Date Published: 12/21/09

The True Enemies of President Yar’dua By Owunari Hopkins-Amachree

"A feeble body weakens the mind." Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

"Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded." Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)

My heart and prayer go to President Umaru Musa Yar’dua as he receives medical treatment in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to his family and the Nigeria people. I feel the pain of the man and that of his family and the outer Nigerians who are also suffering one way or the other as a result of Mr. President’s health condition. The first family can see vividly who their true friends and enemies are as President Umaru Musa Yar’dua lie in his sick bed. It is amazing and despicable on how many of the Presidents men and women have conducted themselves during the period of Yar’dua’s sickness. It is sickening for the so called friend of Yar’dua who can not have the courage to advice him to resign for the good of Yar’dua himself, his family and the wider Nigerian people. To me the prerogative of resignation is first of all about the well being of   President Yar’dua himself. It is unimaginable the pain the man is going through managing ever challenging duty of the President of a country with myriads of problems with his health condition.  

Yar’dua’s condition and behavior of his assumed friends, some leaders of his party and some members of his cabinet reminds me of what my first boss and friend Lorenzo Anthonio told me about 15 years ago: “That your true friends are those that will look you in the eye and tell you your breadth stinks, go do something about it or you stink, you need a deodorant.” –this is called inconvenient truth that heals and at the bottom of true friendship and love.  

Clearly these are times that try the soul of a man and it is this time President Yar’dua needs his friends to stand up to the challenge of rescuing their friend from the hands of sycophants who have conquered the man for their benefit and personal gratifications instead of showing deep concern of the long term effect of the ill health of Mr. President combined with rigors that come with the office of the President. President Yar’dua needs men of character to stand before him without wavering to tell him equivocally, it is time for him to retire from public office. 

The President needs time off to take care of himself, sort out his health problems and issues, take the necessary rest, and recuperate fully. That President Yar’dua resigns today does not mean the end of his life or of his family. He can still contribute to the well being of his family, community and country, but the man will have to be strong first to perform those rudimentary duties. 

It is very unfortunate and painful to see that some people are more interested in power and the perks of office than the well being of the man they said is their friend and leader. Morally and otherwise the health of President Yar’dua comes first before any other thing and as such I sincerely plead with President Yar’dua to resign for his good and good of his family who still need him as a husband, father, cousin, uncle, grand father mentor and adviser and common good of the Nigerian people who are always at the receiving end of our leadership imbroglio. We have one life to live, and the opportunity for President Yar’dua to live that life in full must not be sacrificed at the alter of power. Nigerians, for one thing love their own, but will not accept the situation where there is unnecessary tension and an existing vague direct line of authority.  

At the age and level of our democracy in Nigeria, it is deeply necessary and imperative for President Yar’dua to show case and act on his social believes and patriotism and relegate the authority of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the vice president without delay to avoid doubt, confusion and lost of faith of the leadership structure of our dear country – as the only country we can truly call our own. For the Yar’dua immediate family, your Yar’dua as far as Nigerians are concerned have done well and deserves to rest while the body is weak and as such should insist for him to give a bow to the Presidency and come back to you for the required rest and recuperation – the stress of the office of the president is too much for his full recovery. It is nigh for President Yar’dua to take the bow. President Yar’dua, Nigerians loves you, but your family loves you more and needs you to be healthy and strong more than anything else, so it is time for you to go home to get the well deserved rest after 8years as Governor of Katsina State and nearly three years as the President and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

 I wish President Yar’dua a quick recovery and God’s guidance to make the right decision to resign as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the end of the day true enemies of President Yar’dua are the sycophants who want him to hang on to power at all cost even at the very painful and weakening illness Mr. President is battling to recover from, for their selfish interest, political advancement and above all their lack of compassion and vision for the main street Nigerians who continue to bear the brunt and bruise of the privileged few that has mismanaged and continue to mismanage our common wealth.  

Mr. President, your true friends are those who are telling you to resign to take care of your health for you, your family and lastly to the Nigerian people. I will end this with what President Theodore Roosevelt said, “ President as a "steward of the people" should take whatever action necessary for the public good unless expressly forbidden by law or the Constitution." President Yar’dua the action necessary here in our very precarious situation as a country for your good and the public good and fully compliant with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which you swear to uphold is to resign and hand over to your Vice President Good luck Jonathan.