A Nigerian Citizen's Open Letter To President Muhammadu Buhari
Dear President Buhari,
We are in dangerous
times, and your actions, or inactions, will count for a lot. The truth is that
whenever someone begins a project, especially a project which he has fought so
hard for, it is important to make haste, lest motivation wanes. If motivation
wanes, there is a clear and present danger of the entire project faltering.
That, is the cliff down which we all stare at the moment, including you, no,
especially you.
The wind in the sails which swept you to office
just over half a year ago are beginning to dissipate, and no other scenario
illustrates this better than what is happening in the North East at the moment.
I'd rather not, at this point, dwell on the fact that the buck stops at your
table, and for my own, selfish reasons.
I voted you, and at this point, I don't want to accept that I may
have made a mistake. In voting you, I had hoped that if anything, I'd be
looking at an end to the Boko Haram nonsense post haste. That has not happened.
Rather, I've been told about a "technical defeat". What does that
mean?
Sir, a week before we all queued up and voted you into office, I
stood before a room full of your supporters, an audience which included some of
the "big men" in your government today, and I told them that no
matter what, they should not lie to you. I took that stand, because I believed,
and still believe, that the reason the government of your predecessor failed
was because of that kind of dishonesty. Sadly Sir, it appears that my advice
was not heeded.
You are the President of Nigeria. Your success will be beneficial to
me, and to millions of my fellow citizens. Likewise, your failure, will
negatively impact me, and millions of my fellow citizens. Telling you the real
situation at every point in time will lead you to success. Hiding things from
you, will lead to failure. It is my duty to you, and to my country, to tell you
the facts always. I do not do blind support Sir, it is not in my blood, and
will never be. I do not do blind opposition either. I say things, as I see them,
regardless of how painful some of my peers may find such statements. It is both
a weakness, and strength. How you see it Sir, depends on your disposition, and
I still like to believe Sir, that you of all people, see such truths as
strengths.
Sir, your government is losing momentum, and a large part of it is,
at least to my mind, because the people around you, those you have chosen to
surround yourself with, are being dishonest with you. They have continued to
tell you the same tales that you were told during the campaign, the same tales
their predecessors told your predecessor. Rather than sit you down and have an
honest discussion with you about the state of things, they are living in denial
about the realities on the ground, from the price of oil, to the pump price of
petrol, to the state of the economy, to Boko Haram. They are living in denial
about the constitutionality of some of your actions, actions which are eroding
your credibility as a man of integrity.
I'll end this letter Sir, by asking a very simple question, a
question who's answer is meant for you, and you alone: All things being equal,
in thirty years, you will be gone, I'll still be here, how would you want me to
describe you to my grandchildren?
Sincerely yours,
Cheta Nwanze
