“Any system is only as good as the quality of humanity that runs it”-Professor Wole Soyinka
An Augean stable according to the Webster dictionary, is a place filled with great accumulation of filth or corruption.
This definition is actually gotten from the Greek mythology, Augeas. Augeas had the single greatest herd of cattle in the country but had a problem. His problem was that the stables where he kept the cattle had never been cleaned. His neglect was so great that even the land surrounding them had been unfertilized for many years, due to the unused manure which lay within the compound.
In came Hercules who believed he could clean up the stables. Thinking it would be totally impossible, Augeas promised Hercules a tenth of his cattle if the huge task was finished in a single day. Hercules accepted Augeas' challenge and set about working out a plan in to do the job in a thorough way. The next day Hercules started his formidable labour with his strength and brain. He diverted river Alpheus through the stables which in turns cascaded into the fields below, giving the soil life after being deprived manure for many years. Viola, Hercules had done the impossible-Augeas stable was clean as a whistle!
Nigeria today, I am afraid, is like Augeas' stable, with all hope (almost) lost and we are in serious need of our Hercules.
I was having a discussion months back with a very good friend of mine, when I asked him if he thought anybody could make Nigeria better. His flat answer was NO.I asked why and his simple answer was that the Nigerian ‘system’ is irredeemable. He went on to talk about how there was more to Nigeria’s system than meets the eye. The ‘system’, according to my friend is bigger than anybody and cannot go down like that. I pressed further by asking if he thought no single person in a population of over 160million was capable of fighting the ‘system’. He paused for a while, maybe Buhari, came the reply, albeit skeptically. He would like to see Buhari-"the last hope" so to speak-, at the helm so as to show (me) Nigeria is not redeemable. He thinks the ‘system’ will swallow Buhari too.
There are so many people out there who have lost hope in Nigeria and this exasperates me to say the least. In the midst of plenty, Nigeria has no business being where she is today. To many Nigerians, the country is irredeemable and at the soul of this lost hope is corruption. See, there is no disputing the fact that corruption accounts for almost 100% of why Nigeria is where she is today. Take away corruption and regular power supply won't be a myth...
Take away corruption and you will see our hospitals compete with the best there is worldwide. Take away corruption and see unemployment tackled to almost a standstill and people like Abba Moro won’t have to kill thousands of Nigerians in the name of Job recruitment. Take away corruption and people won't have to die avoidable deaths on our roads. Take away corruption and you wouldn't be buying kerosene at 160/litre-a commodity you are told is subsidized. I'ld need you to come up with the rest as I feel I am already sounding like a broken record.
Nigeria has been managed over the years by deceitful, untrustworthy and negligent leaders (except for one or two) just like Augeas. They have never done anything in the interest of the people. One side enjoys it all while the other feels the pain. It is almost like sadomasochism.
The Nigerian system is filled with so much filth. There is so much public money being controlled and consumed by just a few and we need someone to clean this mess urgently. That person methinks is General Muhammed Buhari.
I know some guns and goons will come out blazing, but I dare say even those who oppose this man openly, admire him in their closet.
Now I have heard so many arguments about Nigeria needing a younger man at the helm. I tell you something for free-This is so true! Is GMB the only one who can make for the change we seek? Hell No! There are so many bright young brains with lofty ideas fighting for space in their heads.
So Why Buhari and what does he want at this age? While I do not disagree that Nigeria needs a younger person (who knows his onion) at the helm, it is worthwhile to note that the very corrupt Nigerian system actually goes beyond government. There are those who are outside government, who have held successive governments by the balls (the subsidy palaver of 2012 comes to mind). These same guys are still around and will be around when the younger man comes. My question now is, will this younger man not buckle when these guys come out guns blazing, squeezing the hell out of his balls? It will be the 8th wonder of the world if he does not. Brethren, the stench out of this stable is choking!
GMB, has seen it all. He has nothing to lose. To those who ask what GMB still wants, I say a better Nigeria where he can retire peacefully in. A Nigeria where you, me and generations to come can be proud of. In GMB we have zero tolerance for corruption. Who still remembers Farouk Lawan gate? Would that have been buried under GMB? Well, I think not. Who still remembers the 20billion dollars missing oil money? Would it be swept under the carpet under GMB? I think not. Do you think Abba Moro will still be at the helm of the ministry of interior after the murder session as well as robbery that were organized in the name of tests under GMB? Again, I think not. On why the elite are scared of him in a recent interview his answer was ‘’they know why’’ and I think we all know why too.
