Ahab at a time in the history of Israel, was their king. He was a good man – almost like a bumble bee – for bumble bees do not hurt people.
So gentlemanly, that he was goaded and cuckolded into fighting the king of Syria at a time when both countries were in a state of peace. Ahab, though powerful, was never nimble-footed at anything.
He surrounded himself with loyalists (fake prophets) who loved to feed him with tall tales instead of truth; the kinds of advisers whose daily fare is to feed from the state at a cost to the state.
How he waffled at everything and no thanks to waffling he died because he refused to learn on the job. Moses learnt on the job. Golda Meir did likewise but not Ahab, he was a day late and a shekel short at everything.
The circumstance that a nation faces determines the kind of leader it needs.
It was Woodrow Wilson who said, “that a peasant may become king does not render the kingdom democratic.”
Many have said that a soldier does not make a good democrat. So the adversaries of Jerry Rawlings thought (though I do not fancy him), but he is a revered statesman nowadays. Many soldiers elsewhere whose names are in the public domain also developed their societies.
It is true that all leaders can make a statement but not all leaders who make statements are heard. President Buhari has the persona to be heard and should avoid the path of King Ahab – and tackle many problems.
I expect President Buhari to tackle insurgency by fighting the war ideologically first and militarily thereafter.
There are numerous religious leaders who repeatedly utter dangerous diktats in the North. I grew up watching some on television in Kaduna and in different neighborhoods. A time has come to make all religious leaders sign an enforced pact on communality. We must not leave Nigeria’s future to chance. As soon as religious leaders begin to have value for self, oneness and country, their followers will be reoriented to do the same.
Nigeria must be rebuilt for everybody, and this can’t be done when the state overlooks the damning grandstanding of some people. This brazen arrogance disempowers the society, gives confidence to zealots to demean the state at a cost to national growth.
Our public educational sector is comatose because of the neglect of governments and the proliferation of many substandard private institutions. Soon the social tribe of private school graduates will be the ones to rule Nigeria if we do not stem the tide quickly. Time it was, when public education was first-rate and we had children of governors, generals and emirs attend such schools. Binta Duba (Gen. Garba Duba’s daughter was my classmate briefly in primary school).
Even though the President did not get many votes in the eastern part of Nigeria, in the last general elections, we do not expect to witness the politics of spite which may leave that part underdeveloped, we hope to see sustainable industries in the East, their skill can be tapped to make Nigeria a beacon of hope for the industrialised world.
Nigerians need to be happy citizens again and it is hoped that President Buhari can engage the elites in a class suicide. They are responsible for the fraternal division of the youths.
If the ruling party has the principle of rotation, could this be documented to prevent the scenario we have had, where the polity was frustrated needlessly due to the abrogation of rotational presidency by the other party?
After all, governments of national unity for peace are not alien to Africa.
It is necessary to convoke a real national conference and not of the type to propitiate regions for support. The type of national conference needed, will not discuss separation for I believe in the unity of this country. Effective discussions will need to focus on how each unit will contribute to national statehood.
The conference should discuss ways to overhaul the judiciary, the possibility of scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps, halting the onslaught of Fulani herdsmen, exposure of man-eating communities,
the establishment of reserved troops, government services, health care,
postal services, fortifying secret policing to check the rise in gun running etc.
Nigerians who voted for President Buhari did so because of the seeming incapacity of the erstwhile government to make things work and he should therefore avoid official religious pandering by persons in his government (Ahab type of advisers).
We therefore hope not to hear the sobriquet, the President is, “our son,” “our own,” “our brother,” and possibly,” Buhari namu ne,” by a section of the country, the same way we heard in the old order.
He must encourage tribal break down in favour of nation building.
Nigeria is the hope of the black race, we must rebuild her. Those clamouring for secession need look at the two Korean Republics; homogeneous countries but in pieces. Homogeneity therefore is not the answer to the glut of problems in Nigeria.
He may not be able to solve all of our problems but provide direction and guidance to bring our Nigeria back. The way it was before these politicians messed it up.
I hope he avoids the path of King Ahab for the growth of Nigeria.
PUNCH
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