In its desperation to come back to life, the PDP is already making a huge political capital out of President Buhari’s international travels which by all intents and purposes are geared towards reintegrating Nigeria into the comity of nations after massive political and administrative failures that almost brought the country to its knees under the very poor political brinkmanship of the PDP.
I wonder who does not feel the Nigerian collapse today. Even those who looted the country dry are feeling it because they are not at ease to enjoy their loot. The mass of our people is in penury as every basic social infrastructure has collapsed. From electricity, schools to hospitals, roads and every little thing that ought to in the ordinary support the lives of the people. It is safe to submit that Nigeria was simply made not to work by the PDP rule which has brought the country not just to its knees but certainly comatose.
When President Obasanjo took over in 1999, the major calamity that the nation faced was the pariah status it suffered in the eyes of the rest of the world due to protracted military rule, which at that time was out of fashion. It took President Obasanjo many years to run around the globe and parley with leaders from across the spectrum and different ideological divides so as to win the confidence that the nation required to regain its proper place as the leader of the black race.
Since Obasanjo’s departure and especially when Goodluck Jonathan took over through that very sickening political accident, Nigeria has suffered tremendously by the sheer misrule, inexperience and incompetence of the government to the extent that reputable international research institutions such as The Brooklyn Institute, had forecast that the country was likely to collapse in 2015. This wasn’t merely a rumour; it was a conclusion informed by scientific study of what constitutes a failed state. Out of the 12 major indicators, Nigeria had dangerously crossed 11, meaning that all available facts and figures pointed to the fact that the country was eminently collapsing if the situation remained unchanged.
Through the collective resolve of citizens, the government that chose to disintegrate the nation that was brought together in 1914 was terrifically routed in March and April during the national and state elections. The routing was tremendous in the sense that despite the huge resources stolen and deployed to rig the polls coupled with the aggressive and repressive postures of the security apparatuses of the state and with hostile government-owned media outfits, the nation saw reason to change the government because Nigerians seemed to have resolved that despite their differences, it wasn’t time to part ways.
Under such an atmosphere where everything Nigeria was held suspect by foreign governments not only in Europe and the Americas but even in Africa, one wonders what the preoccupation of the new government would be other than to move out and assure the world that Nigerians are determined to remain together, play a pivotal role not just in African affairs but the world over and thus regaining its hold as the leader of the black race on earth.
Remaining at home and romanticising certainly cannot achieve this. It is critical that the president must reassure the global political and economic community that Nigeria is yet again prepared to play the games by their rules and the corruption and impunity which were the hallmarks of the previous regime are gradually eroding and a new system of life and activity fast emerging.
It is no lie to say that in the last several years, very little investment or none at all came into the country. All we heard were series of lies from government officials who placed a high premium on structural functional economics as the paradigm for the nation’s growth and development. A lot of them were tutored by the Britton Woods Institute and came home only to perpetrate corruption in public service. They collected bribes out of every transaction that passed through them and ensured the draining of the Nigerian economy. I agree totally with Comrade Adams Oshiomole who said that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala must be tried for economic crimes against the nation.
The name Nigeria is stinking in the international arena. This is a fact that we must contend with and make all efforts necessary to correct it. In my view, the steps being taken by President Buhari to be present at most international gatherings is critical in reinvigorating the status of the nation as a central player in global politics, economics and sociology. Every one of us knows very well that our rating is low and requires efforts to reverse the trend.
Of course, politicians must have something to say, especially the desperate PDP whose survival apparently is cancerous. They will continue to make noise on any issue no matter how flimsy. They will continue to speak so as to convince themselves that they are still alive and kicking when in reality they are almost dead. They were killed by Nigerians and will continue to claim relevance.
My take here is that of course, Nigerians are urging and eager for the change to occur; it is occurring but cannot happen as mechanistic as we want it.
What Nigerians need to display now is patience and perseverance. A cabal of misfits subjected the nation to very terrible misrule. It is easier to destroy, but very difficult to rebuild. The rebuilding process is painstaking and can only be successful if the citizens can persevere.
I believe very sincerely that PMB’s diplomatic shuttles across the globe are in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. We need to win back the confidence that we had in the comity of nations. We need to convince investors that they can do business in our clime without fear of corruption and absence of basic infrastructure such as power and electricity.
The president would win the war and certainly will be the better for it.
