Of CHANGE and Wanton Political Mantras: Not Yet Uhuru

Now that the presidential election has come and gone, friends are once again becoming friends while erstwhile enemies are now looking for and getting newer fraternizations. People who once belonged to one camp are now quickly re-adjusting and re-aligning themselves in order to be better positioned for the next four years and beyond. For the first time in my country, a ruling party is about to become an opposition party. I watch my kids throughout these events happening before our very eyes, and I wonder how they will appear in their History textbooks and eventually how their own teachers will coin them as exam questions. I just can't help imagining that we are today living our nation's future history. Am so glad am a part of it.

I am not glad because I am overwhelmed by the CHANGE mantra. Not at all! At least, I am old enough to know that my country's specie of politicians talk from, not only both sides of their mouths, but from all sides of their bodily orifices. These are people that before our very eyes can turn black into yellow. Little wonder a good number of them bleach common sense out of their "ponmo." They remind me of a saying that I read somewhere: "Government has two hands - a short one, for giving; and a long one for taking. The long one reaches everywhere and can take from everywhere. The short one reaches only those around and cannot give to the majority." They are a short-sighted bunch whose minds are kicked into sensible work only when "election" is around the corner. At other times, they are complacent, hoping that as usual, the power of incumbency is all they need. As such, they steal the nation blind and spend our national resources on harlots and pimps. They have no regard for the majority of the people. They keep the Abba Moro's because they don't want the Senate President to be offended. They keep the Diezani's for yet to be understood reasons. And then, once election comes, they hire the FFKs and DOs - people who deported "shame" to other lands and imported "no sense" and "naked flagrancy" for themselves. They talk without thinking and swallow their slime with a straight face. How does one sell a commodity that has proven inoperable over time? And some of us were foolhardy to believe them because we honestly believed they can change.

Over time, I have never hidden my lack of enthusiasm for a Buhari presidency. But at the same time, I have maintained that GEJ has done nothing for which he should be returned. At the time, I must admit that I underrated the determination of the majority of Nigerians to unseat this government that has shown tactlessness and visionlessness. Late President Yar'dua was berated for having a 7-point agenda and achieving none. We thought that the man who will replace him will be sensible enough to pursue at least one or two agenda to a logical conclusion. Nigerians screamed it, sang it and prophesied it. But it is as if there is sound-proof mechanism in that Aso Villa which insulates these people from hearing us once they enter those gates. It took him a couple of years before he remembered the term "Transformation Agenda," which by my reckoning is worse than 7-point agenda. Reason: under the 7-point, you know the items. Under Transformation, there is no definite plan. Transformation can be positive or negative. Tranformation doesn't specifically say what it will do about insecurity, unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, worsening economy, etc. In fact, we used to have epileptic power supply, now we have inexistent power supply and the tariff keeps going up and up. Thank God for boreholes, if not, we'll be carrying jerry cans to nearby streams in order to fetch water even in major cities. Is that the transformation they meant? I wonder what our forebears will think if they are to come out and see us with our fancy cars, houses and dresses, lining up at the stream to fetch water and driving on coal tars that are worse than unpaved village paths.

But this write-up is not about an outgoing administration. GEJ has by the singular act of acknowledging defeat, proven once again that his heart has always been in the right place. Methinks that what made him fail as a national leader was the people he surrounded himself with. They must have given him fake assurances and made him believe that he will always come out triumphant. Or how else does one explain the arrogance which made him lose seven sitting governors in one day and he was there acting "o da eshi?" Honestly, that loss contributed a lot to his government's loss in the presidential election. If my beloved Kwankwaso was still in PDP, Kano wouldn't have rounded up to a little less than two million votes for the opposition. But like they say, "Him whom the gods want to kill, they first make mad." And I add, they first make arrogant! In the final analysis, as the curtains are drawn, GEJ has made himself a hero by deepening Nigeria's democracy through his selfless act of accepting defeat. It is a noble act. A very unPDP one at that! A party that prides itself in ignoble deeds.

Now to the incoming president. Congratulations, sir. You have achieved a great feat, Mr. President-elect. Your persistence has really paid off and I believe it will be a great encouragement for generations to come in making people believe in their own dreams and pursuing them till they are achieved. Well done, sir. Be reminded though that winning this election is just a beginning. You can only write your name in gold when you deliver on your election promises.

What I said about Tranformation Agenda, is also true about the mantra that brought you to power - CHANGE. I remember in 2011, Oga Jona promised us Fresh Breath, but we didn't know that they didn't come with enough mouth wash, thus leaving the nation with chronic bad breath which you MUST take care of, or else... I heard you talking on BBC, saying something that looked like Nigerians should not expect miracles. I laughed, a very dry guffaw, sir. For you, sir, there is no excuse. For once, in a long time, this is the first time we are having a president who actually wants to lead and has sacrificed so much to achieve it. Since IBB, we've always had people who had presidency fall on their laps. Do I need reel them out, sir? Oga Shonekan to Abacha, to Abdusalami? And then, OBJ was in jail. I hope you still remember how he was visited by a former General when he came out of prison where he was miraculously saved from due to Abacha's death? Like play, like play, he donated 190 million to PDP, virtually buying Aso Rock under Ekwueme's koro koro eyes! His campaign slogan then was also CHANGE. We ended up seeing his ojoro all over the land after 8 years in power. Now I hear he is in your party. Hmmm! And then, your kinsman, Yar'dua who was on his way to retirement after governing your state for 8 years. A perfect gentleman, may his soul continue to rest in peace! And then Oga Jona that you have so surprisingly unseated. None of these people sought for this post like you have done. We say you are old now, but you started this project when you were still much younger. It is for this reason that a lot of people see you as the messiah. So, no excuses. This is no time for telling us not to expect miracles. Do not be deceived, sir, the power that brought you in is the same one that ushered Jona in in 2011 before his advisers assured him that he has become greater than everyone in the world! Do not be like that, sir. If you do, the same power will sweep you out of Aso Rock faster than you think. You are taking charge of a nation of people who don tear eye finish!

As you assume office in a couple of weeks, may the good Lord direct you and make you the best that you can be. May you not forget where you are coming from and then fall into the same mishaps like your predecessors. May your eyes and ears be blind and deaf to evil advisers who seem to be perpetual inhabitants of Aso Rock. In fact, if it is possible, sir, avoid that Rock and rule from your house. Maybe, that way you will be seeing ordinary Nigerians on your way to and from work daily. Don't allow yourself to be cordoned off from the people. Make sure that your government has one long hand for taking and giving. A lot of the people you condemned in PDP are now flocking to your party, be wary of them. I make these prayers and advice, not only for you, sir, but for the good of our countrymen. When you perform well, sir, everyone in our country will be better off. Work for Nigerians and not for the political jobbers around you. Go online, now that you own a twitter handle, so that you can know firsthand what we think about you. May God give you the wisdom of Solomon and the strength of David, sir. Amen!