Its almost a year to the day Nigerians trooped out to vote, almost a year
\nwhen Nigerians stood determinedly under the sun and in the rain to send
\nout what we regarded as an incompetent and underperforming government. On
\nthat day last year we opted for change and the APC thus came to power.<\/p>\n
Personally, my greatest joy about that election was the fact that
\nNigerians sent a clear message to its political leaders especially at the
\ncentre that if you don’t perform, the people would vote you out. It was in
\n2015 that the Nigerian people realised their true power.<\/p>\n
The change plane took off to a very wonderful start until it hit a strong
\nturbulencce and since then, to be very candid, it has not been a smooth
\nflight. The famed body\u00a0 language increase in power and fix to the economy
\nhas gone with the wind. Now the honeymoon is over and reality has set in
\nand we ask the very important question, what is really happening to
\nNigeria?<\/p>\n
To this very important question, I honestly have no answer, we all know
\nchange cannot be sudden, it is a gradual process and it can only be
\nachieved with a lot of patience and perseverance but when the people
\nwaiting are left to wait for too long, they begin to wonder.<\/p>\n
In the words of Charles Kettering, the world hates change but yet it is
\nthe only thing that has brought growth, the government I believe is trying
\nits best for at least we no longer watch in horror how people are accused
\nof stealing billions and yet walk freely daring us to do our worst or how
\nBoko Haram members took over local government areas, hoisting flags and
\ndaring the army to take them down if they can.<\/p>\n
The incessant fuel scarcities that has been rocking the nation is really
\nsad, we are one of the biggest crude oil producers in the world and yet
\nvehicles queue up in long lines for fuel to buy at rates higher than the
\nofficial price is, the constant promises from the NNPC of “wetting” the
\ncountry with petrol have failed. A long term solution should be looked at
\nto end this menance once and for all, if our refineries cannot produce
\nfuel to meet foreign demand at least they should be worked on to meet
\nlocal demand, a lot of man hours are lost daily at this stations. An
\nalready weak economy needs all its people to be on deck working day and
\nnight to lift the country and not to queue up at stations.<\/p>\n
Baba, so i have to tell you these things so you remember that the common
\nman on whose endless chants of “sai baba” you rode to victory is still
\nwaiting for the el dorado you promised;<\/p>\n
My dear “Sai Baami”, my “Sai Baba”, we understand your disdain for
\ncorruption and we also cannot stand the level of sleaze, high level
\nsleaze, that have occurred and are still occuring in high and low places,
\nwe know you are determined to teach those people who have dipped their
\nhands in the national till and those who ate our “yams” a big lesson and
\nwe are on the sidelines cheering\u00a0 you on, but while at it sir, remember
\nother sectors need your attention and urgently too. Sir, if you can take
\ncare of power alone and solve the problems that have bedevilled that
\nsector since indepedence, you would forever reign in my heart and I am
\nsure same would happen in the hearts of other Nigerians. The recent
\nnational blackouts and increase in electricity tarriff amounts to
\ntightening the nooze around our already bent necks.<\/p>\n
Baba, the cost of doing business in Nigeria is too high and this is not
\nhelping small and even big businesses, the cost of providing diesel and
\nfuel to run our generators is almost driving us out of business, our small
\nprofits that should go into taking care of our loved ones and expanding
\nour business to generate more employment for Nigerians is ploughed back
\ninto fuelling generators, Baba this cannot continue. This amongst other
\nthings are the problems facing our businesses but just solve power first.<\/p>\n
Baba, Fulani herdsmen have gone on the rampage, killing and maiming
\npeople, grazing crops of farmers and leaving destruction in their wake,
\nthese herdsmen and their excesses have gone on for too long, the killings
\nhas to stop, a final solution has to be found and real quick sir. If
\nherdsmen destroy our crops all in the name of feeding their cattle how are
\nwe then going to eat? the rural people who are most affected, how are they
\ngoing to survive? The Agatu massacre is another example of the sheer
\nbrutality of these herdsmen. Their blatant disregard for law and order and
\nlack of respect for human lives can no longer be tolerated.<\/p>\n
