Buhari- The Rejected Messiah
Prophets Isaiah, Zechariah, Micah and many others prophesied the coming and reign of Christ. They portrayed the Messiah as a great and wonderful king, who would properly educate his people, alleviate their sufferings, and ensure absolute peace and abundant prosperity throughout the land of Israel. However, when Yeshua came as the supposed awaited King, he was nothing compared with the expected saviour because he welcome and dined with sinners and the poor, worked on the Sabbath day, claimed to be the Son of God, openly criticized and condemned the hypocrisy of their religious leaders, etcetera. All these made the Jews to reject Yeshua as their Messiah, and so, they branded him an impostor, accused him falsely, prosecuted him, convicted him, sentenced and crucified him. Up to this day, the Jews are still awaiting the arrival of their prophesied Almighty King.
In a similar fashion, Rev. Mbaka, Prophet Hephzibah and other men of God/Allah (both Christian and Muslim leaders) foretold the reign of Buhari. Many Nigerians were convinced that the leadership of Buhari would be the best thing that would happened to the country since its creation in 1914. They eloquently said that the leadership of the retired Army General would usher in abundant freedom, prosperity, fairness and protection from all forms of evil, both physical and imagined; in short, they were of the opinion that Buhari was our only saviour from corruption and bad governance.
The ex-military head of state lost three previous elections before contesting the 2015 presidential election. In his desperacy to win the 2015 election, he promised Nigerians heaven on earth. That if voted into power, he would create mass employment, adequate security, fight corruption, improve infrastructure and provide good health care; it was even reported that he promised to make N1 equaled $1.
When INEC headed by the respectable professor Atahiru Jega declared Muhammadu Buhari, the winner of the 2015 presidential election, there was massive celebration and jubilation throughout the federation. Nigerians took deep breath(s) of relief from the 16 years of firm and forceful grip of the Country by PDP, and marked this new era of change with joyful noise, excessive eating and drinking, dancing, biking and trekking long distances. It was even reported that more than 10 citizens lost their dear lives in the cause of the celebration.
Ironically, this joyous celebration was short-lived. After his swearing in, it took our supposed Messiah about 6 months to appoint his ministers and heads of government agencies. One wonders why a president who contested three previous elections before winning the fourth one would not have a standby cabinet. This long indecision earned him the name ‘baba go slow.’ Surprisingly, when the trust worthy Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces finally appointed the chiefs of the Armed Forces and heads of other Security Agencies, about 90% of those he appointed were his kinsmen from the North Eastern and North Western part of the Country. The same thing applied to his appointment of heads of federal government agencies in violation of the federal character principle enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution which he sworn to abide by and uphold as president of this great country. To increase the anxiety of Nigerians over his unjustifiable actions and inactions, the president cried that his predecessor(s) left him an empty national treasury (which was later confirmed not to be true); that they failed to save for a rainy day and diversify the economy when the price of crude oil was as high as $100 to $120 per barrel; and that now the price of crude oil which is Nigeria’s major source of revenue is as low as $45 to $50 per barrel.
So, for Nigeria’s saviour to have enough fund to deliver his campaign promises, he had to remove fuel subsidy (a move which he fiercely fought against during the reign of Jonathan). This resulted in the catapulting of fuel price from N86 to N145 per litre. And this signaled the emergence of enormous inflation throughout the country. Right now, the average Nigerian who could comfortably eat 3 good squared meals every day before the present government came into power, can no longer afford 1 balanced meal a day. This is so as the prices of goods and services throughout the country have sky rocketed. For instance, before the emergence of the present government, a bag of rice used to sell for between N7 000 and N9000 (depending on brand), but the same bag of rice is now sold between N21, 500 to N25, 000; a bag of beans which sold between N16, 000 to 18, 000 (depending on type), is now sold between N23, 000 to N28, 000; a bottle of palm/groundnut oil which sold between N180 to N200, is now sold between N700 to N800; a bag of pure water which used to sell between N50 to N100, is now sold between N140 to N250; a packet of Septol Soap which earlier cost between N320 to N360, is now between N540 and N600; $1 equaled between N197 and N240, but now $1 equals between N301 to N470 etcetera. Also, transportation fare which ranged between N3000 to N4000, now ranged between N5000 to N8000; hair cut in Saloons which cost between N100 to N300, now cost between N300 to N600, just to cite few changes in prices of goods and services.
