Is our president misfiring?

BY AMIRU HALILU

“We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible.” 

“I’m not in a hurry to do anything.”

“I’m locked up in Aso villa.” – Pres Buhari

“People think I’m just sitting in an air-conditioned office but I’m doing my best.” – Pres Buhari

These contradictory statements were made by President Muhammadu Buhari at different times.

Firstly, was the president patient with his predecessors before he was elected president? As the answer is no, then why does he expect Nigerians to be patient with him?

Secondly, is the president living in a scorching sun in presidential Villa if not in an air-conditioned office?

Thirdly, if he is locked up in Aso villa as he once claimed, it means he has distanced himself from his core responsibilities, and obviously not in tune with what is happening around the entire nation. So how can we see the best out of him?

Fourthly, it’s clear that his, “I’m not in a hurry to do anything” stuck the country in reverse gear; thus, is the president now indirectly telling us that he ascends in a political ‘Top Gear’ or ready to take the bull by the horns since 2019 election is drawing near?

Fifthly, are those around the president who were employed to advise him not up to their callings? Or is the president proven too recalcitrant to listen to their advice?

Not only the president, his spokespersons are also guilty. Last year, Garba Shehu told Nigerians that Rodents had taken over the president office. While Femi Adesina was asked on a political programme if it wasn’t necessary for the president to at least address the nation on four million jobs loss and lingering fuel scarcity? He said the president can’t address the nation until it becomes necessary. So the issue of four million job lost and fuel scarcity is not big enough for the president to address the nation?

Whatsoever, the president and his spokespersons have terrorized public relations in Nigeria with their disastrous misspoken. And unfortunately in a culturally uninformed society like ours, public relations is being trivialised like a waste in the dustbin.

While democracy needs an informed and educated populace to function, it’s very sad that ours is a population of docile, uneducated and uncivilized followers. Others around the globe call for the resignation of their leaders whenever they misfire, whereas in Nigeria leaders get rapturous round of applause for making blunders.

The more our senses of reasoning regress, the easier it gets for our leaders to insult our intelligence, steal our resources and subject us to unnecessary retribution.

Halilu tweets @AmiruHalilu