By Dele Momodu
Your Excellency, it’s been months since I wrote my desperate memo to you. I wish to thank you
once more for reacting promptly and swiftly at that time and for giving me the honour and
privilege of meeting you in your office. I remember presenting you a special compilation of my
articles, especially the many admonitions to your immediate predecessor, President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan. After handing over the book to you, Sir, I promised to continue acting in my
self-appointed capacity as Special Adviser because of the need to tell you what those very
close to you might not be able to say. They might be afraid of you and your reaction. The truth
is you are a plain and simple man imbued with a mission and a passion to save this great
country but you cannot do it on your own. You can only do it if people close to you, who
should be advising you, tell you as it is so that you can do that which you were elected to do.
Sir, it is on the above basis that I’m back today for reasons some of which you probably know
already from your own personal observations and readings. But before I go further, kindly
permit me to set some records straight before some conspiracy specialists step forward to
ascribe other people’s opinion to me. I shall clearly expose my personal views and state where
I belong or stand for any avoidance of doubt. Everywhere I go people refer to me as Buhari’s
man and ask “what’s your Baba doing ooo?”. I seriously have no problem with that. I’m proud
that I joined so many other Nigerians as well as foreign friends in supporting a man of
impeccable pedigree and solid integrity. No matter your view of President Muhammadu Buhari,
one thing his bitterest enemies give to him is the fact that he is way above the level of most
mortals in matters of uprightness.
This is why many of us volunteered to scream your name to high heavens and we were ready
to follow you to Golgotha. Many of your opponents have not gotten over the thrashing you gave
them and would forever seek everything and anything to smear you with. It is therefore not
surprising that there has been so much noise about what you’ve done or left undone. Whether
they are right or wrong in their assessment, I feel it is right and proper to let you know what
people are saying about you including your most ardent fans and supporters. Sir, please, let’s
not dismiss them as mere rabble-rousers. A groundswell of public opinion can easily
metamorphose into an ocean of disenchantment and cataclysmic confusion. In short, I believe
your enemies are skilfully setting you up for failure in order to be able to taunt your supporters
later by saying we “we told you so!” In this regard it is pertinent to always bear in mind the
Yoruba saying ‘ehin kunle l’ota wa, ile ni a se ni ngbe’! Loosely translated it means “the enemy
lurk outside in the backyard but your foe resides inside your house.”
What is the matter this time? Many Nigerians are lamenting that the change you promised
them is fast becoming a mirage. It is certainly not what they are seeing right now. They insist
that your style and methodology appear too slow for a nation in dire straits and in need of
urgent and miraculous deliverance. They are not happy that you are no longer the prudent man
they used to know. They think you’ve already capitulated by frolicking with members of the
bourgeois class and junketing around the world while Nigeria burns like Dante’s inferno. They
are miffed that you are still keeping the Presidential fleet when you are supposed to have sold
most of them off, if not all. They are worried that the mandate of four years they gave you is
being unwittingly frittered away and before you know it all the goodwill you garnered would
have evaporated and vamoosed. Time, they say, waits for no man!
The economy and the free fall of the Naira have become worrisome. There are all manner of
rumours that may make matters worse, if true, about the current state and status of our banks.
Though the Central Bank of Nigeria has come out forcefully to dispel the dangerous rumours,
