Breaking: Obasanjo Writes Buhari

Dear President and General Buhari,
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI

I am constrained to write to you this open letter. I decided to make it an open letter because the issue is very weighty and must be greatly worrisome to all concerned Nigerians and that means all right-thinking Nigerians and those resident in Nigeria. Since the issue is of momentous concern to all well-meaning and all right-thinking Nigerians, it must be of great concern to you, and collective thinking and dialoguing is the best way of finding an appropriate and adequate solution to the problem. The contents of this letter, therefore, should be available to all those who can help in proffering effective solutions for the problem of insecurity in the land.

One of the spinoffs and accelerants is the misinformation and disinformation through the use of fake news. A number of articles, in recent days, have been attributed to me by some people who I believe may be seeking added credence and an attentive audience for their opinions and view-points. As you know very well, I will always boldly own what I say and disown what is put into my mouth. But the issue I am addressing here is very serious; it is the issue of life and death for all of us and for our dear country, Nigeria. This issue can no longer be ignored, treated with nonchalance, swept under the carpet or treated with cuddling glove. The issue is hitting at the foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our Nigerian community. I am very much worried and afraid that we are on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay. Without being immodest, as a Nigerian who still bears the scar of the Nigerian civil war on my body and with a son who bears the scar of fighting Boko Haram on his body, you can understand, I hope, why I am so concerned. When people are desperate and feel that they cannot have confidence in the ability of government to provide security for their lives and properties, they will take recourse to anything and everything that can guarantee their security individually and collectively.

For over ten years, for four of which you have been the captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to government’s claim. The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself. Say what you will, Boko Haram is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed, maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage. And Boko Haram will not go away on the basis of sticks alone, carrots must overweigh sticks. How else do you deal with issues such as only about 50% literacy in North-East with over 70% unemployment?

Herdsmen/farmers crises and menace started with government treating the issue with cuddling glove instead of hammer. It has festered and spread. Today, it has developed into banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and killings all over the country. The unfortunate situation is that the criminality is being perceived as a ‘Fulani’ menace unleashed by Fulani elite in the different parts of the country for a number of reasons but even more unfortunately, many Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are friends of Nigeria attach vicarious responsibility to you as a Fulani elite and the current captain of the Nigeria ship. Perception may be as potent as reality at times. Whatever may be the grievances of Fulanis, if any, they need to be put out in the open and their grievances, if legitimate, be addressed; and if other ethnic groups have grievances, let them also be brought out in the open and addressed through debate and dialogue.

The main issue, if I may dare say, is poor management or mismanagement of diversity which, on the other hand, is one of our greatest and most important assets. As a result, very onerous cloud is gathering. And rain of destruction, violence, disaster and disunity can only be the outcome. Nothing should be taken for granted, the clock is ticking with the cacophony of dissatisfaction and disaffection everywhere in and outside the country. The Presidency and the Congress in the US have signalled to us to put our house in order. The House of Lords in the UK had debated the Nigerian security situation. We must understand and appreciate the significance, implication and likely consequences of such concerns and deliberations.

No one can stop hate speech, violent agitation and smouldering violent agitation if he fans the embers of hatred, disaffection and violence. It will continue to snowball until it is out of control. A stich in time saves nine, goes the old wise saying.
With the death of Funke, Chief Fasoranti’s daughter, some sympathetic Nigerian groups are saying “enough is enough”. Prof. Anya, a distinguished Nigerian merit Laureate, has this to say “We can no longer say with certainty that we have a nation”. Niger-Delta leaders, South-Eastern leaders, Middle-Belt leaders and Northern Elders Forum have not remained quiet. Different ordinary Nigerians at home and abroad are calling for different measures to address or ameliorate the situation. All the calls and cries can only continue to be ignored at the expense of Nigerian unity, if not its continued existence.

To be explicit and without equivocation, Mr. President and General, I am deeply worried about four avoidable calamities:
1. abandoning Nigeria into the hands of criminals who are all being suspected, rightly or wrongly, as Fulanis and terrorists of Boko Haram type;
2. spontaneous or planned reprisal attacks against Fulanis which may inadvertently or advertently mushroom into pogrom or Rwanda-type genocide that we did not believe could happen and yet it happened.

