The Psychological Impact of Buhari Being in London for a Whole Week could Cost Him Everything
As African people, intimate exposure of present or potential leaders provides us emotional and social feedback about whether there is a connection and whether this person is the one to lead us.
At a critical time in the election cycle, Muhammadu Buhari will not be seen or touched by the people here at home for a whole week, and it does not matter whether he is away for medical, financial or an official visit; what does matter is that he is away from the people.
This last-minute travel from the country is only helpful to one man—presidential contestant, Goodluck Jonathan.
At a time when there is a significant public and political opposition to Jonathan, the people are likely to remember the Yar'Adua sickness stories and, in effect, take a gamble with Jonathan, not necessarily out of political love but the sake of continuity.
Even if Buhari returns to the country less than a week from today, the psychological damage has been done, as every minute wasted is a lifetime in politics.
In fact, Jonathan or his associates do not need to comment on this issue until Election Day, as the people can see this clearly for themselves.
Like everyone, including Jonathan and Buhari, we all have a medical history, but a whole week out of the country instantly places in the mind of the people the picture of a dying man, even if it is not true.
Buhari has this lifelong dream of the presidency and the people love him, as they see Jonathan as a Southern-Northern disappointment. Still with the current picture Buhari is leaving in their minds, they are likely to be downright scared. While this race between Jonathan and Buhari remains unpredictable, at this time it is a deeply politically unhealthy concern for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in terms of how to rationally defend this issue. How they start to answer the very basic question of whether Buhari will be alive to serve them in the next four years, due to perception of today's invisibility, is something they have to face alone. Let's see if they will recover from this sudden image issue.
Again, Buhari remains highly admired by the people and, as such, he might just get their instant forgiveness and swing back into their positive imagination and campaign on, as if he never left their sight.
Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist, a Consultant in National Psychology, and a former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association. [email protected]