Nigeria’s current president, Muhammadu Buhari, rode to power on a flaming
horse of anti-corruption, wielding a blazing without-fear-or-favour sword.
It was for that singular reason that most Nigerians voted for him. The
Nigerian people, tired of several years of misrule and corruption wanted a
change. Buhari was sold to them as that change, the messiah, who will
bring about all the changes, and most importantly, defeat corruption, with
his blazing sword. As events since his inauguration have shown, that image
of Buhari was photoshopped!Here was an octogenarian, who, naturally
unintelligent, had not the slightest clue of what leading a nation in the
21st century, and as a civilian leader was all about. Yet his army of
followers had coached him on how to brainwash the people with truth-like
lies, while promising them paradise. As a slobbering and clueless dullard,
who was only power hungry, he had grasped the offer with both hands, and
proceeded to recite(when he could remember) the words that he had been
coached to recite. In the end, he said enough to deceive Nigerians and
they gave him their mandate. But it is key to note that they gave him
their mandate so that in addition to performing the miracles he promised,
he would most importantly fight corruption without fear or favour, as he
promised.
However, Nigerians had not reckoned with two things;
One, to rise to power, the man popularly known as Sai Baba needed money.
So to get that, he leaned heavily on the poster-child of corruption, and
then governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who looted his
state dry, to fund Sai Baba’s election campaigns. By doing that, Amaechi
forever bought Buhari’s loyalty such that even when there are concrete
proofs of his(Amaechi) corrupt actions, Sai Baba closed his ears to them,
and unintelligently stated that those against Amaechi were against him
because he(Amaechi) helped bring down former President Goodluck Jonathan.
But what every discerning person immediately understood was that there was
no way Sai Baba was going to fight the corruption that made him President!
So, naturally, the first seat, around Sai Baba’s table was taken by the
poster-child of corruption, who have since then remained untouchable—out
of the window goes the “favour” part of the without-fear-or-favour sword.
Secondly, and as stated earlier, Sai Baba, is naturally a dumb person,
without the slightest idea as to how to run a nation in the 21st century.
But in a rare spark of intelligence, he realised that one who does not
know, may engage those who (he thinks) know, so that they may guide his
steps. In come Abba Kyari(Chief of Staff), and David Babachir
Lawal(Secretary to the Government of the Federation).These men became the
backbone of Baba’s government, and consequently indispensable as they know
of all of his weaknesses. Thus, when both Kyari and Babachir were clearly
indicted of corruption, the so called anti-corruption messiah, handcuffed
by his ineffectuality and lack of knowledge, could not stand against them,
and demand that they are punished. There is no way that one expects him to
tear off the cloths that cover his dumbness, and leave himself naked for
the world to see!
There is a third angle, one that I wish is false, for the sake of our
sanity. It is the one being thrown around by a group of people, which is
that Babachir Lawal and Abba Kyari were fronts through which Baba himself
was dipping his hands into the biscuit tin!
Be that as it may, the recent ill-advised effort by President Buhari to
lie, in order to protect his SGF, Babachir Lawal, may be the final straw.
That action clearly makes it obvious to all Nigerians that Muhammadu
Buhari, despite his pretenses is not anti-corruption. In fact, it shows
that when it suits him, and personally benefits him, he is not averse to
providing unlimited support for corruption to flourish.
It stands to reason then that all of the so called anti-corruption
bullshit spewed by his administration were aimed at clamping down on the
opposition, while deceiving Nigerians. If that is the case then, I dare
say that he has finally taken enough for the owners of the house to
notice, and this time around, Nigerians have noticed!
– Oruh is on Twitter as @Oruhnc