3. similar attacks against any other tribe or ethnic group anywhere in the country initiated by rumours, fears, intimidation and revenge capable of leading to pogrom;
4. violent uprising beginning from one section of the country and spreading quickly to other areas and leading to dismemberment of the country.
It happened to Yugoslavia not too long ago. If we do not act now, one or all of these scenarios may happen. We must pray and take effective actions at the same time. The initiative is in the hands of the President of the nation, but he cannot do it alone. In my part of the world, if you are sharpening your cutlass and a mad man comes from behind to take the cutlass from you, you need other people’s assistance to have your cutlass back without being harmed. The mad men with serious criminal intent and terrorism as core value have taken cutlass of security. The need for assistance to regain control is obviously compelling and must be embraced now.

A couple of weeks ago at a public lecture, I had said, among other things, that:
“In all these issues of mobilisation for national unity, stability, security, cooperation, development, growth and progress, there is no consensus. Like in the issue of security, government should open up discussion, debate and dialogue as part of consultation at different levels and the outcome of such deliberations should be collated to form inputs into a national conference to come up with the solution that will effectively deal with the issues and lead to rapid development, growth and progress which will give us a wholesome society and enhanced living standard and livelihood in an inclusive and shared society. It will be a national programme. We need unity of purpose and nationally accepted strategic roadmap that will not change with whims and caprices of any government. It must be owned by the citizens, people’s policy and strategy implemented by the government no matter its colour and leaning.

Some of the groups that I will suggest to be contacted are: traditional rulers, past heads of service (no matter how competent or incompetent they have been and how much they have contributed to the mess we are in), past heads of para-military organisations, private sector, civil society, community leaders particularly in the most affected areas, present and past governors, present and past local government leaders, religious leaders, past Heads of State, past intelligence chiefs, past Heads of Civil Service and relevant current and retired diplomats, members of opposition and any groups that may be deemed relevant.”

The President must be seen to be addressing this issue with utmost seriousness and with maximum dispatch and getting all hands on deck to help. If there is failure, the principal responsibility will be that of the President and no one else. We need cohesion and concentration of effort and maximum force – political, economic, social, psychological and military – to deal successfully with the menace of criminality and terrorism separately and together. Blame game among own forces must be avoided. It is debilitating and only helpful to our adversary. We cannot dither anymore. It is time to confront this threat headlong and in a manner that is holistic, inclusive and purposeful.

For the sake of Nigeria and Nigerians, I pray that God may grant you, as our President, the wisdom, the understanding, the political will and the courage to do what is right when it is right and without fear or favour. May God save, secure, protect and bless Nigeria. May He open to us a window of opportunity that we can still use to prevent the worst happening. As we say in my village, “May God forbid bad thing”.

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

This is highly commendable coming from Obj but what Nigeria needs now is rallying together to boot out this monster we have as a president either by legal or illegal means. Nigerians can not because of one lifeless cow be afflicted with all manner of evils. enough of this political correctness. Buhari has really destroyed Nigeria beyond redemption

Humn! Buhari is a total failure.People were warned about the dangers of accepting him into our national life back then but parochial sentiments beclouded the sense of judgement of a lots of people including OBJ himself, Wole Soyinka, Sowore, etc.Today, reality is clear to all man.

The Nigerian public has been made to believe that the slow pace of action of the Federal Government headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was due to the enormity of the problems left by the last civilian....

However, for the very slow pace of action is due to lack of unanimity of purpose among the ruling body; then subsequently, the business of governance has gradually been subjected to ill-motivated power play considerations.The ruling body, the Supreme Military Council, has, therefore, progressively been made redundant by the actions of a select few members charged with the day-to-day implementation of the SMC’s policies and decision.

The concept of collective leadership has been substituted by stubborn and illadvised unilateral actions, thereby destroying the principles upon which the government came to power. Any effort made to advise the leadership, met with stubborn resistance and was viewed as a challenge to authority or disloyalty.

Thus, the scene was being set for systematic elimination of what, was termed oppositions. All the energies of the rulership were directed at this imaginary opposition rather than to effective leadership.

The result of this misdirected effort is now very evident in the country as a whole. The government has started to drift. The economy does not seem to be getting any better as we witness daily increased inflation.

The nation’s meager resources are once again being wasted on unproductive ventures. Government has distanced itself from the people and the yearnings and aspirations of the people as constantly reflected in the media have been ignored.

