Sir, I must start with yet an additional congratulation, albeit in arrears, to your overwhelming victorious outing at the last general election and a record breaking ”routing” of the then ruling party (People Democratic Party) candidate in the history of Nigeria elections. It was reckoned free and fair and incontrovertibly transparent and your defeated opponent, the former President Goodluck Jonathan took his bow and left yet without proceeding to the election tribunal or tenaciously holding on to power – a political inglorious trend and tendency an average Africa leader is prone to. Thus he disappointed a good number of such sycophants besetting Africa nation leaders.
This having been said and true to my personality to speak truth no matter how hard, blunt and reckless, I dutifully observed my civic right to cast my vote but not for you because I did not believe in what you can deliver that will answer for the biting needs of the citizens of our dear nation. The lonely opportunity that you could have adequately taken the advantage of to first reaffirm the belief of your existing voters and convince those who looked askance at your much talked about ability and readiness to move the country forward – the President Debate Forum, was tactically dodged on several attempts irresponsibly by your campaign team handlers.
Yes, I said I did not vote for you. Then I reasoned that such a Presidential aspirant, who in the previous futile attempts at a point in time threatened very resolutely to “make the country ungovernable if he should not be allowed to win” obviously did not deserve my “bulletless” vote. There are a number of other unfavorable dosages of reprehensible qualities attributable to you, which the constraint of space will not permit their detail mentioning, but suffice it to say that put in comparison and contrast with your arch opponent, I considered him highly esteemed and deserving of my gentle vote. Remember by this prevailing period of time, the dreadful demon possessed terrorists continue to ravage and devastate what remains of the pride and patrimony of this developing nation. I cry! But now, when the tempestuous storm of the historic strenuous general election and its dusts finally settled, I entered a meditative mood. I remained there, if you please, in consultation to highest Supreme Authority and the Universal Mind, seeking for attention and verdict on the rare national development. The response is not exclusively delivered to yours sincerely. It is to the public mill that “God chose you as next Nigeria President and Commander of Armed Forces, for deluges of awesome surprises to all Nigerians”. Apparently, this is ambiguous. Let’s leave it at that, time will elaborate.
During one of your now becoming too frequent oversea trips, you had informed the world but particularly Nigerians, in a press briefing that you, (I quote) “I wish I became Head of State when I was a Governor, just a few years as a young man. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do”. Actually this was broadcast at the wake of rising hope of all Nigerians, your voters and opponents alike. Imagine the disheartening! I have written, severally in time past, rendering classical tips and useful suggestions on how to better Nigeria and I strongly wish your media crew found ways to communicate mine and other similar projected indices and clues on nation building.
Sir, speaking here the minds of many Nigerians on the limitation peg you have voluntarily imposed on the expected performance of your nascent government, with all due respect, we beg to disagree. Again I will save space here, quickly I recommend to your media team for perusal of the book titled “The secret of the ages” by Robert Collier with particular focus on chapter XXII (22) “why grow old. Whatever I will be tempted to quote here is already said succinctly and comprehensively by this sage author. Yet, for your benefit, if the said book will not come handy, and to cheat searching time, few passages on “why grow old” chapter qualify for quick reference here. As if Mr. Robert silently listened to you when you spoke to the press and here responds, “if only I had my life to live again!” how often you have heard it said. How often you have thought it”. He asked. “But the fact”, he continued, “is that you can have it. You can start now and live again as many years as you have already experienced. Health, physical freedom and full vigor need not end for you at thirty-five or forty- not at sixty or seventy. Age is not a matter of years. It is a state of mind”.
Among other valid quotes, it is also said in the same book. “Many of the world’s famous men did their greatest work after the age when most men are in their graves. Tennyson composed the immortal lines of “crossing the Bar” at the age of eighty. Plato still had pen in hand at eighty-one. Humboldt completed his “Cosmos” in his ninetieth year, while John Wesley at eighty-two said – “it is twelve years now since I have felt any such sensation as fatigue”. I could as well claim I am the very one saying to you the following remaining part of the passage as it roundly fits into our present circumstance…”You are only as old as your mind. Every function, every activity of your body is controlled by your mind”. Again, for goodness sake and the clarion call to deliver dividends of democracy to all Nigerians let the above mentioned book be delivered to your hand, Mr President Sir
And to your unelected but selected cabinet team, I’m wondering Sir. One of the laws of power that rules life and thus must be adhered to, according to Green Robert, is that “thou shall not outsmart the master”. Herein this is relatively sacrosanct. Having enunciated the hitherto secret facts that human beings cannot grow old in the foregoing passages, (I hope you and I are now on the same page) well: but if things remain unchanged, and one of your privileged few appointed ministers decides to shine inwardly out, performing recklessly even almost to the utter dismay of his supreme boss, but nevertheless to the gratification and satisfaction of the citizen’s common aspiration, shall it be well with such “aberrant’’ minister? Should he be marked for a scapegoat? Shall this unpopular minister be considered as trying to outsmart the boss, shine brighter than he who appointed him? Would you give them the liberty to perform optimally?
I want to trust you, I want to repose my confidence in you that your presidency can turn the economic and social dire condition of Nigeria for the better, may I Sir? I want to; when I find myself outside Nigeria, especially in the Western part of the world, put my head high as a bonafide citizen of Nigeria carrying our cherished Green international passport. I want to mobilize my fellow Nigerians, who had migrated en masse, in search of greener pasture, (brain drain) to return when we can boast of tangible and visible national development both on the economy and lives of the citizens. I want to witness a Nigeria whose integral parts will not be grappling with road maintenance, provision of portable water, reliable infrastructures, etc which are long accomplished by other developed nations, but a country of mine that will be targeting sending some astronauts, world class scientists, etc. May I Sir? The mantra was pegged to ‘CHANGE’, shall we Sir. I didn’t vote for you my President but when you perform your promises, and deliver the dividends of democracy, you would have earned not just mine against next election period, but many more in addition for you or for anyone you present to Nigerians. Yours seriously.
This article was originally published on Thisday