Change, as simple as it sounds, has multifaceted applications. Change, in essence, is all about moving from what is already in existence or known to that which has never been done or known before.
When Dr. Goodluck Jonathan assumed office as democratically elected President of Nigeria in 2011, one of the reasons why he enjoyed so much goodwill and acknowledgement of Nigerians was the fact that he promised to run the government differently from how it had been ran since independent. Running the government differently of course, is the same thing as change: change from the way government was being run from thenceforth to a new direction.
Indeed, another reason why Jonathan enjoyed such loud ovation when he ascended the leadership had to do with his promise to bring fresh air, in addition to the emotion he raised amongst the common people of the country, of his growing up without shoes.
In all these, the most striking was his promise to do things not only differently but, with all intents and purposes, positively.
Of course, President Jonathan started well. He was able to assemble brilliant Nigerians in all fields, from home and abroad, to assist him in putting the country back on track. The beginning looked so promising that all that Nigerians were waiting for was a few months for it to materialize.
However, along the line, the same brilliant Nigerians around him, began to take the country on a backward march. They began to implement what one political analyst called “over-dose” of governance. And because President Jonathan so trusted them, he allowed the over-dose to continue, and was even afraid to touch any of those brilliant Nigerians working with him whenever it was obvious that they needed to be shown the way out.
General Buhari is also about to start his tenure on the same note of high level of goodwill and expectations from Nigerians. He and his political party, All Progressives Congress (APC) have assailed Nigerians with the word CHANGE, so much that, the mention of change in any other gathering or system is equated with him and APC. This was so when even the reigning First Lady, Dame Patience wanted whoever talk about change in her Okrika country home to be stoned to death. Change seemed to be haunting those who hated a move from status quo.
That is just on a lighter mood, but seriously, Nigerians seemed to have ran to Buhari, with their massive votes, for saviour from the collapsing economy at individual and collective levels: growing insecurity and infrastructural decay, which all came about as a result of leadership that lacks the bite to put things, and people in their right places for the general good of common citizens.
There is also no doubt that General Buhari is passionate about the country and serious at seeing to its fast development whereby the citizens would find comfort in living.
From experience in recent times, it is clear that sometimes, desires can be hi-jacked by ambitious ones who pretend to have similar attitude to life. Buhari would better be advised to take note of a situation such as this, where he would be encapsulated by the same people he picks to work with him to better the lots of the citizenry.
As a matter of fact, many Nigerians who are still sympathetic to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have continued to argue that the Buhari’s party, APC, is another side of PDP of the same coin. They argue that most of the top leaders of APC were the products of PDP and that therefore, APC has no moral right of accusing PDP because the leadership of APC was party to whatever failure PDP is being accused of.
However the two sides differ only on the point of who is the leading and on whose table the buck stops.
Of course, the main point of argument has been raised on the point of corruption, which has been identified as the major clog in the wheel of the nation’s progress. Those who understand the damage which corruption has done to the corporate entity of this country would swear that if corruption is successfully removed from the economy, Nigeria would not only breathe fresh air but rise up at a lightning speed to move in the direction of real development in all sectors.
And fortunately, General Buhari was elected on March 28 on the basis, mainly, of his profile in the fight against corruption when he first led the country in military uniform. It was even during his short tenure as military Head of State that Nigerians learnt how to queue in public places, through his War Aagainst Indiscipline (WAI).
General Buhari would therefore need to first assemble technocrats, with no political ambitions, to make up the Federal Cabinet. Like President Jonathan has done, each appointee should be given specific target and well monitored to deliver the result, not grammar.
In a nutshell, what Nigerians want is constant power supply, cheap food items, secured environment and homes to do businesses and relax, adequate health facilities, functional education, all forms of transportation, good road network, employment opportunities for the vibrant citizenry and other social infrastructures.
The incoming President would have to remain focus and move fast to bring the change by being practical in every aspect of governance. It is now clear that Nigerians do not fancy grammar on the number of mega watt or the number of kilometers of road constructed or the number of jobs created: they want to see it. They want to feel it. They want to believe it and testify to it.
This is saying that General Buhari should bring change so much that it is Nigerians themselves that would be talking about it and not his government telling them that the change has come.
Seeing, they say, believing. [myad]