Letter to the President-Elect (GMB)

Dear Sir,
               
My only expectation is to vindicate us (the lone voice) through people-oriented leadership.

While continuing to extend my hearty congratulations on your April 11, 2015 presidential election victory after years of dogged run in pursuit of an aspiration for positive change and onward repositioning of the sinking ship, Nigeria, I humbly wish to draw your inward attention towards the great need to do the very best you can to ensure quality leadership you are known for as to vindicate us - the lone voice who stood for your candidacy based on your past records as a military leader though.

Sir, it is imperative to note here that considering forest of minds fed and adulterated with false and negative impression about your person during the just concluded election, we (the lone voice) really suffered persecutions, molestations, abuses and even bruises in debates and heated arguments trying to educate the already biased minds of the need for a change. Needless to mention the hard task it was convincing a forest of people with such adulterated mind-set. Frustration, intimidation, confrontations and were all around our experience on daily bases as they even went as far as isolating us like a plague, refusing us partake in goodies (drinks/chewable) provided in free-for-all gathering just to browbeat us with their financial upper-hand, yet we relented not. Thank goodness our superior reasons, with facts, eventually penetrated and made its way to their ears, and their bias was mended as they reasoned along to realize that the negative attacks on
your person were mere political/religious bigotry masterminded by mischief makers (with much skeleton and canker-worms in their cupboards), just to dim your aspiration.

Now that the rain and storm is over, we have seen clearly that the leadership pendulum is about to be placed on your shoulder without much ado. Therefore sir, be at know that there are souls to rescue and souls to save, please sir, light-up the light for everyone to see – the light of economic freedom, the  light of rule of law, the light of empowered institutions of governance, the light of infrastructural restoration, the light of oneness and unity of this beloved nation, the light of a corruption-free society, the light of energy in the power sector, the light of in brother-hood to stand, the light of repose of confidence in leaning on one another, the light of religions tolerance, the light of hope and feature of the children and youths of this great nation, the light of liberation of the helpless citizens in the cold hands of hunger, insecurity, oppression, injustice, talent suppression, moribund medical centers/facility maiming our dear ones ,
dilapidated and neglected roads claiming innocent lives in their thousands daily and discouragement of merit etc.

Sir, though expectations of the stranded citizenry of this beloved nation are very high as you are about to hit-the-ground again, I am optimistic that your aptitude and innate candor can lead us through to the pathway to greatness of our collective dream. The watchword is our collective will upon the influence of your coordinating ingenuity pivoted on your sincerity of purpose, hence this letter.

Yes, “the work is plenty and the laborers are few”, however, I am consoled by your usual prudence in galvanizing available human resources to assemble a team of astute and trustworthy bureaucrats with passion and drive to reposition the ship (Nigeria), and of course hoist her flag among great nations in the world. “Saints are sinners who kept on going”, and as such, a careful selection of people with good conscience and service-delivery paramount in their minds would make the work easier for you. It is worthwhile to make mention of such great minds like:

Gov. Fashola (RBF) - the man yet to equal in fortitude to lead the people, the man who frowned at the level of decay and infrastructural dilapidation in his state and stood up to the challenges, the man who saw governance to the grass-root (as ought), and bearing in mind the huge task yearning for attention, he started work without much ceremony, and from the blast of the whistle, sounded note of warning to praise-singers who rather than show true concern for the work ahead, would choose to run to pages of newspapers/other media blowing him trumpet, with sheer intention of gaining favor for contracts and to create class-consciousness in the government, the man who restrained self from temptations of pleasing his family, friends and cronies as kept on performing his civic obligation, irrespective of whose ox is gored.  And upon ensuring quantity performance, he never went to the media/pages of newspaper sounding gong of his achievements and or his
stewardship. RBF, you have truly exemplified that “a man’s life story is not written with pen but by his deeds” – your marvelous works on the stand of time are there for us to see. RBF - our man, tuallee baba ….!

Adams Oshomole as a labor union leader - an articulate comrade and fearless fang, the man who is versatile and rich in knowledge enough to make things happen for good, the comrade who rallied compatriots to liberate us from claws of the hijackers of our resources, and upon persecutions, intimidations and wooing, he decried subjection of the defenseless citizens of Nigeria to imposed hardship, bondage and untold hunger in midst of plenty, Comrade, nature and mankind shall ever attest this and stand by you and human right activists for that dogged fight for our freedom in the hands of hijackers of our resources, equal right and justice. Comrade, I hail oo…

Prof. C. Soludo as CBN governor - the academic masquerade of the century, the man who painstakingly revolutionized the then moribund banking industry and canvassed way forward for its present greatness, with great vision for the industry, he stopped at nothing proffering solutions and educating major players (including customers and the general public) in the industry to see same vision and rank equal among reliable ones in the world, the man  who remained focused to rescue the industry from its abysmal state and as a matter of fact, liberated the defenseless customers from the quagmire of loosing their hard earned money in the fist of the faceless players in then moribund industry, despite critics and monster-parasites in the sector who were neither interested in solving the problem nor ready to proffer solution but are like an armless man teaching throwing, he relented not in the pursuit to boost the industry have it attain solidity today. You truly proved that Soludo is solution, Prof. I bow oo….!

