babansaibo@gmail.com
Dear
Mr. President Sir,
With
all due regards and hopes for your wellbeing, with ardent anticipations of
these past months and the few to come will come to be the most difficult times
of your life, with fervent expectations that your nights are seen as bright as
are your days, with even sheer certitude that you spare not a second to
ensuring righteousness, honesty and justice are the keys to making your
decisions in serving with transparency, fairness and equity the people you
lead. As “A time for historic change is no time for recklessness”, says former
President of the US George W. Bush. May your days of service be fruitful and of
bliss, and I wish and pray that the Almighty may see you all through this
quest.
I
wish to begin by conveying to you Sir, that I am 29 years of age, a resident
and born of Bauchi State and that I used to be a no good citizen. I have in the
past broken some laws and was engaged in (let’s say) a few illegal acts. One
time I made a forgery of my Local Government’s indigene certificate just to
bypass the lengthy procedures to obtaining the genuine copy. During the 2011
general elections, I stood in line to vote (for you), and I did, but then I
didn’t have a voters’ card. That too was unlawful. In the past, I engaged in
exams malpractices, an act of which I rebuke today with utter disdain. I’ve
disobeyed traffic laws, school laws and even encouraged others to violate them.
I offered bribes to policemen and working staffs whenever I get whelmed in
desperation over things I eagerly need. Yes, I was a no good citizen.
Regretful
are these past behaviors of mine. Yes. But then again, regretful has been the
civil order of this country for a very long time. A time not so near to that of
which I was born. By thence I was born, all these past deeds of mine were
already the regular ways things were done in this country. Although, as does
all citizens, I also learnt in time, that the “regular ways” in which things
were done in this country are flawed and are absolutely out-of-order. The
system is sick. The people also, are sick; well, some are sick, whilst some art
the sickness. Thus, in realizing such every son of the land with a healthy conscience
would set forth to seeking a “change”.
Albeit
still, in essence to how this country’s system worked (or still works), I plead
not guilty, for it must be understood that it is my country that violated
against me and not me She. Do you recall in your acceptance speech when you
said to Nigerians “you have voted for change, and now change has finally come?”
Well, I registered that as a promise from you Sir and for that I also have
pledged to change, and I vow to never again break any laws of the State.
It
is strange how one’s epiphany for the betterment of his home-land and prospects
for true civil order comes from the reasons that hopes for the subsistence and
liberation of an entire nation hath withered to being one man’s ultimate possibility.
Very strange. I quote my confessions to Nigerians from a piece (Whither
Nigerians’ faith after APC’s Presidential primaries), “Lest I remind us that albeit
General Muhammadu Buhari remains Nigeria’s only best hope for a proper credible
and responsible leadership as well as governance any other citizen is better
than this clueless sick.” In these 100 days of your leadership in office Sir,
you have proven not only to Nigerians, but to the whole world the worth of your
12years “Long Walk to Change”, as Sa’id Enagi calls it.
Permit me to remind you Sir of the
wild celebrations that claimed innocent lives during that same historic evening
that also claimed your victory. Blames were thrown on the dead and the injured
for their recklessness, but I ask why are they to blame after having suffered a
lifetime of hardship which was instilled upon them by their own brethren? Yet
still, I earnestly seek to know who’s to blame for the same people would have
exercised the same nefarious on others if the chance was theirs’ to rule. “Leaders
do not fall from the sky.”- Abubakar Gimba (Letter to the Unborn child), do
they? The same man went to iterate later in the same book “a nation is as good
or as bad as the character of its men.” Why then are they to blame?
“Behold,
verily may the world stop and see, the “fortunate tragedy” that befell thee.
