Welcome President Muhammadu Buhari

23rd August 2017 

President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR

Aso Rock

Three Arms Zone

Federal Capital Territory

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Dear Sir,

Re:  The Condition upon which God gave Liberty to Man is Eternal Vigilance

Let me take this opportunity to welcome your Excellency back to Nigeria. No doubt your Excellency’s period of convalescing afforded you with a lot of time to reflect about the State of Nation. Unfortunately Sir, I missed your ‘wake up’ speech. Nonetheless, I have studied the speech and within a few days there has been, as expected, applause and derision. This is normal and expected. I want to lend my voice to an area, which I humbly think should be clarified.

I would like to think that the imaginary red line drawn by your good-self about discussions questioning Nigeria’s collective existence is the personal opinion of Mr. President given that in Nigeria, everybody is guided by the Constitution. The present Constitution with all its imperfections, guarantees ‘freedom of speech and expression’. This principle is so fundamental that it is referred to as inalienable. Furthermore, any act or ‘threat’, which derogates from this fundamental right, is a violation. It is in this light that I think that some sections of the civil society have condemned your phrase.

It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he breaks, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.” — John Philpot Curran: Speech upon the Right of Election, 1790.

Mr. President, I note that at no point in your speech did you mention the word ‘restructuring’. Majority of the problems we have in Nigeria today stem from the unjust nature of our togetherness. I won’t belabor the point save that from national discourse there is a convergence of opinion amongst the various age brackets in Nigeria from the Southern Leaders Forum made up of Octogenarians to a large part of the youth who make up half of the 180 million population whose forum is social media, that Nigeria ought to be restructured.

Going down memory lane, former US President – Barrack Obama, whom I recall used the word ‘redline’ against President Bassar Al -Assad of Syria unfortunately   ate his words and had to back away from it. Apart from the fact that free speech can not be restrained in our system of government, I would advise that APC live up to its campaign promise to restructure the country and initiate action to amend the Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to States and Local Government Area Councils in order to entrench true Federalism and the Federal spirit.

I wish you speedy recovery and sound health. I hope that in my next correspondence I will have plenty of reasons to shower encomiums and praises on your person.

Welcome Sir, we have missed your presence.

Kindest Regards,

Ayodele Kusamotu