TheCable

BY ONYIORAH CHIDULUEMIJE

“…before you ask “where is the change they promised us’, you must first ask how far have I changed my ways, ‘what have I done to be part of the change for the greater good of society”.

The foregoing remark credited to and drawn from the speech delivered by President Muhammadu Buhari during the launch of the National Re-orientation Campaign tagged CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME, at the Banquet hall of State House, Abuja, on Thursday, September 8, 2016, is, to say the least, quite unbecoming of the man who is now a proverbial tortoise that once upon a time assured all animals at the beginning of their journey, of an existing promised land, like an Eldorado, and only for it (the same tortoise) to announce in the course of the journey, and to the chagrin of all animals, that the so-called promised land which they had all set out to behold and possess was the same as the land they had just left in search of milk and horny(thus obviating the need for their journey). But unlike what obtained in the old (and abandoned) land, all animals were now individually saddled with the responsibilities of tracing and accessing the new Kingdom through the different paths apparently leading to it, basically because the main entrance to the promised land was practically unknown. This tale in a nutshell, aptly illustrates the analogous (abrupt) paradigm shift in the APC’s and/or President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘change slogan’ afterthought called CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME.

Of course, it is almost unbelievable that the same man who – with hindsight – apparently tricked the electorate into voting him into power with an unmistakable promise of a positive change in the living standard of all, is today squarely pontificating about a clearly diversionary tactic called CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME, and, as it were, almost patronizing both the hungry and the angry for “failing” to first of all ask themselves what they have done to change  their wsays before expecting the government to change their lives.

As it were, many an APC supporter would have by now definitely found it extremely difficult to fathom the essence of this seemingly derogatory remark against the people made by no less a person than President Muhammadu Buhari,  which, critically viewed, ought not to have arisen in the very first place. And the reason for this thinking is not far-fetched. For one, a campaign promise of change made to the people remains a campaign promise, and so it does not necessarily follow in a thriving democracy that the people must be willing to dance to the tune and/or comply with the dictates, wishful thinking, whims and caprices of their elected representatives, before the latter could be reasonable enough to bring to fruition all that had been promised during the electioneering. Therefore, it makes no sense at all for anybody, be that Mr. President or whoever, to begin to impress it on the masses to alter their ways as a condition precedent for being “entitled” to demand, inter alia, that the APC-led government accomplish its campaign promises.

Ironically, though, the same President who now appears to be patronizing Nigerians and scoffing at their increasing demand for a positive change to take effect as promised by the All Progressive Congress, is yet to repent of his own old ways or, better still, renounce his obviously disgusting ethnic and religious bigotry and inclination towards people and issues of national importance. Evidently, there is no gainsaying that his glaringly lopsided appointments so far still reek of and speak volumes about facts associated with his unpalatable past foray into governance vis-à-vis the nasty realities of his unchanging (present, and) second coming. Yet, his song goes that change begins with me (?)

Truth be told, the APC is simply deceiving itself, not Nigerians, by the launch of this misleading sub Party-slogan – CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME. For goodness sake, how on earth will change begin with Nigerians who – despite their enormous struggles and hassling nowadays – often end up managing to eke out a miserable existence as a result of the continuous increase in price of everything in the market:  food stuffs, clothing, building materials, writing materials, just name them? Yet, in the face of all this, some appointee of President Muhammadu Buhari – who calls himself Bayo Onanuga (the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria) – would have the temerity to blurt out the hogwash that the current bitter reality of an unprecedented hardship in the country is mere “propaganda” reportedly created by a section of the media to discredit the “change” government. Like a friend will ask: what an insensitive remark?

What is more, as we know, the President still dilly-dallies to dispose of the fleet of Presidential aircrafts in the State House, which of course is another negation of his campaign promise. But funny enough, the news report making rounds in this regard is that a committee has been set up to look into the matter with a view to making appropriate recommendations on the subject. Nevertheless, the big question is: must this so-called ‘change’ government continue with the obsolete tradition of setting up committees for virtually every minute decision that needed to be taken? Or, even granted the need for that, will it then take donkey’s years for the so-called committee to submit its report?

Granted: change begins with me, but how do we begin to rationalise the fact that we are today constrained by the circumstances of the present to endure forever the pain of having a President who beyond being unable so far  or, rather, deliberately  refusing to show he possesses the minimum constitutionally required qualification (secondary education certificate) for contesting and becoming a Nigerian President, had shamelessly gone a step further to allegedly consider the need to hire no less than 13 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) with the sole intent to stop the Court of Appeal from entertaining hearing on his Cambridge WASSC Certificate scandal .

Indeed change begins with me, and not with you Mr. President, when, despite the widely reported existing court orders directing that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of the popular Radio Biafra be released, you – nay me – still insist on keeping him in an unlawful incarceration.

All said, lest we get it wrong, change is good and, more so, imperative for Nigeria and Nigerians, but (in my opinion) not yet good enough for emulation from the mouth, actions and/or inactions of “our” President. Therefore, more than anyone else, true and positive change needs to begin with President Muhammadu Buhari in much the same way it should be seen to be manifest in his actions and inactions.

Chiduluemije, a Journalist ([email protected], 08052250171) writes from Abuja