they want you to unleash your economic master-plan as soon as possible, so that what was
once a baseless rumour does not somehow become harsh reality. They are expecting a blue-
print that would guarantee a farewell to poverty. On this I agree with the opinion that
something drastic has to be conjured up to arrest this drift to perdition. Nothing amplifies this
monumental tragedy than the debit card fiasco which stipulates that Nigerians cannot live in a
civilised world by walking into any international hotel or shop of their choice and paying with
their cards. This is terribly depressing.
What this means in plain terms is that Nigerians must patronise the black market and run the
risk of carrying cash recklessly whenever they travel abroad. It makes a mockery of the
cashless society that the CBN has fought so hard to put in place and jeopardises your fight
against corruption because government officials who travel abroad must of necessity carry
large sums of cash if they are not to be embarrassed or even disgraced. Sir, the most
important thing is that this is not healthy at all. The last thing your Government should be
telling the world is that we are so broke that we are on our knees. The world laughs at us and
treats us with derision because we have resources other than crude oil which should make us
one of the richest in the world if we properly harness them. We must stop giving the
impression that we are so impoverished when it is leadership, brigandage and a lack of focus
that has failed us.
The other matter that continues to embarrass Nigerians is the issue of Boko Haram. The
matter is made worse by the fact that you are a retired army General who should know and
have what it takes to drastically reduce if not exterminate the cankerworm. But rather the
menace has exacerbated. It has snowballed into a seemingly unquenchable conflagration. I
had argued repeatedly that the military alone cannot achieve this result. Intelligence seems to
be the key word here. Also identifying and locating some of the cells and prominent
sympathisers is crucial. Those who arrogantly and naively say that no form of negotiation
should take place are very far from the theatre of war. They have probably not heard of a group
called IRA, the Irish Republican Army, that terrorised Great Britain for God knows how many
years. I and my directors at Ovation International were lucky to escape a massive explosion
that shattered the peace and tranquillity of London Docklands when a bomb went off inside the
South Quay light rail station which was next to our office at Beaufort Court. The battle of wits
and the war of attrition had to be fought using the carrot and the stick approach. It was the
carrot approach that eventually succeeded and the United Kingdom has now been rid of that
hitherto interminable scourge for many years!
The Boko Haram issue has defied every effort made so far and it is time to expand the options
for the sake of our fellow citizens in the heart of this conundrum. When over 200 girls vanished
into thin air, we were so sure they would return very soon but that has remained an illusion.
This should tell us that this issue is not a joke and that we need to keep all windows open. Sir,
Nigerians want to see government show a different approach and better compassion than
what we had in the past. They are waiting to see how you will do this with minimum collateral
damage.
Sir, you have a herculean task ahead but it is not a mission impossible. Other nations are
experiencing almost similar challenges and they are forging ahead. The first indicator to
exhibit our seriousness is when we stop the business as usual syndrome and tighten the belts
of government officials and politicians. If the idea is to continue along the path of profligacy
then Nigeria is contagiously jinxed. The Republic of Tanzania has already taken the lead. I will
publish a report that has already gone viral below this letter as a veritable example of what is
possible.
I wish you well as always Sir.

