This piece was written in October '14
And so our dear General finally declared his ambition yet again to rule the country on Wednesday and the political terrain went agog. I even heard there was a mammoth crowd at the grounds of the Eagle square where he made the declaration.
Ofcourse the body language of the opposition APC has shown that Buhari would emerge as the Presidential candidate but without mincing words, I must state that it would be an overwhelming loss for the APC.
The above statement is not a fact,neither is it a curse. Rather it is a wish, a wish from a young Nigerian man who is saddened at the nepotism politicians have come to master.
Before I continue, I would like to tell a personal family story. My father, the great Badmus senior was born on 30th August 1960, a few months before Nigeria attained independence. His parents were full of hopes, a young boy was born into promising an emerging nation filled with promises… so they thought.
In December 1983, Major-General Buhari and his cohorts in the military truncated the country's then nascent democracy, removing a civilian government from office and putting the country in yet another dark era of military intervention. My father was just 23 and he still believed in a future which belonged to his generation. This was a period when an actor Ronald Reagan ruled America and was even seeking reelection. Worse of all, people awoke to a new year in 1984 to be told that the country has once again been hijacked by power hungry Khaki boys spearheaded by the calm GMB and his side kick Tunde Idiagbon.
Mr. Buhari would later surface in 2003 when the newly restructured ANPP (from APP) made him their Presidential candidate. What amazes me is why this same man who many claims is an anti-corruption sage want to benefit from a democracy he never believed in.
Many say there was corruption in the land, many say the Shagari led government had so many thieves who were running the country aground but did this call for a military intervention?
Obasanjo came into office in '76 and without wasting time, declared his interest to return the country to a democratically elected government. This would pay off for him decades later when he was chosen by PDP to lead the nation on return to democracy in '99. General Abdulsalam Abubakar spent barely one year in office and handed over to a civilian Government, may the 'god of democracy' bless him.
Buhari took office at the last day of the year (December 31,1983) and could have given Nigerians a pleasant new year present of restructuring the electoral commission, organize fresh "credible elections" and let the country run democratically.
Like many other African leaders, he could have even transformed from a khaki to an 'agbada' head of state even if it was an arrangee election but at least Nigerians would have had a sigh of electoral tendency. But no, Buhari had other plans and he remained in the position until the smiling General sent him away from office two years later.
Now I hardly blame Babangida for Nigeria's democratic woos in the past. If Buhari hadn't chased out Shagari, Nigeria would have had a few years of democracy and perhaps by 1993, the country would have matured a bit but then Buhari didn't want all of that.
From 2003 to 2007 and then he made a return about four years ago only to be defeated again by GEJ after a loss to Obasanjo, Yar' Adua and recently GEJ. Well in 2015, GMB shall loose again.
Any progressive Nigerian who votes this gentle evil is simply laughable. Moreover history has told us Buhari without a Tunde Idiagbon is merely a paper tiger out to seek a vendetta mission against those who have allegedly stolen public funds in the past. Buhari has no progressive agenda, neither does he have a plan to develop the country.
If APC is really a 'Change Oriented' party like it claims, then they should introduce a bredth of fresh air into the polity. At 72, Buhari is too old to even make any significant difference in the country. Asides my personal sentiment over his '83 Coup d' etat, his ruling my father's generation and his wanting to rule mine, this man is just too old.
Buhari ruled Nigeria when my father started his career, today at 54,my dad is a grandfather yet our dear so-called change party cannot bring someone from his generation to be flag bearer!
No,he wouldn't steal my future again.
If Belgium swore-in a 38 year old as Prime minister this year yet it is one of the largest economy in Europe, what excuse does Nigeria have to be presenting a 72Year old man who have obviously had his "time'. North Korea, Georgia, Italy and even Mali all have heads of government in their 30s and recently news went viral that a 35Year old Nigerian might just be the next Prime Minister of the almighty Great Britain.
Have we no shame in this country. Why would we deceive ourselves and hide under a facade of anti-graft crusade to mis-lead people. Have our father's forgotten those dark days of anti-people draconian laws. Have we forgotten how the great educationist Tai Solarin almost died in detention cos he was denied his inhaler to subside his asthma.
Have we forgotten the treatment Professor Wole Soyinka got in the hands of this (then) monster. Nobody even remembers the travails of the later Abami eda who was also incarcerated.
Have we forgotten how he truncated democracy once in this country? Well,you all might have forgotten but democracy hasn't forgotten, may the "god of democracy"never make him win any election.
