A NIGERIAN YOUTH WROTE THIS LETTER TO BUHARI
Sir, let us examine your service records. I consider
your
generation a very privileged one, indeed. In 1975 at
the age of
33, you were appointed the Military Governor of the
North-
Eastern State, present day Borno & Yobe states.
In 1976 at the age of 34 you became the Minister for
Petroleum and Natural Resources. In 1978 at the
age of 36
you became the Chairman of the Nigeria National
Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC). Today the reverse is the case.
Most
Nigerians at age of 35 are still unemployed and still
living
with parents. Many are still not married. During
your time you
were already Governor at this age.
One major reason for this unfortunate turn of events
is that
many elders like you have refused to voluntarily
handover the
baton to the next generation. Life should be a relay
race
where one runs his race and hands over to the
next. In Nigeria
many elders like you have run their races and are
still holding
on tenaciously to the baton.
But Sir, I have an important question here for you.
The
question is simple, MUST YOU SERVE NIGERIA AS A
PRESIDENT ONLY? IS THERE NO OTHER CAPACITY
YOU CAN
SERVE US EXCEPT THE PRESIDENCY? It is very
erroneous to
imagine that you can only serve Nigeria only in one
capacity.
During the regime of late General Sani Abacha, you
accepted
the appointment to serve as the Chairman of the
then
Petroleum Trust Fund PTF.
The general opinion was that you served faithfully in
this
capacity. Well done Sir! But you never asked Abacha
to
vacate office for you as your former subordinate in
the army.
Never! In fact that would have been a dangerous
move, if not
suicidal. Rather you served faithfully under your
former junior
in the army. Sir, imagine if you take on another job
like the
Chairman of EFCC or ICPC or NDLEA.
Nigerians actually need you to serve in one of these
capacities much more than they need you in the
Presidency.
Mere mentioning your name as Chairman of EFCC
would drive
many corrupt men underground. But you wouldn’t .
Either the
Presidency or nothing. When are you going to
handover to the
next person? It is either you do it voluntarily or risk
disgrace
at the polls. In 1983 at the age of 41, you became
the Head of
State.
Most Nigerians in my age have not had the
opportunity to
serve, but we still remain committed to the Nigerian
project.
You should rather be graceful to God and to
Nigerians for the
numerous opportunities that have come your way to
serve
Nigerians. Others are begging for just one
opportunity to
serve. Sir, you have to accept the stark reality on
ground that
you have served your time already.
That is life for you. You run the race, you handover
the baton
for others to run, you cannot hold on to the baton
more than
is necessary. As a former head of State you are
already a
member of the Council of State Meeting. You have
every
avenue to channel your views across. You don’t
necessarily
have to be in a front-line role, you can serve in an
advisory
capacity. That is still service.
In conclusion, It is crystal clear that you cannot
defeat
President Jonathan in a free, fair and credible
election, even in
Katsina State.
Sentiments aside, Jonathan would cruise to a
landslide
victory come February 14th, 2015. In fairness to you
Sir, any
of your Children would pose a serious challenge to
Jonathan
more than yourself.
I do not see Nigerians electing a 72 year old former
Head of
state to lead us in this Digital era. With due respect
to you Sir,
you belong to the Analogue age and therefore, will
not fit in as
president in this digital era.
This is the blunt truth. Please do not enter the
Guinness book
of world records on a negative note. Losing four
consecutive
Presidential election would not augur well for your
reputation.
It is in your best interest to assume your position
as an elder
statesman and allow others to serve. Nigeria does
not belong
to you alone. It belongs to us all, is time we youth
tell our self the truth.