The Nigerian President
Apr 19th, 2011 by admin
Amidst charges of fraud and election malpractices, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been declared the President of Nigeria. He polled 22,495,187 while his closest rival polled 12,214853. In his acceptance speech, the president expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian people. “This is a new dawn! Our nation has spoken”. With the election he reaffirmed the unity of Nigeria as a nation. The president described his victory as a victory for the sustenance of our democracy. Anyway, as Nigerians begin to lower their guards and accept the new president, the big question is, is this the end of the road for the famous general? Gen. Mohammed Buhari, a onetime military head of state has been hoping to rule since 2003. He desperately wanted to lead Nigeria as a democratic president but his struggle was fruitless. He fought a good fight, particularly with his choice of a Christian as his vice presidential candidate. As a military leader, his tenure, though short-lived recorded cases of human rights abuses, he sentenced the Late musician Fela Kuti to a ten year imprisonment because he criticized his government, during his regime a former minister Umaro Dikko was found drugged in a crate labeled Diplomatic Baggage, at Stansted Airport, United Kingdom, en route to Lagos. Despite the failings of his regime, it was regarded as credible. Besides, he did not enrich himself.
His story brings to mind the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who tried to rule the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria, but never attained his dreams. Awolowo, Nigeria’s first premier who introduced free education and established the Western Nigerian Television in 1959, the very first in Africa was a politician, a trade unionist and a statesman. The late premier was so intelligent that Winston Churchill once said he could rule both the United Kingdom and Nigeria. His portrait is on one hundred naira notes in commemoration of his service to the nation. Even the Biafra war lord Emeka Ojukwu described him as the “best president Nigeria never had”
Then came Chief MKO Abiola, he won the elections of June 12 1993. It was cancelled by Ibrahim Babangida. Abiola died in detention while trying to reclaim his mandate.
If truth be told, Dr Good luck Jonathan is lucky because God has favored him. His rise from obscurity to limelight can only be described as divine intervention. When he joined politics, he did not nurse the ambition of been Governor, as Governor he did not nurse the ambition of been president. Finally as Vice president, he became President amidst claims that the Presidency was zoned to the Northern part of Nigeria. “We live by hope, but a reed never becomes an iroko tree by dreaming” African proverb. Nevertheless, will Buhari be a reference point in the history of Nigeria? Time will tell. However, one sure thing is the now apparent divide between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
Yes, while I join other Nigerians to congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan, let me say here and now that since to whom much is given, much is also expected, Nigerians will not accept excuses in the coming months if the president fails to deliver on democracy dividends