El Rufai as FCT minister - the man with resolute backbone, loyalty and stern to duty, the man who refused to be compromised in his fight to accord FCT the desired outlook as in the original master plan. Rufai, I salute oo…!

Nuhu Ribadu as EFCC boss - the man with so much guts, the man who shook the seemingly untouchables once upon a time looting of our treasuries/tax-payers money were marred with unprecedented impurity, without giving a hoot to the plights of the people, the man who brought to book, activities of some the big-wigs as a detriment to the yet untouched to realize that even though government fights corruption with kid’s-glove, watch is placed over all officials including the general public. And he did it bravely, not minding what might become of his fate after the office. Nuhu we cannot forget your work of courage, kudos..!

Ngige, the messiah of a leader led to slaughter for his guts to sound altruistic before god-fathers, the man who out of passion and quest for good governance, made a huge scarifies to broke the yoke of ‘god-fatherism’, and librated his people and the state from bondage and slavery of a recorded time. And he became a pace-setter (the parameter) upon which governance/development in the state is measured and compared today, regime after regime. Onwa - man of the people, that giant stride shall remain ever-green in the Guinness records of our hearts and minds. Onwaaa, the shinning light of the people, keep illuminating. Onwa, great thanks for your show of a messiah to the people - I adore and salute you oo…!

Buba Marwa, as a military governor of Lagos state always to be remembered for his unprecedented humility  –  people-friendly governor with much humane worth emulating, the man who took governance to the grassroots without being class conscious and he truly touched lives of the common man meaningfully and became a celebrity and toast of peoples’ heart, while ironically, government at the center was very unpopular – Sir, we shall not cease to remember you for your passionate work of love for mankind – People’s choice, I greet you oo…!

Not forgetting a host of other well-meaning Nigerian (here and in Diaspora) with vision, passion and drive enough to move this beloved nation forward and hoist its magnificent flag among developed nations of the world.

And in all, my warmest regards to president Good-luck E Jonathan for his great show of the spirit of sportsmanship – glad at victory and humble defeat. I join league of allied nations and well-meaning citizens to salute you for the paramount sacrifice to uphold peace and unity of this beloved nation. History and the people of this great nation shall always strive to leave to this legacy - Bravoooo Sir..!
Without mincing words, we shall seem to be paying lips services to justice without according full recognition to the labors of our past heroes - our founding fathers - Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Akintola, Sir Herbart Macurley, Pa Awolowo, etc of the blessed memories, who fought tirelessly to place this nation in the world map, toiled for her sovereignty and above all, sustain her unity, honor and glory. I mean our true heroes - heroes who were martyrs for their genuine love in brotherhood, gallant service and zero tolerance for corrupt practices – especially those who made ultimate sacrifices and became martyrs of circumstance like - Murtala Muhammad, Dele Idiagbon, Dele Giwa, Bola Ige, Chuba Okidigbo, and above all,  Adekunle Fajuyi of then western region who died a sacrificial-victim for his unalloyed loyalty, love and unconditional stand in brother-hood/unity of this our beloved nation, yet not remembered nor name anything after him in honor of his great demonstration of the much-campaigned stand in brother-hood and peaceful co-existence of all the players within, and not those shared with awards and national honors for belonging to the looting class. And let us not forget our great men of valor - Gani Fawunmi, Prof. Kenneth Dike, Chinue Achebe, Tai Solarin, Alvan Ikoku, Akanu Ibiam and a host of others too numerous to mention (of blessed memories).

Recognizing and propagating such exceptional labors of past heroes shall definitely go a long way to serve a great deal of pursuit for patriotism in the minds and psyche of the citizens, especially the youths and future generations of this blessed country. Because when we fail to uphold them in honor and glory in unique ways, we may not be encouraging patriotism.  In like manner, we shall endeavor to project the image of our present erudite men (Wole Soyinka, Prof. Emagwali, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Femi Falana (SAN) etc), and celebrate them as role-models to the young ones to emulate. But not as reverse is the case here, where hijackers/devourers of our economy, looters of our treasuries and sharers of the national cake are being paraded and promoted as great men to the youths and children of this country, behold, setting a negative example in our psyche. Thus, strangulation of our conscience through such bad precepts gave rise to lawlessness, moral-decay,
acrimony, barbarism, indiscipline, intolerance, bickering, ritualism, and above all, unprecedented corruption as found in this country today - My heart bleeds…!