This is because a few people have arrogated to themselves the right to make the decisions for the larger part of the ruling body. All these events have shown that the present composition of our country’s leadership cannot, therefore, justify its continued occupation of that position.

Furthermore, the initial objectives and programmes of action which were meant to have been implemented since the ascension to power of the Buhari Administrat-ion in January 1984 have been betrayed and discarded. The present state of uncertainty and stagnation cannot be permitted to degenerate into suppression and retrogression.

https://www.thecable.ng/flashback-coup-speech-overthrew-buhari-august-27-1985

As it was in 1983-85, so it is in 2021 with the same failure.

Buhari has totally failed in protecting the life and properties of Nigerians.

The thing wey dey always vex me pass nah the excuse this people dey always give in defense of Fulani heardsmen

During the tenure of Yaradua, Northern Governors blamed Governors of the Niger Delta states for the insecurities in the Niger Delta.

Now, the useless cowards we have in the south west are even protecting Fulani heardsmen killing, raping and destroying our farmlands in the south west

I hope he listens to those point that Obasanjo mentioned

I know by now Buhari must have made a small box where he will dropping the trash called letter.

Buhari doesn't listen to anybody

He doesn't even read closed or open letter

Can't buhari be impeached?

Obasanjo is not serious ion expect he of all people to lead criticizing Buhari after what he did in 2015. Moreso, doesn't he have Loyalist in the Military that can draft out a cute logical means to oust this mannequin once and for all

Baba better quit writing letter and be on the next flight visiting the next Young governor or rather spend time trying to Help ur Ogun people outta Fulani's mercy

obasanjo just wasting his time with this open letter, he should write it to the Governor of Ogun state who enjoys Fulani killing his people

obasanjo should take another hobby aside writing letters. he is still one of this country's problem.

Olusegun Obasanjo Okikiola Aremu.

Buhari means failure according to Oxford dictionary.

Very insightful. Exactly the same sentiments I'm having, this country is about to go bellyup if something decisive and urgent is not done. Millions could die in a matter of weeks should law and order completely break down and we are dangerously tilting to that point. However, the biggest challenge is Buhari, he does not have the capacity nor the will to radically turn this around.

Those that brought Buhari to power are those posterity will remember as the people that hit the death nail on Nigeria.

Buhari doesn't read. He doesn't understand anything written in pages of a book. He is so dead that even the dead see him as dead.
It's only a pity that our army can't carry out a thing as simple as a coup. How is such army expected to overrun the Boko Haram. Well I still think ousting the vegetable would have been the simplest way out

Vickym1:
Can't buhari be impeached?

That's their Trump card, they will impeach him next year and use that guise to prevent a Southerner from taking over. It happened in 1983 by this same Buhari when Fulanis didn't want Ekwueme to succeed Shagari, it's going to happen again. However, the fallout is what I can't predict.

I'm still waiting for the trained snipers Baba OBJ accused GEJ of, all in a hateful bid to oust him.

Baba, calm down and enjoy the change you so much cherished.

Another letter

Baba and open letter are like ewedu ati amala

Buhari has gone down in history as the only Nigerian president to receive multiple open letters for poor performance from OBJ ... BUHARI IS A HUGE FAILURE

Akowe
No source, fake news

...

BastardWike:


That's their Trump card, they will impeach him next year and use that guise to prevent a Southerner from taking over. It happened in 1983 by this same Buhari when Fulanis didn't want Ekwueme to succeed Shagari, it's going to happen again. However, the fallout is what I can't predict.

This con3 tire me aswear

heendrix:
Obasanjo is not serious ion expect he of all people to lead criticizing Buhari after what he did in 2015. Moreso, doesn't he have Loyalist in the Military that can draft out a cute logical means to oust this mannequin once and for all

Baba better quit writing letter and be on the next flight visiting the next Young governor or rather spend time trying to Help ur Ogun people outta Fulani's mercy

If you are wise, you should know that two wrongs don't make a right.

Secondly, try and read that letter and get the points.

INTEGRITYA1:
Olusegun Obasanjo Okikiola Aremu.

one of bad leaders that brought us to where we are

This is old though

Buhari's major problem is extreme low IQ, it's impossible to give what you don't have

Noted

Baba should change style joooo Bihari don’t read letters and those closed to him won’t even allow his letter gets to buhari