President Buhari And The Challenges Of 2021 And Beyond By Daniel Bwala

 

The 2020 challenge took the world by a storm and crashed economies around the world. The outbreak of covid19 otherwise referred to as “the pandemic” is a foretaste of the 2021 challenges and beyond. Conspiracy theorists would have you believe that covid19 was created by China as a response to Donald Trump’s trade war with China, but scientists have established the existence and occurrence of pandemic patterns over time since the Spanish flu of the 19th century.

Whichever way you look at it, we have now come to terms with the fact that one problem such as a pandemic can give birth to several others in different shapes and forms affecting commerce, economics, health, and education. For us in Nigeria, we were already battling with insecurity, corruption, and the economy which formed the main focus of Buhari administration before the outbreak of covid19. With the pandemic and the somewhat slow-placed approach to dealing with it, coupled with the existing problems, our pandemic has now become “endemic pandemic”.

No doubt Nigeria is on the path to being a failed state unless drastic action is taken. The evidence is there to see from the massive cases of rising insecurity in the country; insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, kidnappings in the North Central, armed robbery, and cyber-crime in the South East and South West and cultism in the South-South. These problems are increasingly becoming worse by the day and the capacity and resources of the security architecture of the country. The constitutional framework does not devolve the powers to manage these national security threats to any person, or authority in the federating units, but on the desk of one man; THE PRESIDENT.

These powers lie in the absolute control of all the security apparatus of the federation, while the responsibility lies in the protection of lives and the welfare of the nation’s citizens. While the former can rightly be exercisable with all its antecedent resources by the President, the latter sadly has not been guaranteed to the citizens. Right to life in Nigeria today can arguably be said to be a privilege and not a right, and this is contrary to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter, and all the bills of rights.

The President must be ready to battle the endemic pandemic in Nigeria in 2021 to secure and retain the trust of the Nigerian people. Admittedly, the President has begun to feel the dwindling faith and trust of the people in him which explains his recent call for the renewal of faith and trust in his government and its ability to lead in 2021 and beyond. The simple truth is, the clock is ticking fast, the president must act and move fast. There is no room for “slow-paced style” leadership anymore, because of the changing times and rising insecurity.

The endsars protest must be a wake-up call even if the protest was sponsored by the opponents or foreign agents; they found a legitimate ground to flood the street and demand for good governance. No doubt Mr president means well for Nigeria as is evident in his progressive policies, but the implementation of those policies have not found their way to the doorstep, breakfast, or dinner table of the majority of Nigerians due to alleged corrupt practices by those who manage such resources on our behalf.

There is practically no monitoring and evaluation of these policies and the mention of the word ‘accountability’ irritates the ears of some of his appointees. Many of the appointees have found solace in the fact that once they are given the job, they would remain on the job till the end of their tenures and possibilities of further extension as a matter of convenience. There is no element of fear or surprises that will necessitate diligence, probity, and accountability by the appointees.

 

The president has good intentions for the country, but to many Nigerians, the intentions don’t matter anymore if they cannot be translated into the promotion and protection of rights, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

President’s 2015 election victory was received nationally and globally as a revival of some sort because the nation was gripped with fear and held hostage by insecurities where suicide bombings became a daily occurrence across the cities of the nation. There were palpable fears in and around all the sectors of the country. In fact, the former president was reported to have expressed fears that boko haram members may have infiltrated his government and cabinet. So when Buhari in a press briefing made a stunning declaration to the world that if voted, the world would have no course to be concerned about Nigeria and insecurity, everyone gravitated towards Buhari’s side.

Alas, today the world is more worried about insecurity in Nigeria that it fears the whole of Africa might soon be consumed if Nigeria doesn’t find its mojo back. Buhari’s media managers (most of whom have established journalists in their chosen vocation before their appointments as aids to the President) have not helped matters. Either they are having a meltdown owing to overwhelming gaffes by the government’s actions and inactions, or that they have been engrossed by self-deceit of utopic euphoria. The absence of a robust and rapid response approach by the President’s image handlers to the unfolding events in cyberspace constantly generated so much pressure on the security agencies to clamp down on freedom of speech, thoughts, and expression.

