BUHARI BELONGS TO HIMSELF AND TO THE
NORTH
“Mene, Mene, Tekel, Urpharsin.” I wish to refer president Buhari and Nigerians to this
inscription in the holy book. And wish both parties would have the eye to read
the hand writing on the wall. I would not go deep to dwell on the meaning of
these words and verse in the holy book, rather, for the purpose of this article
would only dwell on the third word,”Tekel” which means,
“You have been weighed on the scale
and found wanting.”
On May 29, 2015 Buhari during his inauguration speech
said to Nigerians, “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.”
But 3 months after this declaration, from the president’s actions and body
language, his loquacity is contrary. You need not be told where and whom he
belongs to so far. It is said that, action speaks louder than voice. From
Buhari’s appointments to key positions in his government since inception where
about 95% of those positions went to the North calls for Nigerians especially
the South Easterners to read the hand writing on the wall.
To the Igbos, Buhari is back and out to subdue Igbos
to be hewers of wood and drawers of water in Nigeria to vent his spleen on them
for the cause of Biafra. A mission he was set out to pursue during his
draconian rule in 1984, but was caught short. For this same cause he was quick
to put the late Igbo and Biafra leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu into ten months of
incarceration in Kiri-Kiri for no just cause, while the Northern politicians
who held sway under Shagari were accorded special treatments under house
arrests. So far, Buhari seems to be playing the character of Shakespeare’s Julius
Caeser, of whom Cassius described as saying;
“He doth bestride the narrow world
like a colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about to
find ourselves dishonorable graves.”
After taking the most juicy and spicy part of the cake
to the North, it does not matter what remains, or goes to the rest of Nigerians
all in the name of meritocracy. From his actions and one sided appointments, he
seem to be biased and is flagrantly exhibiting insensivity to the federal
character and to the feelings of other ethnic groups across the country. To
those who are in favor and are quick to defend his actions, they say it is too
early to judge, and its question of meritocracy. I think to say that, is like
one reasoning through the anus.
“A chick that will grow into a cock can
be spotted the very day it hatches.”
For those who argue that the issue in question is of
meritocracy and not a question of where one comes from but a matter of who can deliver.
My question is; Is it only in the North that you have meritorious and credible
people? I think that is an understatement, very derogatory and ridiculous,
which depicts that other ethnic groups or sections of Nigerians are fools and
made up of mediocrities. Among the West, East, and Southern group of Nigerians
are not found people worthy, and meritorious enough like their northern counterparts
to occupy the key positions so far appointed by the president. If you are
talking of fighting corruption and change, is it not the same region that has
held and occupied the political dynasty of Nigeria more than other ethnic
groups both in the military and civilian governments in Nigeria since
independent.
For the past 90 days now, our media and press have
been uploaded with the hype, fight against corruption, who to probe and whom
not to probe, without any headway yet. In as much as I am against corruption
and am not against those who have looted the nation to be probed. For there to
be probity, let president Buhari probe his conscience first. The appointments
so far made are they free and fair and void of sectional leanings and biased?
“He who comes into equity must come
with clean hands”
No doubt other appointments are to be made, but they
would not be as relevant as the key ones already made. The substance has been
taken while the chaffs will go to the non-meritorious Nigerians. While this
imbalance by the president is going on, even under democratic rule, many
Nigerians are there praise singing the president instead of drawing his
attention to the hand writing on the wall. From the way things are going, south
easterners may wake up one day only to find out that northerners have been
appointed to take over their wives because they are not meritorious enough to
be husbands. For that, am now guarding my wife jealously with civil guards.
President Buhari, I like you as a person, and would
want you to succeed as a president. And to do that you should remember that you
are the president of Nigeria and your actions should reflect that. I have not
written you off. I believe you can still make things right, if only you can see
the hand writing on the wall “TEKEL” and realize that from your actions so far,
you have been found wanting. And if only you will pay heed and learn from
history and retrace your steps and repent, then “Mene, Mene” would not be your portion.
By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent Spain)
