Buhari and the cost of aloofness

Thinking with You Niyi Akinnaso niyi.tlc@gmail.com

“Grief is a universal emotion, and it’s palpable in these images of an orca mother buoying the body of her dead baby as she swam near the coast of Victoria, Canada, this week.”

–A CNN report on the mourning ritual of a mother whale, July 27, 2018.

On July 24, 2018, exactly a week ago, a mother killer whale was sighted by the Center for Whale Research, gently keeping her dead baby afloat by repeatedly pushing it up as it sank and pushing the body towards the shore. Whale researchers confirmed that the whale had lost three babies in the last three years and found it difficult to let go of this latest death. Days later, other whales grieved with the mother by circling round her and her dead baby. It was a mourning ritual the researchers found very emotional.

Any Nigerian familiar with the above story would immediately compare the action of the mother whale to that of the political father of the nation, President Muhammadu Buhari, whose aloofness from herdsmen’s killings has caused many deaths. It is now on record that killer herdsmen have killed more people within the last three years than Boko Haram since the inception of their terrorist activities. The number of herdsmen’s killings would have been drastically reduced had Buhari acted early and decisively on their atrocities.

The impression many observers have of Buhari in view of his reaction to the herdsmen’s atrocities is that he lacks the empathy of the mother whale. He does not even appear to have the sympathy level of the other whales who engaged in a mourning ritual, by encircling the mother whale and her dead baby.

If Buhari could be excused for lacking sympathy, perhaps because of his long treatment, over which Nigerians sympathised with, and prayed for, him, his shifting of responsibility on the herdsmen’s killings is unconscionable.  Speaking on June 26, 2018, at Jos in Plateau State in the aftermath of the recent killings of over 200 people in several communities by herdsmen, President Buhari said that it was unjustifiable to blame him for the killings.

Compare this statement with that of the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, in the aftermath of the fire incident, which killed nearly 100 people and injured over 50 on the outskirts of Athens, Greece. He stepped in, after various government officials attempted to shift responsibility, and declared that he took “full political responsibility” for the incident.

Four years earlier, in 2014, South Korean Prime Minister, Chung Hong-won, resigned amid rising anger over claims by the relatives that the government failed to efficiently handle the ferry sinking that killed over 300 people. The Greek Prime Minister did not set fire at people’s homes nor did his South Korean counterpart take part in the sinking of a ferry. Nevertheless, both did the right thing taking responsibility as leaders. The South Korean leader even went the extra mile of resigning.

Yet, it is not the case that Nigerians, or at least the victims’ relatives, lack anger, outcry, and entreaties. Everybody had something to say by way of getting Buhari to do something. Disarm the herdsmen: No action. Prosecute them: Little or no action. Compensate victims: No; at least none to my knowledge.

To add insult to injury, the government went ahead with a plan to spend public funds in setting up ranches for the cattle owners. It is unclear how far the government has gone with this plan. But one thing is clear: Buhari has not done the right thing on this matter. If people are silent now, it is not because they have forgotten or forgiven him for his failings in this regard. They may be waiting for a day when they will be able to speak with their votes.

By the way, this is not the only matter on which Buhari’s aloofness is hurting many Nigerians. The entire South and much of the Middle Belt have spoken repeatedly in favour of reorganising the country to make it more governable and create greater opportunities for self-actualisation and self-fulfilment for the citizens. Even his own political party has come out in support of this project. Yet, Buhari stands against the majority by opposing restructuring.

Similarly, he allowed even his own Vice President to lead the demand for state police only for him to argue against it by insinuating that the police may turn their guns against their governors when they are not paid their salaries on time, which is the present plight of many states. Such an argument, reasonable as it may appear, is not presidential in any way.

The above notwithstanding, I believe that President Buhari is not incorrigible. What he lacks are good men and women, who can look him in the face and tell him the truth. There is so much talk about a cabal in the Presidency. I think they are sycophants, who have succeeded in creating a screen between the President and the reality of the Nigerian situation.

There is no doubt, of course, that, if it is true that Buhari is being manipulated by sycophants, then something is missing about him that created room for manipulation. Alternatively, it is possible that Buhari is a stubborn man, who believes only in himself and does not listen to advice. Or he listens to advice that may benefit him, such as letting John Odigie-Oyegun off as the National Chairman of the party.

Again, in typical Buhari aloofness and tardiness, he allowed Odigie-Oyegun so much room that the divisions he caused within the party have become irreparable. Hence, there are some who cited the former chairman’s actions as reason for leaving the All Progressives Congress.

Of course, Buhari’s aloofness, inaction, or mis-action is by far the greatest reason for the party’s misfortunes today both within and outside. But that is the subject for another day.

So, what can Buhari do henceforth? He should step in and take action on the herdsmen’s killings; on restructuring; and on state police. Act now. Don’t stay aloof. Stop victimising of members of your party you don’t like or who disagree with you. Talk to the people, not to the BBC or the foreign press alone. Sympathise, where necessary. Grieve instantly with victims. And apologise for past mistakes.

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