TO EAGLE SQUARE! (5)

Meanwhile, here we go with this week’s offerings of advice from readers to the incoming Buhari Government (and readers who have not seen their contributions should wait or note that perhaps someone else had said the same point):ABDULSALAM MOHAMMED ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): The outgoing administration has gravely fractured the Nigerian society along all its fault lines. […]

Meanwhile, here we go with this week’s offerings of advice from readers to the incoming Buhari Government (and readers who have not seen their contributions should wait or note that perhaps someone else had said the same point):
ABDULSALAM MOHAMMED ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): The outgoing administration has gravely fractured the Nigerian society along all its fault lines. It will be a mistake and an underestimation of the Nigerian masses to gloss over this damage. For some reasons, which vary from an attempt to break up the country to an attempt to set the North against itself, Nigerians across the country believe the country has just survived an extremely sinister plot. This perceived plot has over these last few years resulted in a most serious loss of life and displacement of innocent citizens not witnessed since the civil war. A truth and reconciliation approach is therefore necessary to ensure that what actually happened is openly discussed, acknowledged and forgiven as an insurance against some misguided fellows trying it again in the future. The incoming administration must also implement a marshal plan-like plan for the North East; a plan that will focus on the provision of aggressive vocational education to create a massive chunk of self-employable manpower capable of supplying basic services to society and earning a living.
ABDULHAMEED MUHAMMED ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): This zoning thing of the APC is becoming very dangerous, and it is giving me undeserved nightmares. How come the APC did not think this matter through all this time? How come they are allowing politicians who only benefited from the party’s tsunami effect to appear as if they are more powerful than the party? APC ought to be very careful so as not to become like the PDP where the children were more powerful than the parent!
AISHATU MUHAMMAD YAYAJO ([email protected]): General Buhari should please note that the North East where I come from and where he was Governor before I was born has suffered incredible devastation from the hands of terrorist insurgents. Insurgency and the current Government’s approach to it have set back the progress and development of our geopolitical zone several years, if not decades.  In Borno State where I studied, for example, everything had been set back to square zero – business, education, agriculture! The entire state is in perpetual sorrow due losses in lives, limbs, property and business. Though the military are NOW trying, Buhari must investigate WHY it was left too late, so late that the damage has already been done. Buhari should also thoroughly investigate the causes and sponsors of this insurgency, and these sponsors should be brought to book and punished equivalent to what they have done to us!
LELE MUHAMMAD ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): The issue of unnecessary check-points on our highways should be looked into. They are not serving their purpose; they are only money-collecting and harassment points. But the worst part is that armed robbers also mimick the security agencies and set up their own ‘check-points’, or rather robbery points. There was a night we were travelling along Ningi-Bauchi road when we ran into armed robbers dressed in soldiers’ uniforms. Fortunately, our driver had memorised all the ‘legal’ money-collecting check-points on this road, and this was not one of them, since they had no barricades. He slowed down as if to pull over, which made them relax their corked guns, and then he zoomed off fast! We were just lucky. We reached the next ‘legal’ checkpoint soon after and reported their ‘copycat’ armed robbery point behind us. They replied us in such an offensive manner that we immediately understood it was their ‘branch’! Do away with them, Buhari!
IBRAHIM SALISU NA’INNA ([email protected]): I strongly advice General Muhammad Buhari to give priority to three major problems: corruption, unemployment and insecurity. On corruption, let him know that many sectors of the economy such as education, power, roads and industries are weak as a result of corruption, and it should be eradicated. Unemployment has caused many social vices in this country, though poverty should NOT be an excuse for criminality. But it is a fact of life that “The idle mind is the devil’s workshop!” The Buhari Administration should provide functional employment to youth, stabilise agriculture and give loans to small businesses. On insecurity: if we want to see our country as a “developed” country in the future, security is a necessary ingredient. All developed countries which we are trying to catch up with can boast of adequate, if not absolute, security.
ZAINAB ABDULFATTAH ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): The incoming President must hear this! I am a Level 200 student in a Nigerian university. The major problem I am facing is lack of on-campus hostel accommodation. I came from a distant state to the state of my university, and on my first day the Hostel Matron told me “There is no space.” I am lucky to have relatives in town, but there are thousands more who don’t know anybody. The disadvantages of not getting accommodation on campus are so many, especially for us female students. Staying Off-K (as we call Off Campus) is very dangerous, very financially-draining, and causes a lot late coming to class. Lack of accommodation hampers one’s study, as one cannot make adequate use of the library, and one cannot benefit from group studies. Incoming President Buhari must see to it that universities concentrate on building new and decent accommodation, especially for female students.
ABUBAKAR SANI ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): “Between An Election And A Phone Call”, a poem on the 2015 Election (Excerpts):
On the 28th day of March, 2015
Nigeria kept a date with destiny
Nigeria, a country with so much potential
But, sadly, with a predilection, all too often, to falter…
…And so it was that the day came to pass
The die was cast and out came the voters
But the real stars were the election umpire
Plus the two main rivals, Buhari and President Jonathan
As the results trickled in from the 36 odd states
It became clear that the momentum had swung Buhari’s way
Just three more states and it would be all over
Surely the writing was on the wall – any need to wait much longer?
The entire country was on a knife’s-edge – no exaggeration
How would the loser react – with grace or rejection?
But we did not have to wait too long to find out
For Providence, ever so gracious, was lurking around
As the statesman in President Jonathan came to the fore
Promptly, without a fuss, to Buhari he placed a call:
‘Congratulations’, he said. ‘You have won’
Leaving Buhari – presumably – befuddled, incredulous…
HAJARA USMAN ([email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;): Tell all your readers that I have started my own trek to Eagle Square. See all of you there on May 29 in sha Allah. And Columnist, it is YOUR duty to get us your readers our Invitation Cards!
Alhamdu lilLah (Thanks be to God) for His favours; and for all these demands and expectations on General Muhammadu Buhari and his team, HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel! (God is Sufficient for us and He is the Best Disposer of affairs).