By Levinus Nwabughiogu, in Lagos
Buhari-hosts-Ambassadors-of-Iran-Israel-China-Morocco-others
Gradually, things changed for
General Muhammadu Buhari for good. He is no more the ordinary Nigerian of
yesterday. He is now the president-elect.
But that is no more news. The news
now is that everything about the man has suddenly turned presidential: food,
house, clothings, vehicles, name it. Have you seen him of late? Buhari has got
swag.
In fact, the usual Buhari’s two or three cars convoy has grown serpentine
with fortified security presence.
But then, the man has lost his
privacy. Ditto for his running-mate. The vice-president-elect, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo, has transformed from the ordinary preacher to wearing the executive
stuff.
When Buhari threw his hat into the
political ring in 2003, seeking the presidency, he was seen as the biggest
joker of the century.
Of course, the people rejected him. In 2007, he gave it
another shot but was humiliated by his kinsman, the late President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua.
In 2011, he reappeared for the presidential contest, the same fate of
the previous times befell him. By this time, he was already being dubbed a
serial loser.
But as 2015 approached, signs of his
coronation became clear. And on March 28, destiny crowned him the
president-elect even at 72.
Now, the serial loser has become the lucky winner.
Once again, the general has been catapulted into a life of affluence and
influence.
Nostalgically, the only time
Buhari’s life assumed this dimension was during his military days when he was
Head of State. But that was 30 years ago. Even at that, there is a difference
between being a President and Head of State.
It is not just because one is
elected by the people but the fact that one would not be afraid of colleagues
planning a coup and removing one. The military steals political power
irrespective of the public odium it attracts but a President receives the
mandate of the people.
Buhari suffered such military fate
on August 27, 1985 when his colleagues ent him packing from office. Since then,
he had led a private life.
But the man is back at the corridors
of power. This time, through the front door. And, gradually, attention is fast
shifting from the incumbent president to him.
First official bilateral engagement
as president-elect
Watching Buhari receive the
President of Ivory Coast, Allassane Quattara, at the presidential wing of the
Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja in the evening of Monday, April 20,
upon his return from his home country, Daura, Katsina State, put in me the
feeling of presidential reality.
As a former Head of State, Buhari may be
entitled to use the facility but definitely not with an air of presidential
aura he exuded that day.
Quattara may have also met with
President Goodluck Jonathan earlier that Monday, but not with the observable
euphoria on his face, jolting him to some immediate memorial expeditions where
he recalled his own election. Like Buhari, Quattara’s presidency was also
tough, an eventual art of providence and destiny.
Said the Ivory Coast leader: “I have
come to Nigeria to congratulate my brother the president-elect for his
brilliant election and to let him know that the process of this election is a
great pride to all of us and the rest of African countries.
“The peaceful process is a lesson
for all African countries. You will recall that in my own country in 2010 when
we had the presidential election, the former president did not want to leave
office and this led to civil war with 3000 people died. So, we are very proud
of the Nigerian people.
“I came to congratulate my brother
President Buhari and tell him that my country and Nigeria will work hand in
hand for stronger integration of the West African region. Nigeria is very
important to all of us for its leadership and I think I met President Buhari
few years back. We will continue to work together to make sure that the west
African region and the people the region can seek more prosperity and better
lives.”
While the Ivorian leader shared his
ugly experience in the hands of his predecessor, Buhari recalled
Jonathan’s benign stance which has saved Nigeria of a conceivable overt crisis.
“I think more specifically
(Quattara’s visit is ) to congratulate president Jonathan for his statesmanship
because when president Quattara referred to his own experience where he was
under siege for more than four months because his predecessor refused to
acknowledge his winning. In Nigeria opposite happened, hence we are enjoying
the peace, so specifically congratulate president Jonathan for his
statesmanship”, the president-elect said.
Buhari relocates to Defence
House
Buhari’s presidential treatment did
not just begin and end at the airport. It continued to Abuja metropolis and
would continue over the next four years. Upon his return that Monday from Daura
where he had been since the April 11 gubernatorial election, Buhari checked in
at the luxurious Defence House in Maitama axis of town.
Understandably, the facility, which
may also be called a safe house, was designed by the regime of a military Head
of State and has since served as the temporary abode for an incoming president.
In fact, only persons of presidential status use the place for official
engagements and so, Buhari, being the presidential-elect, is entitled to use
the facility which was recently renovated to receive his visitors.
And you can
bet the horde of security personnel that now surrounds the place.
ECOWAS Chairman’s visit
The first person to visit Buhari at
the place was the Chairperson of Economic Community of West African States,
ECOWAS, Ghanaian President, Mr. John Mahama, on Tuesday, April 21. He brought
two things to Buhari: Congratulations and pledges to work with him on ECOWAS
platform. But the contemporary xenophobic madness in South Africa, a sister
country, stole the show. And you could trust that Mahama descended heavily on
the country especially on its attack on Nigerians.
