BABA GO SLOW

The 2015 election came like a tsunami and swept away the ruling Peoples Democratic Party from power and installed the All progressives congress [APC]

that flooded the airwaves with their

change slogan. More rewarding for the APC was the valuable candidate that they paraded. An anti-corruption czar that majority of the electorates believed will come in with the magic wand that will heal Nigeria of all its numerous problems. And so we went to the polls. In the crying rains and the burning sun, Nigerians remained on long queues to enforce the second coming of General Muhamadu Buhari.

`           On May 29, the baton of leadership was handed over to the Apc, and then the clock began to tick. Majority of those who voted for APC in the presidential election did so because of their candidate, Buhari whom they believed will [immediately after taking over on May 29] open the wide gates of Kirikiri Maximum security prison and issue free accommodation to all corrupt politicians. They all thought that Nigeria’s problems will begin to end from that very day.

Just a week after May 29, Nigerians began to grumble, asking when our dear president will commence work on this dilapidated structure called Nigeria. Weeks went bye and nothing new was coming from the president, no appointments, no ministers, no contracts, no allocation of oil wells, fuel scarcity continued to bite harder, the Naira was losing more and more value, the alleged corrupt super rich politicians were still gallivanting on the corridors of power, and the cabals were still exploiting the poor. Then angrily, Nigerians went to social media to vent their anger on slow pace of this locomotive that they had exclusively purchased with their votes. Social media pages were stained with anger, hate, and regret. In the process, our dear president Muhamadu Buhari was unanimously awarded the title of “Baba Go Slow”, and name which he recently acknowledged during an interview.

Now, the question is, is Buhari really going slow? Many will hurriedly say yes to this question based on the fact that this is over 110 days in office and he is yet to  name his cabinet, no clear policy direction, and the economy is left to swing according to the dictates of the cabals ‘who control almost everything including nothing’. The appointments made by the president so far have been soaked in controversy due to the lopsided nature; making some analysts to term him [Buhari] the president of the North.  His anti corruption war so far has been described by many as a witch hunt for perceived political enemies. More worrisome is the fact that no single federal government capital project is currently going on throughout the federation. His government is operating a body language democracy where all agencies are believed to be swinging in any direction that they read the body language of the president to be.However, many [especially the APC] will argue that the president is slow due to the mess that the PDP left behind, and even with that Buhari has done better in 100 days that the 16 years of PDP in Aso Rock. But to me, I thought they were prepared to rule Nigeria, so why the excuses?

My message to Baba go slow is that, we Nigerians are not a patient people, as much as you are trying not to make mistakes by taking your time and going slow and steady, we want the wheels of change to start rolling. Your September deadline for the announcement of your ministers is fast approaching, and we want to see the list of your much awaited  kitchen cabinet [ministers] that will contribute in preparing a new meal for Nigeria. Please get serious with this war on corruption, this publicity stunt by the anti corruption agencies is boring. People should not only be declared wanted for alleged corrupt offences, they should be arrested, prosecuted, and if guilty; jailed! Call your party gladiators to order, they should not treat our economy like a war booty, the revenge mission most of them are embarking on against the PDP is an ill wind that will do no Nigerian any good. And more importantly, your political advisers from the north should stop seeing your presidency as the tenure of the North, always remember what you said: “I belong to everybody and I belong to no one” if you do these, our anger is already waiting for anyone that will wish you bad.