Wednesday 30 September 2015

My wish for Nigeria at 55 by Joe Igbokwe


Makeno mistake about it. There is a finger of God in the coming of President Muhammadu  Buhari at this critical moment in the nation’s history. After previous attempts in 2003, 2007, 2011, he eventually clinched the presidential slot on Saturday, March  28, 2015. Whoever is not deep in the knowledge of how God works, may not know the full meaning of President Buhari’s emergence at a time like this and what he is doing now. There was nothing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its followers, with deep pockets did not do to stop him, but their efforts  were not enough to stop an idea whose time has come.


Those who did not follow the campaigns fully may not have known what the wreckers, the ruiners and destroyers of Nigeria did to stop him but the grace of God and the love of God for Nigeria stopped them. Huge amount of money in various currencies were deployed, mercenaries were hired to deploy the worst form of hate campaign ever known in the history of Nigeria, the instrumentality of the full weight of the Federal Government was fully deployed, the full weight of the security forces were fully and maximally deployed to stop President Buhari but God had other plans for Nigeria . Despite these onslaughts and desperation to change  the will of God for Nigeria, the will of God for Nigeria prevailed.


Since Buhari came to power, I have seen a lot of deep changes which  the ordinary eye may not see. The fear of President Buhari is now the beginning of wisdom. Yes, they have stolen enough for the real owners to notice, but they have not stolen the brains and ideas of the people. With brains and ideas, Nigerians can now  begin the process of rebuilding the country. Ideas, people say, are better than money and top positions.


It is historic and prophetic that new ministers will be coming into the saddle when Nigeria clock’s 55 on October 1 2015. My late father once told me that you will never get up unless you have fallen down. I have an idea of the kind of people that will make the ministers list in a Buhari-led government and I know that 70 per cent of them know that we have to build Nigeria now or never. We have the political will to recover every stolen cash and use it effectively to rebuild our dilapidated infrastructure, create job opportunities,  rebuild our institutions, feed our teeming population and provide maximum security for all. This is not the time to eat but time to work and work for the good of the commonwealth.


The incoming ministers must know that it is no longer business as usual. President Buhari has a mission and time is not on his side. It therefore behoves on all of them to key into the man’s vision of zero tolerance on corruption and indiscipline. They have no choice. Nigeria has gone full cycle in stupidity and selfishness and this is the time to build or we all perish.


Nigeria at 55 with Muhammadu Buhari as President provides a new window for all of us to sit up and be smart in re-ordering the way we do things. The massive flow of refugees from Libya, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Africa into Europe should be food for thought for the leaders. Boko Haram insurgents, MASSOB and Niger Delta militants remain a big challenge to all. We must rise above ethnic sentiments in order to confront these threats and build the Nigeria of our dream. Diversity remains our greatest assets and should we bungle it as a result of greed, selfishness, ethnic preoccupation and political irresponsibility, woe betide us.


President Buhari’s team should be our first eleven for the first time in 55 years and we demand nothing less. I pity any minister who will mess up  when the need is greatest. I pity any minister who will go there to think it is still business as usual. I pity any minister who will go into public office to betray the President and the country. This is our chance to prove to the world that we did not go to school to learn how to accumulate what we do not need. This is not the time to stand and stare. This is not the time for bedtime stories and frivolities. This is the time for us to free ourselves from primitive accumulation of wealth to service delivery. This is the time to grow up. This is my wish for Nigeria at 55.


 


  • Igbokwe is the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary. Lagos.




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