“I think it is an issue that we are
all worried about because of the specific circumstances of South Africa and its
most regrettable and most unfortunate. I think that the young people of
South Africa do not know what happened before they gained their freedom.
The
whole of this continent stood behind South Africa. The whole of Africa stood
behind South Africa to fight against apartheid. I remember all of us who
growing up as secondary school children went on marches and where part of the
African Youth command boycotted classes and all that all in the fight against
apartheid”, Mahama said.
“Indeed for several of the countries
where their citizens were brutalised in South Africa, these are countries
called front line states and harboured the freedom fighters of South Africa and
gave them safe haven, gave them passports to be able to avoid the clutches of
the apartheid regime and even Nigeria.
Nigeria even though not a neighbour
of South Africa was considered a frontline state because of their
economic contribution that Nigeria did to be able to liberate South Africa from
apartheid and so, it is regrettable that the same people who fought against
apartheid are being attacked.
“The pictures we have seen are
horrible. As ECOWAS, we have issued a statement condemning what is happening,
the unfortunate thing is this is not first time, it keeps flaring up and so
while we are condemning this incidence we must work with South African
government to ensure that it won’t happen again.
We are trying to create
an integrated continent where our people can move freely amongst our countries,
this has not set a very good example for integration and especially for South
Africa that has investments all over countries”.
On Nigeria’s elections, the ECOWAS
leader said: “Earlier this morning I called on President Jonathan and also
commended him for his maturity and statesmanship that he has shown in terms of
conceding before the tally was done and calling President elect Buhari to
congratulate him.
I think that Nigeria has shown a good example for self
regime that democracy and good governance have found a firm root in the ECOWAS.
The ECOWAS has a protocol on democracy,
good governance and elections and I believe that has been properly followed
here in Nigeria.
“We have five elections this year
and Nigeria has set the pace and we still have Togo that is coming on
Saturday 25th and in October we have Burkina Faso. We have cote d Ivoire. We have Guinea, so I think that with what has happened in Nigeria, it is an
example for other countries in terms of the standard electioneering. In my
second heart as the president of Ghana as you know Ghana and Nigeria have very
close relationship and we will continue to work closely with Nigeria, we share
the same values our cultures are similar.
“Nigeria is the biggest economy in
West Africa and is the most populous and also the biggest economy in Africa.
So, it is a very valued member of ECOWAS and we will continue to expect that
Nigeria would show a certain leadership and carry her responsibility in terms
of the work of west African states”.
Ambassadorial visits
One of the campaign promises of
Buhari was to restore Nigeria’s self respect in the international community and
signs of that glowed on Wednesday, April 22 when, in one fell swoop, China,
Israel, Equatorial Guinea, Iran and Morocco promised their cooperation with the
incoming administration.
The assurances of those countries
were conveyed through their ambassadors in Nigeria who visited to Buhari at the
Defence House.
For China, Buhari’s regime would
mark a new dawn of investments in agriculture and infrastructure.
“China and Nigeria are going to
further our cooperation. As part of our desire for collaboration with Nigeria I
discussed with the President- elect on some of the potential areas of
investment. We plan to invest in such areas like Agriculture, infrastructure
and other projects that is tailored to impact positively on the lives of the
people of Nigeria. We came to present the best wishes and regards from our
President and people of China to the president- elect”, the Chinese envoy, Mr.
Gu Viaojie, said..
In the case of Morocco, the
diplomatic row between it and Nigeria that resulted to the recalling of its
ambassador to Nigeria was now a thing of the past.
“The new relations is for the good
of both Morocco and Nigeria. I am here to give the President- elect a message
from the King of Morocco. The message is for greetings and best wishes
from Moroccan people. I believe that ( the ugly incident that led to the
withdrawal of Moroccan Head of Mission) is in the past now. We are looking
forward to the future now”, the Morrocoan ambassador, Mr. Mostafa Bouh,
said.
Similarly, the Equatorial Guinea
ambassador said Nigeria has shown exemplary leadership in Africa with the
conduct of the peaceful elections just as the Israeli ambassador, Uriel Palti,
expressed the readiness of his country to continue with the good relationship with
Nigeria.
Last line
For sure, there is a season for
everything. Like President Goodluck Jonathan, who had no shoes at a time,
Buhari, in the last 30 years when he exited office, may not have played host to
officials of other countries in the manner last Tuesday and Wednesday afforded
him. Osibanjo also may have occupied the office of Commissioner for Justice
somewhere but not as noticeably as the office of the number two citizen of a
country.
These new titles with their inherent
euphorias intoxicate. But no matter, the mistake both men cannot afford to do
is to let the excitement get into their heads.
There is enormous task ahead. The
job of fixing Nigeria and get it back onto the path of glory with a happy
citizenry is paramount and non-negotiable. A repeat of the past mistakes of
successive leaders who got carried away by office exuberance and paraphernalia
must not happen. 30 years out of military or civilian power should have taught
someone a big lesson.
The world is watching.
