Opinion: Buhari’s Ability in Cutting the Supply Line of Evil and Move Forward

Posted by African Examiner Featured Contributors/Columnists, Latest Headlines Thursday, August 6th, 2015

By Prof R. A. Ipinyomi, University of Ilorin Nigeria – Since President Buhari of Nigeria came on board on May 29, 2015 we have seen his effort and energy that are almost entire directed at ending the insurgents and their empires in and around Nigeria. He had been to Niger, World Economic group called the G7, United States, Cameron, Benin Republic all to seek collaboration to confront the same set of evils. He gave names to these evils as Boko Haram, which he described as a sect straying far from Islam, and corruption for which he now has a list containing most recent perpetrators (thanks to the US officials), there are failing institutions in the country, so called business men and women but whose daily activities are only evil and banditry. A major area not getting the immediately attention of Mr. President consists of where the and why the public put him in office, namely, unemployment, addressing low salaries that grows corruption directly or indirectly, and low circulation of money in the society to ensure that every body play the necessary part in growing the economy. We agree with Mr. President on the linkages and interrelationships amongst many of these good and evil aspects of the society but we will not agree that we fight the wars one after the other. Neither do we agree that the war is only for President Buhari to fight. It is a national war and all Mr. President ought to do is providing consistently and reliable leadership that is also enduring. Everyone who calls Nigeria his or her country must be willing to serve in whatever capacity, including eliminating insurgents, corruption, unemployment, lack of admission to higher institutions, etc.

We ought to accept all that exists as coming from one source. Even the evil that we dread and that denies the truth lives off scraps tossed from the common source. Hence to fight evil face-to-face is futile. The evil is from within us and not from some outer space. Our strategy must be to cut off its supply. We know that between the true realm and evil lies a neutral ground, and the battlefield. All supplies to the enemy must pass through this realm. This is the realm of all things permissible. Therefore by taking all that is permissible and only using it for good, honestly and uprightly, with purpose that transcends our own selves, the supply lines are broken. Hence no matter the composition of the other arms of government the President should remain focused on the main war, distinguishing the market noises from the realities, thus overcoming as a true soldier by quick, surprise and tactical movements. When every activity of the president becomes a way to move the country forward evil simply withers away and dies. Evil is an institution and institutionalised somewhere here in Nigeria.

Given that Nigeria now has a seemingly nonpartisan leader in President Buhari (we are not sure if PDP members could see Buhari this way) then and in any case Nigerians have its obligations. Nigerians would have been unbrotherly if they had claimed they voted in Buhari, and had left the rest of the fight for him and the elected politicians. For example in the Church of Christ in Nigeria we have received much by means of the efforts and sufferings of the saints in years gone by, and if we do not make some return to the church of Christ by giving her

our best energies, we are unworthy to be enrolled in her ranks. Others are combating the errors of the age manfully, or excavating perishing ones from amid the ruins of the fall, and if we fold our hands in idleness we had need be warned, lest the curse of Meroz fall upon us. Similarly, the president needs to enlist the support of the communities and it’s armies in the fight against insurgency, corruption and also seek the support of all classes of investors in the fight against unemployment, and disparaging socioeconomic inequalities. If we understood the person of General Muhammad Buhari fairly, his aim is to improve the quality of life for the less haves. It is a war between the haves and the have nots, the light and darkness, the evil and the saints. Whatever stolen monies that may eventually get retrieved to Nigeria economy will never prove sufficient. The economic blueprint of APC and the president should have been visible by now, especially to economic players.

It may not have been obvious to the ruling party APC that many Nigerians, especially youths, are idle all day in every city and every hamlet. Why are they standing around here in Nigeria all the day idle when there is so much to fix? What is the idler’s excuse? What is government’s response? Personal service to the nation should become all the more the duty of all because it should be cheerfully and abundantly rendered by everyone. The toils of devoted past leaders and their fervent services to the nation should shame us if we sit still in indolence. Shrinking from trial is the temptation of those who are at ease in one hand and who may become insurgents in a few moments from hence. Our political leaders elected to solve these social ills should not attempt to escape the cross and yet wish to wear the crown at the end of their tenure. No politician in these modern days should contemplate to lead his or her society simply by avoiding risks, being just technical on the surface, pursing comfortable air conditioning offices. The job is outside Abuja and needing all hands. The president alone cannot do the job, neither is yesteryear approach the solution for today’s ever changing and growing problems. The change we need is dynamic and actually changing before we even can change what we saw yesterday.

President Buhari, President Barack Obama, the most saintly president and any other president will be tried even in fire. If the most precious and high officials are tried in the fire, are we to escape the crucible? If the diamond must be vexed upon the wheel, are we to be made perfect without suffering? Who hath commanded the wind to cease from blowing because our bark is on the deep? Why and wherefore should we be treated better than other leaders? If the firstborn felt the rod, and why not the younger brethren? It is a cowardly pride which would choose a downy pillow and a silken couch for a soldier of the cross. Wiser far is he who, being first resigned to the divine will, groweth by the energy of grace to be pleased with it, and so learns to gather lilies at the cross foot, and, like Samson, to find honey in the lion. Therefore those who need to be probed, probably jailed must be seen as part of the necessary cleansing processes in a society desirous to be counted. Probing, investigation, arrest, and the like must not be politicised nor personalised. Sooner or later Buhari’s regime should be investigated and probed also.

The difference between what we see and what are invisible to us is that

government should work for the good of the masses and not allow being self grounded pursuing insurgents, corrupt officials past or present. These exercises are necessary but not sufficient for running a government. Those of us who work with the youths as teachers and university professors are the first fellers of the continous frustrating conditions in our society. We write references for them year after year until they become fixed, they come back for further studies many simply because the economy has no place for them, we come across them in their different plights. Of course we record pleasant achievements and testimonies but the unemployed, and the yet to get it right are not insignificant. When Buhari was announced the presidential winner many of them thought there would have been jobs for them by December 2015. Now they are already doubting. Nigeria shouldn’t remain in the era of criticism or blame–game but effecting positive changes, working with enterprising individuals, laying great foundations for food production, processing and preservation, creating jobs for all by private individuals, bringing back the stolen and lost opportunities.