The former our freedom gained 1st of October, the latter our canker,
our grime yet moreover… and after a struggle we gained independence, ‘oh my’! How
the stories of Nigeria’s confidence…” Indeed it was a “fortunate tragedy” that befell this
country when she experienced the freedom of sovereignty on 1st
October 1960. But, March the 28th 2015 will forever entail in
history how this country attained independence. I would attest that Hannatu Musawa
couldn’t have been blunter in that wonderful poesy “Nigeria we hail thee”. I,
as a declared changed citizen of Nigeria, hereby proclaim this day (28th
March 2015) the “Self Independence day”, for you Mr. President would agree with
me that, it was an independence attained by “self” with “self” and through
“self”.
The
very same eve of your victory came to Nigerians as though it was a long awaited
dream. Perhaps it was some dream-come-true; perhaps it was some sort of
mystery; and perhaps God just decided it be a turning point for the good people
of Nigeria. They say “God works in mysterious ways” indeed He does. And that is
why when times of change approach (especially in adverse nations such as ours)
God and mystery are the prominent artists for that “Change” to edifice.
I
would have forever declared your ascension to power somewhat a mystery of a
circumstance, but thanks to Franz Rosenthal’s break-down of how power is
swapped from a dominant dynastic tyranny to a justice led opposition all
through time, in the book of Ibn Khaldun (Al-Muqaddima), Franz explained, “All
dynastic history moves in circles, as it approaches senility, the dynasty
slowly shrinks inwards from its borders towards its center under the persistent
pressure of the new outside leader and his group. Eventually the dynasty
collapses. The new leader and his group there upon constitute a new dynasty”. In
the end, he (Franz) concluded that the new dynasty must “-suffer in three more
generations the fate of its predecessors”. Having already experienced the empirical
replica of the former, one must ardently hope and pray that we would not come
to assume the theoretical replica of the latter. For, this is God’s own change
for Nigeria.
In
Adamu Adamu’s testimony which he titled “Unfurling the spangled”, released after
Nigeria’s glorious “bloodless revolution”, he asserted that “if the elections
had failed, this country would have become engulfed in a series of wars without
borders-between regions and within them; between faiths and within them; and
between the haves and the have-nots. And each of them would have been a fight
to the finish-and so, there would have been three finishes; and Boko Haram
would have waited for sides to get tired killing each other before it would
come in for the final kill, and that would have been the fourth finish. ” I’d
say it’s the absolute profound truth as it was told.
But
to an ignorant wonderer, the question would be, “what went wrong, where, when and how”, for Adamu Adamu’s seeming
horrific testimony to have been the only ends to an unjustified means? I had
best answer this in Hannatu Musawa’s words as she had brilliantly aligned it in
her beautiful poesy; “the fanfare in the
past started with president’s address, followed by a march pass to mark our
fabulous mess! Undoubtedly each party will claim “history, victory” oblivious
as always of the people’s misery. Corruption is said has been fought with all
might. Yet the return of the looters is plainly in sight… when 15 years ago we
were promised democracy we welcomed the end of the military hypocrisy. But
little did we know that a democratic dictatorship would smell even worse than a
rotten potato chip!” and from thence it continued, but this time in the
words of Abubakar Gimba; “Treachery and betrayal by tricksters have been turned
into great attributes of wisdom smartness and intelligence. Cheating, a mean vice
is venerated as a fine art of strategic thinking. Lying and dishonesty are
applauded as witty maneuvering. Greed is dressed in an appealing costume as
legitimate ambition and vision. Inconsiderate selfishness is hailed as a
self-drive towards self-realization and fulfillment.” In Aminu Ala’s song “Bakar Malafa” (the Black Bowler-hat),
he had this to submit; “Jari hujja akeyi mana
mukami nasaman doka, da masu kudi da masu mulki se yadda sukayi akan doka. An yunkura
maida mu bayi kana bauta da ‘yancinka… an zabi ruba-ruba namu da sunan wai wakiltarka.
