Discussing the hypocrisy of President Muhammadu Buhari in governance is not the most appropriate subject for this period because this is a period of festivities. The angel of God that announced the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ to those shepherds near Bethlehem, as recorded in Luke 2:8-18, was specific about this period. He [the angel] told the shepherds in verse 10 not to be afraid, saying “behold, l bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
And the season around Christmas has remained, from that time of the announcement, period of joy, happiness, merriments and most importantly, sober reflection, all over the world. It remains one period that people do whatever they can do within their powers to contribute to elongation of merriment of the season. Different governments, mostly in the Western world compliment the joy of their citizens at this period. At least, over eighty percent of countries all over the world participate in this season of “good tidings”, which actually extends from Christmas to New Year celebration.
Of course, to all intents and purposes, things are not always equal in Nigeria. While one plus one in other countries of the world would always be two, in Nigeria it could be any number but two. What gives other countries of the world absolute joy is most likely to bring Nigeria abject sorrow. It does not matter what type of government runs the affairs, the result remains the same – a calamity created by man-for-man. Interpretation of leadership in Nigeria is evil at all times. That is just this land [of curse?] for you.
Or else, how can the statement of President Buhari made public on Sunday 24, December 2017, be explained? Most Media captioned it appropriately thus: “Finally, buhari regrets fuel scarcity, sympathises with Nigerians.” This was a day before Christmas.
Most of all the Print Media [which l am privileged to read online as l am currently out of the country] agreed that “for the first time since the outbreak of fuel shortage which has made life harrowing and traumatic for Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari Sunday broke his silence, regretting the unpleasant episode and expressing sympathy with the people”. It was said that he personally signed the release and posted same on his Twitter handle @MBuhari, where he sympathised with Nigerians on the “needless queues they have had to contend with in recent times”, disclosing that he had consequently directed oil sector regulators to increase the intensity of their surveillance and end hoarding and price inflation by fuel marketers.
That must have been very early of a leader who wants maximum joy for his people to think of their “harrowing and traumatic” situations on Sunday 24th, clearly two to three weeks after the people had been thrown into hell. Nigerians need to shout seven odes to this maximum leader that has absolute powers of punishment for his people. The release on Sunday, which was personally signed by the President, revealed his [PMB] prowess and efficiency at the game of hypocrisy in governance.
To start with, President Buhari is the de-facto Minister of Petroleum Resources. Beyond being the Minister, Buhari is not new in the administration of the “Black Gold” [crude oil] industry in Nigeria. He was the man Olusegun Obasanjo, then Military Head of State, put in charge when the present Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was established on April 1, 1977. It was the same Muhammadu Buhari [in retirement after he was overthrown by General Ibrahim Babangida in 1985] that General Sanni Abacha; then Military Head of State, appointed to manage the Petroleum Trust Fund when it was created in 1994 and he remained its Executive Chairman till when President Olusegun Obasanjo abolished the PTF in November, 2000.
All these citations are evidences pointing to the fact that our President is at home at any given time issue of petroleum products is at stake. We will not forget in hurry how very recently, when he was sick and on admission in a London hospital, having properly transferred powers of the presidency to his Vice-President, through a letter to the National Assembly, he approved, so alleged by NNPC GMD’s admission, contract worth US$25 Billion. This, plus the citation earlier quoted above, is affirmation that President Buhari second name could be “Mr Oil”.
How therefore can a man with all these ‘glorious credentials’ say that he did not know of Nigerians’ predicament in non-availability of petroleum product – a predicament that turned a season of joy to a period of sadness and crucial economic hardship – until just two days ago? Something terribly is wrong somewhere which we need to know and until Nigerians are ready to confront this ugly hypocrisy in governance by these dealers parading themselves as leaders, we shall remain perpetually and permanently in the slave market in this country.
Maybe, if we read critically the release of the President, we might be able to decode some contradictions which could help us to navigate ourselves through this dark tunnel.
The president, who said he’s being regularly briefed on the effort by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure availability of fuel across the country, said he had been assured by the NNPC that significant improvement would be witnessed in the next few days.
According to him, the corporation had also disclosed that new shipments of fuel were being circulated nationwide, adding that relevant agencies would continue to provide updates on the situation as he thanked all and sundry for their patience and understanding. “The fuel scarcity being experienced nationwide is regrettable. I sympathise with all Nigerians on having to endure needless fuel queues. I’m being regularly briefed, especially on the NNPC’s interventions to ensure that there is enough petrol available during this period and beyond. “I have the NNPC’s assurance that the situation will improve significantly over the next few days, as new shipments and supplies are distributed across the country. I have also directed the regulators to step up their surveillance and bring an end to hoarding and price inflation by marketers. Let me also assure that the relevant agencies will continue to provide updates on the situation. I thank you all for your patience and understanding.” These were his words.
One, by his own admission, he was “being regularly briefed on the effort by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure availability of fuel across the country.” If he was regularly briefed, why did he have to wait till Sunday; clear three weeks into the mayhem, before “regretting the unpleasant episode and expressing sympathy with the people?” This is the very first hypocrisy of the melodrama. Every other comments of the President henceforth, in this matter is nothing but soothsaying in the doomsday conspiracy against the people of Nigeria.
The President needs not thanking us for our “patience and understanding” as the release quoted him saying. Nigerians can be described as a people waiting to die and it ought not to be so. Instead of dissipating energy in thanking us, he should rise up to do what is right. It would be a very gross pretense to say that Buhari does not know what to do in bringing comfort to his people. His unwillingness to do it is nothing short of cynic cruelty and hypocrisy.
I would rather advice the President to remember his darkest hour when he was between life and death. He should not forget in hurry when he was not even too sure of what his name was because of the criticalness of his ailment. He should then remember how all Nigerians from all races, creeds, religions and languages rose up stoutly in the place of prayer; the type of prayer that challenged God to have a re-think and restore full life to him. Then he should finally remember that the same God remains on His throne, watching over affairs of men, including President Buhari. Will that God be happy with you, Mr President, if you are afflicting His people – the same people that begged Him to spare your life? Think it deeply please, Mr President.
* It is for this reasons that l presented this Christmas tree; depicting celebration of this same Yuletide in two different countries – Nigeria and United Kingdom. Do we need any soothsayer to tell us that while some leaders make their countries Paradise, others make theirs Hell? God, please bless Nigeria and deliver us from Hell to Paradise through the instrumentality of good leadership.
Merry Christmas and a wonderfully prosperous new year in advance to all.
Godwin Etakibuebu, a veteran journalist, wrote from Lagos.