After my routine Sunday evening basketball with my friends, I got home and settled to watch Mr. President’s promised Presidential media chat (An idea, which by the way, I totally welcome). I was excited thinking this would be an opportunity for him to redeem himself and remind us why we gave him our votes in 2011.
At the beginning of the chat, I was irritated at the fact that the audio quality was annoyingly poor and the picture quality was terrible too. Our dear NTA needs to step up. That aside, Mr. President was asked a number of questions, which to my surprise he waved off like they were nothing.
1) ASUU strike: Mr. President was asked what his plans were at resolving the ASUU/FG stalemate. He started off with “They want us to give them all the money we’re generating overnight”. Mr. President, your subordinates and you earn over a 100Bn naira in a month. What’s wrong with sacrificing your salary to help fix our ailing educational sector?
“I suspect ASUU strike is political”
Sir. Not every chicken that mates with a cock is doing so to annoy her boyfriend. Not every move in Nigeria is made to destroy your government. You promised us “Fresh Air!” kindly stop choking us!
He also went as far as asking the general public to plead with ASUU to call off the strike… What will happen to our educational sector if we do that? Totally fold up?
2) Contesting in 2015: Although, I didn’t agree with the panelists on this question – to me it was totally a waste of time seeing as its not 2014 yet – he hasn’t carried out half of what he promised yet you’re asking him if he is ready to come back. Says a lot about priorities.
“It is not good to start too early” (about campaign for 2015 election)”
3) United States-Nigeria relationship: “I was privileged to ring the bell at NYSE because Obama said Nigeria’s economy has improved…”
This is the same country Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said was broke a few months back. The same country where citizens can’t have 3 square meals? Who is fooling whom Mr. President? We are yet to see economic improvement on the streets. Figures have not equated to 3 square meals yet, in most cases people even struggle to have that lone daily meal.
It would interest you to know Wale Tinubu and Arumah Oteh have also rang that “jingle bell” at NYSE since your information team forgot to tell you that.
4) Mr. President acknowledging the Importance of Social Media – Finally we children of anger have finally got the credit we deserve. Hopefully, if we continue this way we might just ignite the change we have been clamoring for.
Not every politician has time to pay activists, Mr. President. If politicians are sponsoring the social media people, get social media on your side too by doing what is right!
5) Corruption: “We are more interested in making sure there’s no money to steal”
Mr. President, does this sentence solve or answer the question you were asked? No Sir, it didn’t. That’s more like medicine after death. You claim you aren’t corrupt, yet you drop subliminals expecting to win pity from Nigerians, expecting them to fight on your behalf. This isn’t The Da Vinci Code or the National Treasure movie, Sir.
6) Boko Haram & National Security: This part threw me off completely. Why do we live in a country where traveling in-country has become such a nightmare?
You said “Look at Boko Haram, you will agree that our security architecture is now able to reduce them now. They can’t bomb Abuja.” (Plain English- Hey guys in other states, I really don’t care about y’all. As long as they can’t bomb the capital, I’m good).
Mr. President, is Shekau dead?
“I don’t know if he’s dead or not. I haven’t seen him before so I don’t know”
This brings me to a very important question “Why appoint people you don’t trust”? The military claimed they killed this guy already what happened to asking your men what really happened?
I’m not saying Nigeria will get better by snapping a finger, however we can all agree there are some key steps Mr. President can take to win the trust of the citizenry again.
a.) Get these corrupt individuals in your government out and make them have their day in court. You’re the PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNTRY. YOU LEADTHEM THEY DONT LEAD YOU.
2) Think of other resources other than crude oil. It’s quite disgusting seeing our mommies and daddies fighting on national TV.
3) Task state governors to be responsible for their states’ security. Boko Haram isn’t an issue for the poor alone… it’s a problem for NIGERIA.
N.B Pro-GEJs, please wake up! Don’t consume meals that put fire in your bellies. Speak the truth or keep your peace!
At this point I’m just going to drop my pen, hopefully the President thinks me wise enough to be listened to.
Good day Compatriots.
Pray for Nigeria, pray for our President.
Tinuke Arigbabu writes from Lagos and is on twitter as
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