The challenges of 2021 and beyond would require a presiding president to engage timeously in dealing with the challenges. It will require the president to be a step ahead of the challenges. Until the 1999 constitution is further amended to devolve powers to the units of the federation thereby allowing state governors to also have means of coercion in security management, the pressure of governance would forever rest on Mr. President. For the President to succeed and consolidate on the gains, below are advice and recommendation.

1. The President must be A PRESIDING PRESIDENT

He must demonstrate that he is in charge of his government by not only delegating duties but ensuring that the delegated duties are carried out in detail with precision and purpose. It is not enough to make funds available for a task, project, or counterterrorism fight, but those who manage the funds must be monitored to ensure accountability.

Recently, the president was reported to have taken a position that he has discharged his duties by providing the needed funds for counterterrorism and intelligence. That with respect is not a mark of leadership; leadership is ensuring that the given tasks are carried out with precision and diligence. He must apply the carrot and stick approach to leadership by rewarding those who work and punishing those who fail, or sabotage his administration because task-payers monies are involved in all of the government endeavors.

The president must not only fire non-performing appointees but must be seen to be firing them however frequently or long it will take until we get things right. Inability to exercise the firing skills is not a style but a weakness. The president’s presence must be felt in every ministry, department, and agency through the quality of leadership he appoints to head the MDAs.

2. The President must ENGAGE WITH THE CITIZENS

what separates democracy from dictatorship or tyrannical government is that while the former is all about the people, of the people by the people for the people, the latter is about the leader, his interests, wishes, and commands. If the principles of the latter are applied in the former, they would turn the government into a democratic dictatorship.

The president is a converted democrat; he needs to demonstrate that in every respect. If you speak to people close to him, they would tell you he wants the right things to be done at all times. He loves due process and procedure and abhors corruption and corrupt practices. While the president’s actions do not show any semblance of tyranny, his non-engagement with the masses leaves the impression with the masses that what his appointees do per time is a reflection of his orders or tacit approvals. His silence or absence for the most part is viewed as approving of acts performed by recalcitrant agents in his government. Some of the acts are inimical and/or repugnant to natural justice.

The worst interpretation in life is the one that is given to body language. The President must constantly engage with the citizens through all the mediums available in a democratic society. He should find ways to communicate directly to the citizens.

No doubt he has been communicating via his media managers, but the gaffes and weaknesses of some of them, require that he should engage to avoid misinterpretation and misjudgment. In a democratic society, the media as the fourth estate of the real are the mirror and conscience of the nation on behalf of the people. The concept of free speech as enshrined in the constitution was meant to hold the government to account on behalf of the people. When leaders avoid the media, they avoid the people; meaning they do not want to be held accountable. Even when the government senses that the media is managed and manipulated by opponents and enemies of the state, the best approach to keeping the enemies at bay is to confront their falsehood with truth, fake news with good news, disinformation with the right information.

The President must hold press briefings as often as possible to address the people directly and not just via his media spokesmen. With the advent of social media, the president can conveniently reach the citizens without risking his good intentions being filtered out by fake news or mainstream media. The President must respond to public outcry, especially ones that draw national attention or national security concerns. The myth that those calling for the restructuring of his security set up are opponents or enemies with respect is false and designed to mislead Mr. President. Periodically men adjust their strategies because if you don’t know the strategy you will suffer tragedy.

There can never be a conspiracy in which the entire country will be calling for the replacement of his service chiefs in other to inject new energy, new strategy, and impetus into the fight against insurgency. For example, the call for replacement of the service chiefs is a public outcry born out of the need for a rejigging of security strategies in the country. Another example is since 2015, Mr. President promised Nigerians a national carrier in the aviation to start operation in his first term, but six years down the line the only thing we can boast of is a design of the carrier logo which could be done in 1 hour by an undergraduate student in a computer Bussiness center.

