Your excellency, hey, your presidency by O'Femi Kolawole

It’s exactly ten months today that President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And in two months time, it would be one year that the ‘change’ government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took the levers of power. So, the countdown to the first anniversary of the Buhari administration may just have started already.

Now, for a government that was joyfully heralded into power by the majority of the people, I doubt if Nigerians ever expected that almost one year of the Buhari government, the country would be in serious economic stress and hardship like we have now. And that’s why I wish I am able to engage the President one-on-one on an occasion as this.

Were I to meet Mr. President today, I will attempt to tell him what avarage Nigerians are saying in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Osogbo, Lokoja, Suleja, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Ekiti, Taraba, Osogbo, Sokoto, Benue, Dutse, Zaria, Onitsha, Zamfara and even in his home state of Katsina with the views they daily express on newspapers, the radio and television stations, on the social media, in gatherings, and especially in petrol stations.

I will tell His Excellency the performance of his Presidency so far has not impressed Nigerians well enough, this is giving many sincere patriots who long for a better country serious cause for concern, and he seriously needs to watch it because his government is losing it. Generally, Nigerians are still waiting to experience the change his party, the APC, promised in their lives. Therefore, why does it appear his government is ill-prepared for governance, is visionless and directionless? Why does it appear his ministers are learning on the job? And for how long more do the masses have to wait to enjoy a better life in Nigeria?

I’ve seen some photographs of President Buhari reading Nigerian newspapers in the Presidential aircraft. I’ve also seen a photograph of him focusing intently on an apple laptop presumably reading through a piece. I assume he reads online new-sites too especially the very credible ones. So, I’ll also assume he gets to read or see this. I’ll thus not waste his Presidential time telling him my heart today.

Mr. President, by May 29 which is exactly two months from now, it would be one year of your administration. Although Nigerians are witnesses to how your government, through the EFCC, has gone after corrupt officials in the Goodluck Jonathan administration who abused their office and stole our common patrimony, and they also understand you’re not giving those godless and unpatriotic folks rest of mind at all as you insist they must return all they took from the nation, but they are complaining that things are so hard under your government so far.


That life is difficult for them and corruption shouldn’t be the only focus or achievement of your government. They say they expected far more from your APC government than they’ve seen so far. And the confidence of many of them in you and your government are daily being eroded. Some even fear they may not survive this current hardship.

Again, there are others who say the APC has really taken Nigerians for a ride; that this was all about getting power all along and nothing more. You need to prove them wrong if they wrong sir.  They also say that, under your administration, Nigerians are witnessing the worst forms of epileptic power supply, economic hardship and disrespect to rule of law. Some Nigerians have even lost faith in the country and they are not in any way afraid of saying so even to your face as President.

Personally, for over 30 years I’ve been in this country, the last two weeks have been the most terrible in electricity supply I’ve ever experienced. No light, no fuel. Even money is hard to get.

Of all the campaign promises you made alongside your party, Nigerians now find it difficult to even mention one or two that they can hold your government to. This should worry you seriously. The PDP destroyed itself with Nigerians. The party blew its chance when it had the opportunity to rule the country for 16 years. Don’t you think the APC has also started destroying its reputation with Nigerians? It’s still three years to 2019; but I believe even if Nigerians won’t give the PDP a second chance any time soon, a new political party may emerge to challenge and displace your party if things continue this way.

Meanwhile Your Excellency, about three weeks ago, Mr. Femi Adesina, your Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, reacting to the lamentations of Nigerians that things are difficult in the country and they have not clearly seen the change promised by your government, said Nigerians have always complained, and we should learn to stop complaining and believe more. He went on to say Nigerians ‘want magic immediately.’ I think those were harsh words which still pain a lot of Nigerians. Yet, what I believe Nigerians expect from your government at all times are words of comfort and reassurance not reprimands even as your administration takes concrete steps to turn things around for good in Nigeria.

