By Oladimeji Abitogun.
Those who love to distance Muhammadu Buhari, from the failings of the Military junta he preceded over between December 31st, 1983
and August 27th, 1985 usually hold his lieutenants responsible for the extreme crisis of office and power of those times. For example, his man-friday, the late rarely smiling Ilorin-born general, Tunde Idiagbon, was always made to take the fall for the draconian and in-humane reckless fiats of the era. Major-General Tunde Idiagbon, ever taciturn, and media resentful, never denied culpability in the autocracy, he however, did not take full responsibilities for the avoidable extreme and down-right cruel tactics, carefully choreographed as War against Indiscipline. The buck ultimately, stopped at Buhari’s table because military chain of command would not allow for the number two’s to arrogate supreme command to him. If, by natural logic, the command structure of the military was circumvented, in the least, Tunde Idiagbon, would have faced trial, Court Marshal and if found guilty, he could face the ridicule and supreme fate of public execution.
The fact is that Mr. Buhari’s guilt does not completely excuse or exclude Tunde Idiagbon from culpability has an active performer in the dictatorial affairs of the era. Thus, even in death, Tunde Idiagbon is still being pointed out as the architect of the harsh policies of Buhari’s government today. It is our submission that whether we are appraising that first rise and fall of Buhari, or his kiss and romance with the thoroughly despotic late General Sani Abacha between 1993 and 1998, the man has always executed his own will. Buhari’s personality, as it looks to me, is that of a man too old to change. Reforms can be initiated without necessarily making an entire nation to become so miserable.
The evil unleashed on the psyche of Nigerians, the violent policies executed in the name of war on corruption would only be appreciated after Buhari must have been pulled out of power again, not through bullet, this time around, but by the power of ballot and resolve of the people of Nigeria. Unless, I do not live in some country with Buhari’s Minister of Information, Mr. Lai Muhammad, who tried to fool the world that they expended over #2.7 trillion on infrastructures in the last three and half years. This declaration by Lai Muhammad from London did nothing than to show the grim under-belly of our government that massive looting and outright fraud continued on-checked. The obvious truth, the fact that we all know is that there is no known scale of public work commensurate with the behemoth amount of money mentioned by Lai Muhammad.
The roads in the Eastern part of Nigeria are simply washed off. Travelling between Ilorin, through Isanlu to Mopa- Amuro to Kabba is a destructive journey that some road users would not attempt. Try to go from Ifaki-Ekiti to Omuo, connect with Iyamoye all the way to Kabba with the hope of bursting out at Obaajana junction is an absolute rough ride. You may also take the journey from Ikare junction in Owo, Ondo State, through Oba-Akoko, Akungba, Ikare to Ise to Kabba, you simply would change your course or be ambushed by merchant kidnappers who would not let you off the hook, unless you ransom your life with millions of naira or dollars. This is what you would encounter if you try to connect through Akokoland, through Isua junction, going through Ibilo. When you get to Okene real failure of infrastructure stirs you in the face and you tear up for Nigeria. The story does not change from Makurdi, through Oturkpo all the way to Ogbulafor in the South-East. Who would save Nigerians from the lies and propaganda of the current administration that traffic in fantastic lies, shamelessly pulling his people by the thread of lies? If indeed, any such staging amount of money, #2.7 trillion was spent, this government owes us all an explanation on what this said money was spent on.
Lai Mohammed is rising to the infamy of high level deceit and mendacity already. He managed to pull off a so called town hall meeting with some notable Yoruba leaders Chiefly from Oyo State on Wednesday. The chief host was Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Minister of Works Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fasola, Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Ameachi and Minister of Water Resources. The forum identified a long corridor of rail tracks being laid at a cost of over 1.8billion dollars to run from Lagos through Ibadan etc Babatunde Fasola in a cerebral way outlined what has being spent on different sectors on Roads Housing and Power and the Minister of Water Resources whose Ministry often operate with the Geo-Political imbalance of always favoring a particular section of the country to the disadvantage of others did not have to struggle to award Buhari a pass mark. After all there is no integrity in the quality of test and measurement in Nigeria anymore. I know for sure that there is always a season to reap the gains of true hard labor, there is always a season to get rewards for false work as well.