A basu kudi su mika mu hannu kwarya hannu bakka. Tunanin su iyalansu, su tara abinda
ba tabka. Suna tsoron talau cewa, suna shakkar zama talakka.” (We face an
unjustly treacherous rule, (where political) positions are above the law. The
rich and the powerful do as they please regardless of the law. We are being
enslaved (in our land), as one is a slave despite one’s freedom… the rotten and
corrupt amongst us are chosen in the name to represent us. They collect money
(bribes) to abandon us, with one hand in their plates and the other in their
pockets. All their thoughts (care) are of their families, (and for them) to
make what they did not earn. They are afraid of bankrupting; they are terrified
of becoming poor). And this is where Hannatu would come to agreeing with Adamu
by testifying that (his assertions), “will
be the outcome if this conduct lasts.” And regretfully, it would have been.
Dr.
George Gallup once said “if democracy is about the will of the people, then
someone should go and find out what that will is.” I earnestly seek to know
whether you had him (Dr. Gallup) in mind when you uttered in your Chatham House
speech, “…it is globally agreed that democracy is not an event but a journey,
and that the destination of this journey is democracy consolidation; the state
where democracy has become so rooted and so rooting and widely accepted by all
actors…,” my apprehension of your words do not only give distinguishing honor
to the locus classicus specimen of
leadership you possess, but it also tells extensively of your sublime efficacy.
In this case then, you stand being the ‘liberator of Nigeria’s democracy’,
thus, thanks to Dr. Gallup, we have found our will. You again argued that,
“it’s much important that democracy must deliver on the promise of choice of
freedoms, of security of lives and properties, of transparency and
accountability, of rule of law, of good governance and of shared prosperity.”
All I can say here Sir, is ‘my respect’.
Your
answer to the three questions which a development economist threw; “what is
happening to poverty; what is happening to unemployment; and what is happening
to inequality?” in regards to Nigeria, is quite mesmerizing. You submitted “in
Nigeria it shows that the current administration has created two economies in
one country, a story tale of two nations in one country; 1) economy for a few
who have so much in their tiny islands of prosperity and the other economy for
the many who have so little in their vast ocean of misery.” I trust with this
level of intellectual interpretation, Nigerians can attest that their economy
is now in good hands.
“Let
me assure you,” your words at Chatham House, “that if I am elected as President,
the world will have no cost worry about Nigeria as it has so recently. That
Nigeria will return to its stabilizing role in West-Africa and that no inch of
Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy…” I am sure I mince no words
when I relay that Nigeria’s security today is far better than it was some 6
months back.
They
tried to have us believe that you were no good for the seat. They told us you
were a religious bigot. They said you had no certificates. They even alleged
you to be the sponsor of the terrorism you are today so dedicated to
annihilating. All of this they did for the fear of justice, competence and
accountability. But Mr. Gimba tells us in his book, “Leadership is not
conferred on those who beat their chests with pride as having the longest chain
of certificates from the academia.” We sure witnessed how a doctor (PhD) sent
this country to the stands of destitute. But “Recent quests of change and
transformation in the world tore the masks from the faces of many and revealed
their true identities, they also momentarily lifted the veil from our eyes and
thus the true essence of everybody and everything became clear to our view.”
Thanks to M. Fethullah Guillen for having it aptly aligned for us to comprehend.
In
an address after the great “French Revolution”, Marquis de Lafayette gave a
touching speech at the French congress, and from his words I excerpted these
few lines to cohere the situation then with that which had opposite means but
same justified ends with the previous revolution that took place in this
country. “…for a nation to love liberty, it is sufficient that she knows it,
and to be free, it is sufficient that she wills it… may this great monument
raised to liberty serve as a lesson to the oppressors and an example to the
oppressed.” Today Nigerians would arbitrarily (per say) adopt the “Main
resolution of the 5th Pan-African congress,” for we too “shall
complain, appeal and arraign. We will make the world listen to the facts of our
conditions. We will fight in every way we can for freedom, democracy and social
betterment.” And God help us we will.