Now, a new era is about to begin, era of new lease of hope, era of a long-awaited change, era of visionary leadership, let us all join hands in oneness to build the nation we all love and cherish. And for those who for egoistic reasons, split this country asunder - thwarting the toils and labors of our heroes and refuse to tow the path of honor, we hand them over to the desecrate-stoop of their conscience and posterity to judge. Instead of ensuring people-oriented governance and exemplary leadership, they were busy wasting tax-payers’ money on pages of newspapers and other media, blowing trumpets of your mirage-stewardship embedded in untold embezzlement - sounding gong of achievements-in-deceit to the people, yet in reality, have done nothing. But as people who like show-casing what they do, they  could not go to same pages of newspaper/radio/TV to sound trumpets of highest quality of meals on their tables, designers’ wears in their wardrobe, exotic
cars in their fleet, state of the arts edifice etc - what a paradox..!

The time of reckoning has come - search your soul and re-jig your conscience for good. Lend hope to the helpless, the hopeless, the destitute, the hungry, the impoverished, the displaced neglected in our society today - stretch your hand of love for to them to lean on, for we are brothers in one nation, though tribes and tongues may differ.

Today, desist from sowing seed of discord amongst us, stop creating false impression that we are not one, stop the game of aiding and abating, stop creating tribal divide or religious intolerance, stop building hatred among our youths and children who know no enemy nor foe, stop limiting our promising and resourceful youths from the passage-way to greatness, inciting your subjects to see one another as enemies will not do us good  - while at the top (in the other side of the country - the ruling class), you are dining and winning together, sharing sorrows of one another and gracing one another occasion-call.

And for those canvassing and scrambling at all cost, for one appointment or the other under this incoming regime, bear in mind that we (the no-bodies) are not unaware that your paramount aim may be to serve your pockets for comforts of your immediate family, friends and cronies at the detriment of the people. Do not forget that your conscience and history shall be your final judge.

Therefore, trade with caution and always bear in mind that while carting away tax-payers’ money and our treasuries into foreign accounts and your Ghana-must-go pockets, there are people dying in accidents as a result of roads failed to build to standard, there are people dying due to medical centers not cared to build or equip and as such, hospitals are left as dungeons and slaughter homes, there are people languishing in jail/ATM for justice denied or sin/offense(s) they knew not, there talents wasting for high cost of education, there are people being impoverished because of energy sector (electricity) left as moribund for selling darkness to the defenseless masses (people in the other side of the country),  there are waifs and strays of our society wailing for help to no avail, there are the hungry with no hope for a square meal (0-0-1), there are stranded children at the dark end of the street falling prey to ritualists/traffickers as a result of neglect and insecurity, there are children whose passage-way to great height are diminishing as a result of schools and class-rooms reduced as mere burrow for rearing animals, there are millions of jobless graduates and drop-outs roaming our society due to looted wealth in foreign accounts. Though tribes and tongues, party, religion or class may differ, but lets in brother-hood, stand firm to build this one nation we all love, and hence, join other nations in the world.

Let us learn to repose confidence in our collective will and throw our weight behind leaders with great vision to build this beloved nation. Let us learn that through love and patriotism, we can quench the fire, through firm stand in brother-hood, we can move mountain, and through unity, we can cross the ocean.

Let us say no to political/religious bigots with sinister motives to disintegrate this one nation found in freedom, peace and unity. Let us rise up to shun those who create divide (the grass-root and the ruling class), ‘the working monkeys and the chopping baboons’, the above the laws and the under the laws, the national-cake owners and the scavenger in their waste-bins, the god-fathers and the god-fatherless…

My fellow country men and women, I see great light at the end of the tunnel, I see great hope for our promising youths, I see bright future for our children and generations yet unborn, I see a rewarding position for our nation builders (teachers) relegated to bare-ground, I see empowerment to our women  without a say in the society. So, weep no more fellow citizens held in captive in their fatherland, with our support and prayers to the incoming administration, the change we all need, has come to lead us through to the passage-way to greatness…!

MY PRAYERS:  And To you the president-elect, as we getting ready to the inauguration day and the era of hitting the ground running once again, I pray to the Almighty God (Allah) to bless you, keep you, guide you, help you in toils, pains and hardship, and fill you with the wisdom to lead the flock (people of this beloved nation) He has entrusted unto your leadership and care. Courage my president, do not stumble, He (Allah) is with you..!

God bless Nigeria…!

Sincerely Yours,
Mmadubom N G U.
E-mail: mmadubom4nemo@gmail.com