This takes us to the new fond love and profligacy about fake news. The expression was not an original talking point that any informed person would trace to Lai Mohammed or Muhammadu Buhari. It came from the desperate attempt by President Donald Trump, to de-legitimize genuine media attempts at probing his fraudulent tax filing as suspected. From Donald Trumps’ futile efforts to block the probe into the suspected connivance with Russian hackers to destroy and manipulate American democracy. Mr. Trump quote “fake news” to deceive the people and divert attention and justice from alleged years of grouping and denigrating women and the disabled. As we have always feared Donald Trump would always destroying and get away with deceit in politics.
He has served a poisoned chalice and the world, especially the developing world is sure to die by it. It is a familiar road that Nigeria as the greatest hope of the black people should not have taken. A white man invent things and stuff for his own messed up survival, Black man runs with and must die by it. For the unprecedented losses and hunger, we have suffered since the coming of Buhari and Co, there sure must be a cover up and that cover is very expensive. It is costing so much billions.
The talk or fake news began when Lai Muhammad started his surreptitious, divisive evil plot to destroy the media. He was obsessed by the dark agenda by encouraging a policy that openly discriminate against online journalist. All the talk or fake news, which he and the government of the day are consumed with starting with that evil seed. It took root in Muhammadu’s brain and he lives by it. The conventional media print and electronic media supported and still encourages Lai Muhammad, because of their own need for survival. Ultimately, they would find themselves in the belly of the tiger, since they think their ride on the back of the beast is cozy now.
My submission is that the whole philosophy and belief that Buhari was an old man who has changed to a good person is a hoax. He has started tampering with press freedom; he has moved against key opposition figures with false corruption charges, he has trafficked in fake news that his foremost challenger, Mr. Atiku Abubakar bought the presidential ticket of peoples’ Democratic Party (P.D.P) with loads of dollars. He Promised and failed that he would protect the Nigerian people.
Buhari has performed so woefully as Petroleum Minister, and he has not resigned from that office. Whereas, now Nigerian has become a place for foreigners to visit with reluctance. Who wants to be beheaded? It is 1983-1985 all over in Nigeria. As for the condescending manner Buhari and his media handlers have treated journalist in Nigeria, we leave their judgment on that to posterity I know that he is never excited to address Nigeria citizens through the local press. Buhari clearly often stays oversees. He has always used Lai Muhammad as front to blackmail journalist, Nigerians under Buhari have never had the good fortune of getting unfiltered news. Protocol statements are always sent by Femi Adesina or Garba Shehu who often feels that good press secretary ship is calling does that do honest report ugly names. Even Laolu Akande who practiced with us for many years in the wild street of America suffers their terrible infection.
Buhari also has a sexy disdain for the inexperienced touch of Nigeria medical personnel’s and facilities. Nigeria hospitals and clinics must have gained immensely from his 2.7 trillion naira infrastructural splash in the last three and half years to warrant his exuberance to jump on any of our available tax payers fueled jet in the luxury presidential fleet for the tender touch of European Medical doctors. Sure, no Nigerian Medical doctor is knowledgeable or experienced through to treat Imperial President Muhammadu Buhari. Maybe Nigerian doctors are leprous or Buhari is just too pampered for any of our well trained health care givers to touch. These are the contradictions you find in a President that behaves as if he loves the country than other com-patriots.
Finally, those who packaged Buhari as a worthy Jerusalem, something different and new under whom there will be no pain, no sorrow, no misery did a good job. Terrific, whoever believed them did worse to his/her fortune. We have heard of so much hardship, we were served the baloney, lies, fakery, and the hoax. If you want to know how fake it feels or tastes, an adventure around or in the hoax, do not look beyond BUHARI please.