BOW OUT WITH WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR HONOUR; A CAUTIONARY NOTE TO PRESIDENT BUHARI

Everyone, at least once in a lifetime, will get the sordid taste of failure. No matter how highly placed one is, or the level of preparedness for a given task, somehow, someday and in some way we are all bound to disappoint; not just ourselves, but they that call us heroes. While it may be characteristic of man to set usually unrealistic goals, in there lies the will to stretch boundaries. Our aspirations to upset the status quo, whether driven by desire, ego, discontent, or any underlying factor is noble if and only if we put others into consideration. Without this, there is no Nobility.

In a couple of months, the general elections will begin. Campaign is already underway, though unofficially, with politicians and their mercenaries greasing the ever gullible electorate with peanuts, propaganda and sure-to-fail promises. We know how these things pan out, don’t we? They’ll tell us another lie, promise us another change, carry out vote-buying with code names and yet fail us again. Yes they will! But not this time. Not if we refuse to give in to their lies. Not if we hold together as a unit to stand our ground. Not if we decide to change the change.

Perhaps Mr. President had the will to salvage Nigeria. Maybe, in his prime, he could have been the best man to lead the charge against Insurgency, the economic woes and the untold hardship that has bedevilled Nigeria in recent times. And that's assuming he excelled in his first stint as Head of State more than three decades ago. I wasn't born then but I don't like the stories I heard and read about his administration. I like to assume, all his many fallouts at the polls prior to 2015 was a show of commitment to the Nigerian Project. However, it is on record that Mr President has failed this time. He has woefully failed just when it mattered most to our people as a Nation.

Nevertheless, Nigerians are willing to hide his incompetence right behind ailing health like his once many, now dwindling supporters often opine. We wouldn’t mind helping create an excuse for his incompetent leadership. Word on the street is ‘Bow out with what’s left of your honour.’ We could say we appreciate the kind efforts of President Buhari because we know Nigeria is a complex Nation to lead, unlike any other in the world. We could forgive his misgivings and poor leadership. But we will have him and others who come after know that second term is neither a birthright nor a gift for every sitting president. I believe the Jonathan case already established that.

I hereby advise Mr President to gracefully bow out and let another lead the charge to drive this Nation to her place of greatness. That is the noble thing to do. That is what must be done. Any other way will put you, Mr President, in bad light.

Author: Emery Onoriode (09070821492)