Despite this sky high rise in the prices of goods and services, the Nigerian national minimum wage remains N18 000. To make the condition worst for the citizens, the government has owed its workers their meager salaries for some months now. Some state government workers have not been paid their salaries for 7 and more months. Some of these states have decided to pay their staff half salary every month henceforth, without minding to clear the outstanding salaries on the pretence of lack of fund. Many workers protested and were instantly fired from work with immediate effect without any entitlement. It has also being reported that since the inception of this government of APC, about 270 companies have shut down and more than 180, 000 Nigerians have lost their jobs as a result of the unfavourable policies of this legitimate government. Many banks and other business organizations have to sack thousands of their workers and some instead of sack have cut down their staff salaries to remain in business.
The country has stood still or more accurately, grown progressively worse economically since the inception of this present era of change. According to Emmanuel Noko in his article, ‘Economic Recession in Nigeria: Causes and Solution,’ the Buhari government plunged Nigeria into economic recession through its poor economic planning, high inflation rate, high interest rate, high taxation and policy conflict. This government has worsened the economic situation of the Country by stopping the importation of essential goods when there is no readily sufficient replacement for such goods within Nigeria.
Ask Buhari and his entourage in government why this tremendous hardship on Nigerians instead of their campaign promises; and they will tell you that it is the fault of their predecessors who were corrupt, failed to save for a rainy day and diversify the economy when oil price was high. Our supposed messiah and his entourage seem to have forgotten that it was the failure of their predecessors that brought them into power. If Goodluck Jonathan and his subordinate colleagues had performed up to the expectation of Nigerians, the Buharis would not have being voted into office.
By their blame game, the present groups of leaders are indirectly telling us that the problems of the country are bigger than they can solve. Otherwise, they should not be crying ‘wolf’, ‘wolf’ when all the ‘wolves’ have been chased away from Aso Rock and other government house(s) into the dark desert. Instead of solving Nigeria’s multiple problems, the present administration has multiplied them by its incapacitated style of leadership. If Buhari and his ally have the interest of Nigeria at heart, they would honourably and shamefully resign from their offices as it is clear to them and everybody else that they are worse than the government they overthrew via election. The only clap worthy thing president Buhari achieved is the fighting and defeating of Boko Haram; the so called fight against corruption is obviously selective and discriminatory. Nigerians no longer die by bullet, sword and bomb blast; they now die slowly in their thousands from hunger and deprivation.
Like the Israelites who rejected the supposed great and wonderful leader of the Jews, the citizens of Nigeria have lost confidence in Buhari and his entourage as their leadership turns out to be a horrible nightmare. They promised us heaven on earth, but they ended up breathing hell on Nigerians. The present political office holders have used us to climb to the high heavens, and in reward for our labour, kicked us down into the abyss of squalor and immeasurable poverty and pain.
Thus, the same prophets/persons who predicted Buhari’s reign are at this moment predicting his exit from power in 2019. His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi, has cautioned that unless this government acts rightly and retrace its wrong steps, it will go down like its predecessor(s). All Nigerians excluding those holding political offices are grieved by the epileptic style of leadership of the present administration, which has caused massive hunger, general poverty, untold unemployment and consequently, fierce crime rate and numerous death. Even Buhari’s loving wife is not happy with the situation and she expressed her sadness by telling her dear husband to retrace his wrong steps and act rightly, otherwise, she would not support his re-election bid in 2019. If Aisha Buhari, whom our supposed messiah fondly addressed as belonging to his ‘kitchen and the other room’ is threatening not to support her husband’s re-election in 2019, who then will re-elect him?
Akogwu Egene, Esq. is a young Legal Practitioner from Kogi State based in Ibadan, Oyo State; email: [email protected]