Baba, your reaction to these killings by the herdsmen leaves much to be
\ndesired, more can be done by your office to stop these barbaric acts. Most
\nof these farmers take loans to assist them in financing their farms and
\nwaking up to see herdsmen entering their farms to plunder their crops can
\nbe very heart rending. Baba you have to find these harbingers of death and
\ndeal with them before they finish us.<\/p>\n
Baba, Woodrow Wilson once said, “if you want to make enemies, try to
\nchange something”, I am not surprised that different saboteurs have arisen
\nboth in and out of government to frustrate our change, the budget padding,
\npipeline vandalism et al are perfect examples but Baba you are our no
\nnonsense sheriff, we voted you because we know you are a strict
\ndisciplinarian, if there are saboteurs in government or anywhere in
\nNigeria we do not want you to complain to us, we want you to go after
\nthem, the buck stops at your table and we would absolutely love it if
\nthese people who do not want us to progress, who do not want us to be the
\ngiant of Africa we truly are to be disgraced and shown the way to Kirikiri
\nor Kuje prisons.<\/p>\n
The redeployment of civil servants found culpable in the budget padding
\nfiasco was too soft a punishment, almost like a slap in the wrist. I was
\nexpecting more severe punishment to serve as a deterrent.<\/p>\n
Baba, we have heard\u00a0 sidetalk by some members of your party and we have
\nalso read in the papers persons in the party claim that you have not
\ndistributed the spoils of victory well enough, that you have favored a
\nparticular group or a set of people. Baba if these people would not help
\nin bringing our change quick enough do not appoint them to any government
\nagency. All change is not growth as all movement is not forward and if
\nthere are people already appointed who you feel are not doing the right
\nthing, I sincerely urge you to shun party considerations or any
\nconsideration of any kind and show them the way out quickly. You must
\nbegin to show the world that we are a nation in a hurry, the lethargy of
\nthe past one year has to stop.<\/p>\n
Baba, a lot of unpatriotic citizens are waiting for you to fail, waiting
\nto tell us and I dare say they are already sneering and telling us that
\nbelieved in you “I told you so”, “shey you don dey enjoy your change”?. I
\nfind citizens who indulge in this behaviour rather silly for although
\neveryone is entitled to their opinions, that entitlement has to be
\nexercised with all sense of decency and in the spirit of patriotism.<\/p>\n
It is rather sad that some Nigerians can pray that the government fails
\njust to score cheap points. As Nigerians we owe it to ourselves to support
\nour country always irrespective of what party is in power, criticisms are
\nwelcome and pointing out the wrongs of the government is highly
\nappreciated but wishing the government to fail and screaming excitedly
\nwhen poilcy decisions go wrong is sheer irresponsibility.<\/p>\n
Baba, you have been jetting round the globe visiting Europe, the Middle
\nEast and also neighbouring countries here in Africa. We understand your
\nvisit to the Middle East was to pray and also talk with fellow OPEC
\nmembers on how to find solutions to the low oil prices, Baba this is good
\nbut then you have to concentrate on the holy grail of all pasts
\ngovernments in Nigeria which is a true diversification of the Nigerian
\neconomy. We must accept the realities of the current situation, the era of
\nquick easy petrodollars is gone. You and your economic team must sit down
\nand bring out innovative ideas on carrrying out a true diversification of
\nour economy. It is innovation that distinguishes a leader and a follower.<\/p>\n
To the APC, when you jump for joy beware that no one pulls the ground from
\nbeneath your feet. I enjoin them to put Baba on his toes all the time and
\nkeep reminding him of his promises to Nigerians. Baba and also the party
\ncame to power with enormous goodwill and love same as the previous
\nadministration, it will do you people much good not to fritter away the
\ngoodwill like the last administration did. Nigerians are very impatient
\npeople and you cannot blame them for we have suffered long enough.<\/p>\n
Lastly to Nigerians, I will recall the words of William Arthur Ward
\n“change like sunshine can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse and
\na dawn or a dusk”. I hope and pray in all honesty for this change that is
\nalmost a year old now to be a friend, a blessing and a dawn for a new
\nNigeria. We are getting tired of waiting.<\/p>\n