This is someone who is not so intent on materialism, in sharp contrast to what we have today. I understand he does not have a house in Abuja. How is that even possible in Nigeria? Do you know that Prof Tam David West, the petroleum minister under GMB has not had his house painted after all these years? Compare that to the lifestyle of those who have held the same portfolio since then.
GMB comes across as someone who won’t surround himself with unscrupulous elements if elected.
Your body language encourages your subordinates to act as they like. Act like you tolerate corruption and see them loot the treasury dry. Hear GMB speak and you will be convinced he means well for Nigeria. You will be convinced that corruption will not thrive under him. Something tells me he wants nothing more than to get us out of this mess we are in. Nigeria needs a stable mind to steer this ship. Nigeria needs an aficionado.
Have we not had enough? Are we loving the status quo? It is time to put aside tribal and religious sentiments if we want a better Nigeria. Can we please consider the future and generation unborn? Can we look at the bigger picture? Can we please pay no attention to people who will come tell you GMB is on a mission to turn Nigeria to an Islamic state? I wonder why that was not done when he was at the helm with Tunde Idiagbon-both Muslims. Those that will come tell you he sponsors Boko Haram-the same Boko Haram that made an attempt on his life. These same people just say anything without facts to pull him down. They won’t tell you that most of his domestic staff are Christians.
Please, for the sake of God pay no attention to those who will rubbish Buhari's achievements with PTF. They won’t tell you about the many road constructions as well as infrastructures that were put in place. They won’t tell you he encouraged internal revenue generation as well as indigenous developments; something that guaranteed protection of our foreign reserves. He wanted us to be self-reliant that exportation was highly encouraged .He did not believe that borrowing very heavily, even when presented on a platter was in the interest of Nigeria to the displeasure of the IMF and the west who thought they had the plan to running Nigeria perfectly. Today, we borrow at any opportunity. They won’t tell you that he reduced the cost of running government by reducing government expenditure and that foreign trip for government officials was suspended plus travelling allowance reduced. Today,the cost of running government in Nigeria is out of this world. You won’t hear them say civil service workforce was cut down by Buhari as majority of the workers who did not get there on merit lazied about and guess what, those who got retrenched were not just abandoned; they were made to #DoAgric. He stands for meritocracy and is considerate.
You can never hear them say inflation rate dropped MASSIVELY between 84 and 85and that our currency enjoyed some stability. My brother, I swear they won’t tell you that distribution depots and petroleum storage were set up during his regime. That Oil pipelines were laid throughout the country so crude could be transported to various depots. They will be silent on the fact that construction contract was signed for the Warri and Kaduna refineries as well as partnership agreement with the two operating companies for production of liquefied natural gas.
These same people who will rather tell you unverifiable and trivial lies about GMB are those same people who are scared of Buhari. They have run out of ideas as regards how to pull him down. These are the same people that feed off the sufferings of you and I, and have no intentions of stopping soon, hence the propaganda to stop GMB at all cost. Truly they know what he can do, and whatever he will do will impede their modus operadi-stealing you blind. Simply put, Buhari's coming will take (ill gotten) food out of their tables.
Nigeria needs someone to clean this Augean stable just like Hercules cleaned Augeas' stable. Nigeria needs a GMB to clean up the mess for four years (yes four years is enough to clean up the rot), then we can allow a younger sound mind take over a clean state.
Will GMB seek another term after the four years? My hunch is that he won't after giving us a new beginning.
Now, I may never meet Buhari in my life time, all I just care about is a better Nigeria –A Nigeria where I can live in peace and be proud of .A Nigeria that will provide me and generation unborn , the basic necessities of life. Continuing like this is not an option for me anymore!
We can NEVER have a revolution in this country as Nigerians love life like crazy, and since we cannot have that, can we at least vote in somebody who can clean this Augean stable?
I pray the APC does the needful.
Chiechefulam Ikebuiro
[email protected]
@thalynxis