-Kayode Badmus
@kblingsstbadmus
Ofcourse the body language of the opposition APC has shown that Buhari would emerge as the Presidential candidate but without mincing words, I must state that it would be an overwhelming loss for the APC.
The above statement is not a fact,neither is it a curse. Rather it is a wish, a wish from a young Nigerian man who is saddened at the nepotism politicians have come to master.
Before I continue, I would like to tell a personal family story. My father, the great Badmus senior was born on 30th August 1960, a few months before Nigeria attained independence. His parents were full of hopes, a young boy was born into promising an emerging nation filled with promises… so they thought.
In December 1983, Major-General Buhari and his cohorts in the military truncated the country's then nascent democracy, removing a civilian government from office and putting the country in yet another dark era of military intervention. My father was just 23 and he still believed in a future which belonged to his generation. This was a period when an actor Ronald Reagan ruled America and was even seeking reelection. Worse of all, people awoke to a new year in 1984 to be told that the country has once again been hijacked by power hungry Khaki boys spearheaded by the calm GMB and his side kick Tunde Idiagbon.
Mr. Buhari would later surface in 2003 when the newly restructured ANPP (from APP) made him their Presidential candidate. What amazes me is why this same man who many claims is an anti-corruption sage want to benefit from a democracy he never believed in.
Many say there was corruption in the land, many say the Shagari led government had so many thieves who were running the country aground but did this call for a military intervention?
Obasanjo came into office in '76 and without wasting time, declared his interest to return the country to a democratically elected government. This would pay off for him decades later when he was chosen by PDP to lead the nation on return to democracy in '99. General Abdulsalam Abubakar spent barely one year in office and handed over to a civilian Government, may the 'god of democracy' bless him.
Buhari took office at the last day of the year (December 31,1983) and could have given Nigerians a pleasant new year present of restructuring the electoral commission, organize fresh "credible elections" and let the country run democratically.
Like many other African leaders, he could have even transformed from a khaki to an 'agbada' head of state even if it was an arrangee election but at least Nigerians would have had a sigh of electoral tendency. But no, Buhari had other plans and he remained in the position until the smiling General sent him away from office two years later.
Now I hardly blame Babangida for Nigeria's democratic woos in the past. If Buhari hadn't chased out Shagari, Nigeria would have had a few years of democracy and perhaps by 1993, the country would have matured a bit but then Buhari didn't want all of that.
From 2003 to 2007 and then he made a return about four years ago only to be defeated again by GEJ after a loss to Obasanjo, Yar' Adua and recently GEJ. Well in 2015, GMB shall loose again.
Any progressive Nigerian who votes this gentle evil is simply laughable. Moreover history has told us Buhari without a Tunde Idiagbon is merely a paper tiger out to seek a vendetta mission against those who have allegedly stolen public funds in the past. Buhari has no progressive agenda, neither does he have a plan to develop the country.
If APC is really a 'Change Oriented' party like it claims, then they should introduce a bredth of fresh air into the polity. At 72, Buhari is too old to even make any significant difference in the country. Asides my personal sentiment over his '83 Coup d' etat, his ruling my father's generation and his wanting to rule mine, this man is just too old.
Buhari ruled Nigeria when my father started his career, today at 54,my dad is a grandfather yet our dear so-called change party cannot bring someone from his generation to be flag bearer!
No,he wouldn't steal my future again.
If Belgium swore-in a 38 year old as Prime minister this year yet it is one of the largest economy in Europe, what excuse does Nigeria have to be presenting a 72Year old man who have obviously had his "time'. North Korea, Georgia, Italy and even Mali all have heads of government in their 30s and recently news went viral that a 35Year old Nigerian might just be the next Prime Minister of the almighty Great Britain.
Have we no shame in this country. Why would we deceive ourselves and hide under a facade of anti-graft crusade to mis-lead people. Have our father's forgotten those dark days of anti-people draconian laws. Have we forgotten how the great educationist Tai Solarin almost died in detention cos he was denied his inhaler to subside his asthma.
Have we forgotten the treatment Professor Wole Soyinka got in the hands of this (then) monster. Nobody even remembers the travails of the later Abami eda who was also incarcerated.
Have we forgotten how he truncated democracy once in this country? Well,you all might have forgotten but democracy hasn't forgotten, may the "god of democracy"never make him win any election.
-Kayode Badmus
@kblingsstbadmus
No comments:
Post a Comment