“Returned
to Nigeria with new eyes, because he had seen people who lived without fear,
who obeyed the law as part of their nature, who knew individual liberty.” Your
great predecessor (Malam Abubakar Tafawa Balewa) wrote this in his report on
his first return from England. President Muhammadu Buhari, I reckon you were
not bluffing when you said at Chatham House “I am running for president to lead
Nigeria to prosperity not adversity.” For that I think George Patmo was
referring to you when he said “your country needs you for the rebuilding of
your homeland.” Well, even if he wasn’t, we need you Sir, to reverse our land’s
vicissitudes to those days where moral and ethical laws are proudly and humbly
respected, as Adamu Ciroma once said “Any law which has no moral or ethical basis
is not a law which will be acceptable to ordinary people.” I trust with the
abundant acumen you so graciously exhibit you will bring those days to
existence in our land.
Your
nick name as of the moment is “Baba Go-slow”. I wonder what they will call you
after you change entirely the contemporary ways things happen in this country. They
fail to understand that “Buhari cannot make miracles, but can make wonders by
being at his best all day.” As my brother Mukhtar Jarmajo so honestly confessed
in a piece he called “A Work plan for Buhari”. I must say that I am profoundly
disappointed in some respected opinionists for failing to exercise the simple
prudence to envisage beyond your choice of appointments to that of the will
which you have intended. Either ways Mr. Gimba explained it vividly, “men of
rectitude rarely get generous applause at least at the onset of their mission.”
I
was watching a movie (Grand Budapest) the other day when I heard the star actor
say something that set my mind ruminating over the current happenings in this
country. He (the star; Zero Mustafa) said “When the destiny of a great fortune
is at stake, men’s greed spread like poison in the blood stream.” That actually
made me realize why those acclaimed “Peace Committee” came to plead with you to
stop the probe of past corrupt leaders. Well I must confess to you Sir, that
they will not so easily let you probe them. They will fight you. They will
resist you. They will try to distract you. Some will discourage you. Beware
there are those of whom pose as your cartels; they might be (in the struggle to
victory and glory for some selfish sentiments) but never at will and
intentions. You must “resist, however the temptation to be stubborn in your
resistance to the forces which would want to sweep you aside. But… resist with
a bow…” Abubakar Gimba’s advice to you Sir, I understand you do exercise that
virtue. He (Gimba) had these iron words to also relay onto you; “Remain who you
are, or are trying to be. They and their ways represent a road and you and your
ways (also) represent a road, much sooner than later, people would have to make
a choice of which road to follow for societal redemption.”
So
“Courage, guts, perseverance and prayers are the very essential provisions you
must have for the daunting journey of transformation of our nation. Courage to
dare to even start, guts to face the challenges along the route, perseverance
in the pain and sacrifices occasioned by the struggles the journey entails, and
prayers for providential support.” Abubakar Gimba suggests. But you and I both
would agree that for a man who said “I Muhammadu Buhari will always lead from
the front.” Must have these “essential provisions” indelibly inserted in him.
“…
I cannot change the past.” You said, “but I can change the present and the
future.” You said you couldn’t quit contesting because, “the work of making
Nigeria great is not yet done, because I still think that change is possible,
this time through the ballot. And most importantly, because I still have the
capacity and the passion to dream and work for a Nigeria that will be respected
again in the comity of nations and that all Nigerians will be proud of.”
In
time men are born, in greatness men are made and in circumstances men are
defined. I seldom hear greatness maketh men, but I have so often seen and read
men whom made greatness. I refer to you as “the Man of time” because since
time, there have been men whom pose as monumental historians of their times.
These men get to eventually either rescue their people from their adversities,
or elevate their social statuses. You Sir happen to fit the descriptions of
uttered words and scriptures of men whom existed both in your time and the bygone.
You are indeed a paragon of virtue. And for that you are Nigeria’s “MAN OF TIME”.
President
Muhammadu Buhari, you have a great destiny at your stake, so go ahead and make
posterity recognize you. And may Allah almighty be with you all the time.
Yours’ Sincerely
Abdul-Rahman Baban Saibo