Most of his appointees across the MDA can’t innovate, create, or even initiate, but always giving excuses upon excuses. The President has not seen the need to change them; some were even re-appointed for the second term. The only constant thing is change itself. Einstein once said ‘we cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that created it in the first palace’ There is a need to change the entire security architecture by January 2021.

The President must move out of the comfort of the presidential villa as often as possible and engage with citizens through many mediums. Visit places of natural disasters, visit victims of banditry and terrorism, visit internally displaced citizens If the president can visit and campaign throughout the country in the build-up to the 2019 elections amid rising insecurity, nothing stops him from flying around the country to demonstrate his engagement with the citizens; thanks to Nigerian airways 1 and other birds in the presidential fleets.

Empathy is as important as governance in a democratic society. President must show himself to be human and humane, as well as a tough leader as he is. To avoid citizenship engagement is a breach of trust and moral mandate of the people. Sometimes the president needs to visit the sites of his projects and verify what his ministers and other agents are telling him. Imaging the embarrassing case of hoarding of palliatives in food banks across the country.

Does it mean the president does not get security intelligence on happenings around his government and the country at large?. Nothing works in any society where there is no monitoring and evaluation. In the midst of this pandemic presidents and prime ministers around the world move and visit places and people to show empathy, leadership and their governments’ desire to change things.

The responsibility of leadership has always been there as a prerequisite for vying for office in any given society. When the president was sick and was treated in England at the time; as polarized as the nation was and still is, citizens across the country were constantly praying for his recovery and safety. Nigeria is a nation of faith and good people. When the president returned to the country after his long stay away from home and government, Nigerians troop to the streets to welcome him and rejoice other his recovery and well-being. He must repay the faith and trust by engaging with the people.

3. The President must Always DOUBLE-CHECK THE COUNSEL OF HIS ADVISERS

Presidential advisers are designed to be his eyes and ears to the rest of the MDAs. They are his wise counselors who are tasked, to be honest, forthright, and truthful to him. They are to always provide for their principal’s range of alternatives to dealing with issues, persons, authorities, and the international community. He doesn’t need to adopt their counsel because their counsel and advice are to provide him with materials for decision making; however, they must tell him the truth, albeit wisely, politely, and humbly. In the western world even though there are cases of poor advisers to presidents, however, they appear to be more honest and truthful in their advice and opinions even if the opinions turn out to be weak and poor.

The problem in Africa however is that either we have leaders who appoint advisers to tell them what they (leaders) want to hear; the obvious of which is praises and accolades, so they choose advisers who are good in that job. On the other hand, there are leaders whose advisers were suggested to them or thrust on them, but who have primordial sentiments and are not able to give wise counsel, honest opinions, and diligent responses to the needs of the leaders. It is a shame that good leaders with bad advisers turn out to be bad leaders at the end of the day.

This is the reason presidents, governors and other leaders are enjoined to double-check counsel as supplied by their advisers. Interrogate their motives, task them to give informed reasons for the opinions they provide on any given subject. Occasionally try to act or move in the opposite direction if such a decision would not cost the leaders dearly, just to checkmate the quality of their counsel.

This is the mark of a true leader. For example what counsel is the national security adviser giving to the president that Nigeria’s national security is threatened to its knees? What is the quality of his security recommendations to the president? Why are counterintelligence and counterterrorism eluding us as a nation? When briefed by the relevant intelligence chiefs, what is the NSA feeding the president with?

The quality of counsel is judged by the outcome. Sometimes, the quality of the statement of the president on issues and subjects is indicative of the quality of the advice he receives from relevant quarters. There is an obvious need for an overhaul of the president’s advisory board.

On a final note, Mr. President needs to be conscious of time in governance. Time is very relevant, that’s why the constitution is designed in a way that elective posts are time-bound. Every minute, hour, and day count in the life of a democratic leader. He is advised to be timeous and avoid procrastination because procrastination is opportunity’s natural assassin.

 

Daniel Bwala,

Notary public and Barrister of Lincoln’s Inn (NP)

dbwala2002@yahoo.com

Sunday, December 27, 2020