It happened on 14th April, 2014. The sad news broke out and the nation was taken aback, the international community was remorseful, something unprecedented happened in Nigeria. Parents were grieving, everyone with good conscience was thinking “what if it had happened to me?”. You must be wondering what exactly was it that happened and caught everyone unaware? Yes, it is as you guessed, 276 secondary school girls were kidnapped in broad daylight by the deadly Boko Haram members in Borno State, the Chibok girls.
Can I honestly ask you “if anyone with good faith, sanity, conscience and commitment to the security and prosperity of this nation not be sober about such enormous catastrophe?”. Having sobered, should such an individual still continue to comfortably be at peace sitting at the helm of affairs of a nation in distress?
In 2015, we yearned for a more competent leader, we wanted any other person to lead us but Goodluck Jonathan – ostensibly in lust of a messiah. The slogan of “change” rented the air, spreading like wildfire. Invariably, Nigerians were offered a blank sheet of history, in which they were committed to write whatever they desired. The assignment was simple, they were to decide where could be regarded as the front or back page.
Four years passed, first term was nearing its end, no significant change as widely promised. Yet, we were optimistic, calmly understanding, hoping for a better outcome – and perhaps, a saner nation. I didn’t know what happened in 2019 elections, I was psychologically blackmailed and doubted the capability of a heroic and exceptional leader.
I recall just like yesterday how I was psychologically assaulted by those I considered fanatics. They reminded me that the situation of the country was like that simply because the Messiah wasn’t the one in charge, he’s being misled, ill-advised and could no longer differentiate between break and accelerator in the country’s vehicle speeding towards a rock. The vehicle was hijacked from him by men of desperate ambitions. I am here today to acknowledge before you all that I was naive and made a grave mistake by not casting my vote for our man but thank God the man of the people – our honest driver and auto-pilot, our honest driver whose exemplary leadership is unprecedented in our national history still won without “us”.
Thank God I do not live in a village; I would have blamed those old women in the villages of being responsible for the pitiable situation we’re at the moment. How naive I was, honestly I regret this. How come I was blind to a man that has foresight, vision, intelligence and sanity. A man that was so brutal to kidnappers of the Chibok girls and has since secured their release; stopped them from ravaging the North. In fact, beyond Africa, the reintegration policy of those that displaced and killed thousands of people in the country back to the society is what countries like America and Russia should learn and adopt to tackle terrorism across regions of the world.
Fellow Nigerians, there is no better time to flaunt our rare, collective achievements like a degree certificate. We must be proud; we aren’t giant of Africa for nothing. Indeed, this is the moment to be alive and be a Nigerian, that man is the 8th wonder of the world, the best thing after OJUBANIRE bread in Ibadan. This is uncontestable, it is a fact. Precisely, how many past Nigerian leaders have actually come to change the narrative? Virtually none, except Mandela of our time. He has truly united a nation in perpetual suspicion of its own true foundation. Today, we have been insulated against menace of unrepentant scammers. Our roads are now better, electricity is constant and affordable, health care is now robust. What other kind of change should an appreciative nation hope for! It is really shameful that I didn’t cast my vote for the best leader Nigeria ever had.
Just imagine, for the first time ever, we are showered with productive leadership efforts that surpassed and dwarfed the Balewas. So many things are getting taller than cocoa house in Ibadan. The prices of rice, electricity, cement and other essential commodities are already fallen or have fallen drastically low. Only recently, the price of fuel is doing press up and work out. It’s determined to outclass Usain Bolt in the race, it is the only stubborn thing left to be handled. Shouldn’t we be eternally grateful, proud and happy as people? Shouldn’t we celebrate the return of sanity since corruption has become history when bad eggs were roundly made to account for mass failure in integrity test?
Under GEJ, we were inundated by reports that we consumed 30 million litres per day. Notable politicians, writers, civil societies et al, bombed the administration and argued that we consumed just 22 million litres. They were possibly right as consumption now falls below 15 million per day thus making the commodity to be, not just available but affordable (in reality, this regime reportedly said we consume around 50-55 million litres per day). After Jesus and Prophet Muhammad, our man is the next?
Unlike doubting Thomases like us, kudos to those of you that genuinely saw tomorrow in our visionary leader(ship) and voted accordingly. Our country that took the proud second spot of (un)employment rate globally and capital of world in poverty matrix, it is an achievement, let us cherish it and laminate it like special documents we are preventing from getting infested and rotten.
Distinguished compatriots, after Yinka Ayefele’s “Next Level” that is entertaining, this particular “Next Level” is not only adventurous but ambitious and commendable. If it were to be music, Ayefele would taken the back seat, abi who is his father?
Thank you sir. Also thanking the incurable fanatics, for excellent job that we need to “go all offensive in defending” and for making this kind of beautiful country possible. To show how deep my regret is, I recommend a third term for our sagacious leader and his wonderful team.
A thunderous ovation, Please! Thank you Mr President! Thank you….
ISHOWO, Isiaq Oluwatosin
Twitter: Tosinishowo
Gmail: tosinishowo2015@gmail.com
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