Remembering Yar’adua

You are a nationalist, some said.   Others say you are a detribalized leader; yet some argued that you are the most incorruptible and patriotic leader Nigeria has ever produced. Prophets are never accepted in their homes neither are they praised in their times. Good men, they say, never last. And yes, even heavens would testify […]

You are a nationalist, some said.   Others say you are a detribalized leader; yet some argued that you are the most incorruptible and patriotic leader Nigeria has ever produced. Prophets are never accepted in their homes neither are they praised in their times. Good men, they say, never last. And yes, even heavens would testify that you are indeed a good man. While you were with us, you exemplified honesty, sincerity, truthfulness and a high sense of humility.

Providence elevated you to the highest position in the land, yet you were the most humble. Nature favoured your clan, yet you were the easiest going. You were more or less born with a golden spoon yet, you were hardworking. What other way would we have tested you? Indeed none.

 Few days ago, we were told you were fast recuperating. We were excited and anxiously awaited your resumption of office. But that excitement was short-lived because you graciously answered the superior call of your creator.

We are painfully referring to you today in the past tense because you finally bowed in submission to the will of the Almighty Allah. But we took solace in the fact that you will no longer be insulted or denigrated for being the suspect behind the socio-economic and political backwardness of this country. Certainly Allah has lifted that burden away from you, and the nation would have to look for a new man to crucify, because your Lord has called and you answered His call with grace.

Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, some of your commentators were unfair in their comments about you and the calamity that befell you. They forgot that both sickness and health are all creatures of the Almighty God; but our faith in the presence of tribulation determines who we are and you held on to your faith tenaciously, holding unto God and believing in Him alone.

Mr President Sir, the very first day you took the oath of office, you openly admitted in the presence of the whole world that the election that produced your administration was grossly flawed. You have a plausible reason for deniability at that very moment because you were not the organizer of that election, neither was it conducted under your supervision. But your sincerity to the oath you took could not allow you the opportunity of a marginal lie. Sir, you are a rare breed, cut off from those morally bankrupt leaders who would see black and swear with everything swearable that it is white.

Before your demise, some hawks became so desperate, trying by all means to rubbish your administration and denied you the credit for your achievements. Amnesty for Niger Delta militants, anti-corruption crusade, strict adherence to rule of law, creation of Niger Delta ministry, dredging of River Niger and resuscitation of Nigerian Railways just to mention a few of your achievements which have conveniently vanished from the data base of your daily commentators and critics.

Today, some states are what they are because of your strong support for the doctrines of separation of powers. You allowed the judiciary to perform its duties and you strictly abided by their judgments. But for your adherence to the rule of law, some state governors would not have been. Peter Obi of Anambra State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State are all beneficiaries of your strict adherence to the rule of law and compliance to judicial pronouncements. So also was the release of Lagos State Local Governments funds which the court ordered but the federal government under Obasanjo refused to comply. In your characteristic manner, you religiously complied by all the court rulings as a fulfillment of your earlier promise of respect for the rule of law.   

Mr President Sir, you taught us how to lead quietly but taught us to lead effectively by example. Hence, your public declaration of assets at the beginning of your tenure in fulfillment of the code of conduct requirement. That singular act is unprecedented in the annals of this great nation, and Nigerians shall remember you for this rare example.  

Wonders they say, shall never end. Just few weeks ago, some Nigerians picked delight in denigrating you, calling you all sorts of names and presented you as the bane of Nigeria’s socio –economic stagnation. Today, they are surprisingly showering encomiums on you and some even said you were the best president Nigeria ever had. What a people!

Sir, your open acceptance of the existence of flaws in our electoral system and process made you initiate the much needed electoral reforms. Nigerians have even argued that electoral reform is the mother of all reforms as according to them, if the system that produce leaders is right, then right leaders will consequently be produced. We thank you for the foresight.            

How else can Nigerians thank you for the standard you set for future Nigerian leaders: Hardworking, humble, honest, truthfulness, incorruptible, sincere, visionary, detribalized and courageous to pursue set agenda? What quality is it that you didn’t exemplify in your short but highly memorable tenure? Mr. President even your worse critics would gladly admit that, there is none.   

Sir, your critics say you were too slow, yes, but you were better than a bully and one who trample upon the right of others. You do not arrogate the monopoly of knowledge to yourself and you accepted publicly that you are human and therefore limited in knowledge, limited in ability, limited in capacity and therefore couldn’t be an all-knowing president because you are a creation of the Almighty creator. You will thus consult, listen and accommodate the view point of others.

Mutawalli, how I wish you recovered from your illness so as to enable you appreciate your wife for all the sacrifices she made on your behalf with tremendous love, compassion and more trust. She deserved all of these because she stood, perhaps alone, like a Trojan soldier against a vast army of Nigeria’s columnists, commentators and political jobbers, yet undeterred. And though she lost you, but she lost only to a superior power. Sir, you made no mistake in your selection of her as your bride, she was truly your garment and protected your nakedness away from public glare. May the Almighty Allah re-unite you with your jewel in the day of judgement in aljannat firdaus.   

Hon. Aliyu wrote from Minna