On another occasion while appearing on a Channels’ TV programme, Adesina also said Nigerians crying about poor electricity should go and hold those who vandalize gas installations in the country. Of course, he drew the ire of Nigerians with such scandalous statement. Mr. President, if your administration as the government in power can’t stop pipeline vandals, who should? Nigerians?

And just last week also,  Ibe Kachikwu, your junior colleague, the minister of state for petroleum resources, who is also the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said the current fuel crisis could last till May, saying he was no magician who could end the petrol scarcity across the country. I don’t know if you call your top men to order. But don’t you think it was insensitive of him? I’m surprised you didn’t ask him to apologise to Nigerians for his unbecoming statement as a public servant.
Meanwhile, when you were speaking in Abuja last Thursday at the opening of the meeting of the National Executive Committee of your party, you carpeted those slamming your government for its slow performance insisting that the criticisms were too early and hasty since you have three more years to prove your mettle.

But sir, although you may be right in some ways, you need to know that life is becoming more unbearable and hellish for Nigerians in all ramifications. The gap between the rich and poor is getting wider in the country day by day. And it seems you don’t quite realise the gravity of frittering away one complete year of impact which your government could have made and which Nigerians would be now by testifying about.  Mr. President, procrastination is the thief of time. Your administration can’t continue to waste time or think it has such luxury. Time’s too precious to be wasted. You cannot waste the life of a nation.

Of course, I know you once personally admitted during one of your interactions with Nigerians living abroad while you were on one of your many foreign trips that people call you “Baba Go-Slow” and defended that your government was trying to be thorough so as not to make mistakes. But the painful part for me, and I believe for a lot of Nigerians, Mr. President, is that you seem to have done nothing to correct this negative perception. Even now, several months later, the snail-speed of your government is annoying. You don’t seem to realise the fierce urgency of now sir. I believe things cannot continue this way sir.
Meanwhile, I believe you know that Nigerians are not people who ask for too much from their leaders. They just want the basic things of life. They want security of their lives and properties, electricity, good roads, access to quality education and healthcare, jobs, decent housing and a quality and patriotic leadership that inspires hope and confidence. You’ll agree that these are not too much to expect from a serious government that prepared well enough before taking the reins of power.

Mr. President, Nigerians may be still be suffering and smiling like Fela sang several years ago but I don’t think their patience should continuously be taken for granted or that their docility will last forever. There may be a tipping point someday. Revolution may not be too far away. If there is any conflagration in this country, the consequences could be far-reaching for Africa. You can prevent this sir. But the situation of things in the country must change. Clearly. Visibly. Evidently.

And before I wrap up, I’ll like to remind you Your Excellency, that millions of Nigerians, by now, expected you would have condemned the atrocities being perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen in the country. I believe the loss of lives and massive destruction of property, caused by these herdsmen, ought to have gotten you greatly worried as our leader. As President, you need to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. This would disprove the thoughts of those who vehemently insist as a cattle farmer yourself, you are in support of the mindless killings carried out by the herdsmen. You need to ensure that the Agatu killings in Benue and other parts of Nigeria end now and for good.

Now, few days ago, you said we now have N3 trillion in the Treasury Single Account (TSA). That’s great. The Easter festivities just ended. Many Nigerians couldn’t celebrate because they had no money to. Please, let the money start being judiciously spent now so that businesses can thrive, life can be better and citizens don’t start dying of hunger sir.

In conclusion Your Excellency, always watch your Presidency. Maximise the time at the disposal of your administration. Do your best. Don’t demand anything less from your ministers and appointees. Set targets for them. Follow up on them. Ensure they meet deadlines. Nigerians are tired of hearing stories. Stories upon stories. Excuses upon excuses. We want change. That’s what we voted for. A positive difference. A visible impact. A strong conviction by Nigerians from different parts of the country that things are truly turning around for good.

Like P-Square, Nigerians want to share testimony and proclaim it to the world that things have changed for the better in our country. Your Excellency, please, do something. Now.



O’Femi Kolawole, is an award-winning journalist and author. You can follow him on twitter: @ofemigan.