, were never forthcoming with any convincing excuses and explanations, instead often piling blames for almost every challenge on “ousted” President Goodluck Jonathan, reserving praise for President Buhari on every glimmer of positive change.
Then a fortnight ago, we toyed with dynamite in the clash between the Shi’ite community in Zaria and the country’s military, opening a new potential for insurgency in the nation’s heartland. If Nigerians were angered by the infractions of the Shi’ites in Zaria, the overkill in the extended reaction of the military which saw more than a hundred Shi’ites massacred turned the anger more viciously against the government. In this column last week I opined that President Buhari “needs to speak words that will heal a nation now united in grief over the lives lost, mindful that he leads a democracy operating a constitution that guarantees right to life, freedom of choice, expression, and movement.” Since the Zaria event, Nigerians have clamoured to hear their president speak to them, not only on the tragedy, but to address the apparent rudderless national drift, so described because neither he nor any of his ministers have given as much as a hint as to what direction Nigeria is headed.
Many questions needed answers. Why are known problems as intractable as they have always been? The expectation of Nigerians were high, that problems like fuel shortage would be addressed, and sabotage of key players, ruthlessly dealt with under Buhari – certainly it was credited to him to be able to deal with the problem in one master stroke and if not, address the nation to say what was amiss and what was being done for tackling the challenge. No one expected the slow speed with which the cabinet was reconstituted, and when indeed it was reconstituted, many were miffed by the choices made particularly of some controversial politicians. Yet the confidence in the personality and the impeccable credentials of President Buhari directed more patience granted, but with worsening conditions, the question became pertinent – was President Buhari the messiah, or should we look for a new one? Should we find another Moser for the trip to the promised land?
In all fairness, no Nigerian reckoned with the ground conditions that President Buhari found in namely, the sudden crash in the price of oil, the sole sustainer of the economy, a regime-sponsored emptying of the treasury at departure, a strangulating petroleum cabal, and vicious adversarial political co-travellers hellbent on sustaining economic status quo against the people and the national interest.
There are good works that give hope and add to our faith, a recount of these as the answer can return from President Buhari to a doubting nation. He has not succumbed to the pressure to borrow. The counter insurgency effort has paid off. Many hitherto occupied cities of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States are receiving back populations that fled. The spine of the Boko Haram insurgency is broken, with peace in the area no longer a remote possibility. But President Buhari needs speak to Nigerians more often, beyond the Budget 2016 which he has just presented which has been a welcome opportunity for the nation to hear him. His apology to the nation on the fuel scarcity went down well. In a democracy such as ours, there should be more talking to Nigerians.
Happy Christmas.