Source : thebossnewspapers.com/a-third-party-memo-to-president-buhari/

CHANGE, THE TANZANIAN WAY
Before I’m accused of plagiarism, let me say quickly that I don’t know the author of this
widely circulated story which was forwarded to me by WhatsApp. I found it too good to be
true but worth sharing all the same. I pray our politicians would pick some patriotic
inspiration from it :
“(This is what is called change) UPDATES FROM TANZANIA POST ELECTION ACTIVITIES
Last weekend they were opening parliament and there was a state dinner planned for all
guests that was going to cost about 300m. President Magulufi cut the budget to 25m and
ordered that the rest be taken to buy hospital beds for Muhimbili. They got 300 beds and
mattresses and 600 bedsheets from that money.
On 23rd Nov 2015 he announced that there will be no official ceremonies for Independence
Day on 9th December, the money is to be used for more pressing issues and the day should
instead be spent cleaning up our environment.
On Saturday 21st Nov 2015 a group of 50 people were about to set off for a tour of
commonwealth countries (don’t know for what) but President Magulufi cut that list down to 4
people, saving government 600m in tickets, accommodation and per diems.
No more foreign travel, embassies will take care; if it’s necessary to go, special permission
must be sought from him or Chief Secretary.
No more 1st class and business class travel for all officials except President, Vice, and Prime
Minister.No more workshops and seminars in expensive hotels when there are so many
ministry board rooms available.
President Magulufi asked how come engineers are given V8s when a pick-up is more suitable
for their jobs. No more sitting allowances. How the hell are you paid allowance for a job which
you have a monthly salary? That also applies to MP’s.
President Magulufi has literally pressed the reset button; returning Tanzania to default factory
settings, because that was the TZ Nyerere left us with.
On the day after he was brought to power, in the morning as State House officials were
showing him round he decided to take a walk to ministry of finance, told them to get their act
together, asked why some employees weren’t in office (ever since then the traffic jam in
mornings has become worse) and ordered TRA to scrap all tax exemptions, everyone must
pay taxes especially the big guys
President Magulufi went to Muhimbili Hospital unannounced and walked through the worst
parts that they keep hiding from important visitors. He fired the director, fired the hospital
board and ordered that all machines that weren’t working (so that people go to private
hospitals owned by some doctors) to be repaired within 2 weeks otherwise he fires even the
new director; the machines were repaired in 3 days
Finally, last week when going to officially open parliament President Magulufi didn’t go by
plane, drove the whole 600km from Dar to Dodoma.
President Magulufi has reduced the size of the presidential convoy, even reduced the size of
presidential delegation that travels with him
President Magulufi chose a Prime Minister we haven’t heard of before, a guy with reputation
for hard work and no corruption. All the big guys we expected could be PM have been let
wondering what hit them. His motto is: Hapa Kazi Tu
After President Magulufi visited ministry of finance and Muhimbii Hospital without announcing,
it is said the ports, (most corrupt, delaying, thieving officials) were all of a sudden the most
efficient place. No loads are missing, things are done quickly and that habit of forcing for a
bribe so that your container is released is no more.
Oh, they say when he was confirmed as winner people started congratulating him and wanting
to bring gifts to his place he turned them back, saying he will receive all congrats over the
phone, nobody should visit him.
All individuals/firms that bought state companies that were privatized but haven’t done
anything (20yrs later) are to either revive the industries immediately or hand them back to the
government.”
How I wish President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo will take some cue from this truly
‘change’ agent!

Is this going to make the front page?
Didn't border to read. Too lenghty

Is this going to make the front page?
Didn't border to read. Too lenghty.

A groundswell of public opinion can easily metamorphose into an ocean of disenchantment & cataclysmic confusion - @DeleMomodu #3rdpartymemo to PMB

4everisaac:
Is this going to make the front page? Didn't border to read. Too lenghty.

He wrote alot of nice points you need to read. He is on point.

Yeye Dele that wants to be friends with any govt for as long as the tide is fair. When storms start rising he begins to sing less praise

Everybody should help wail some sense into Buhari's head o because its not funny anymore.

Cataclysmic confusion, that's what this government has put us into, more especially the unpromising body language.

megaik:
CHANGE, THE TANZANIAN WAY
Before I’m accused of plagiarism, let me say quickly that I don’t know the author of this
widely circulated story which was forwarded to me by WhatsApp. I found it too good to be
true but worth sharing all the same. I pray our politicians would pick some patriotic
inspiration from it :
“(This is what is called change) UPDATES FROM TANZANIA POST ELECTION ACTIVITIES
Last weekend they were opening parliament and there was a state dinner planned for all
guests that was going to cost about 300m. President Magulufi cut the budget to 25m and
ordered that the rest be taken to buy hospital beds for Muhimbili. They got 300 beds and
mattresses and 600 bedsheets from that money.
On 23rd Nov 2015 he announced that there will be no official ceremonies for Independence
Day on 9th December, the money is to be used for more pressing issues and the day should
instead be spent cleaning up our environment.
On Saturday 21st Nov 2015 a group of 50 people were about to set off for a tour of
commonwealth countries (don’t know for what) but President Magulufi cut that list down to 4
people, saving government 600m in tickets, accommodation and per diems.
No more foreign travel, embassies will take care; if it’s necessary to go, special permission
must be sought from him or Chief Secretary.
No more 1st class and business class travel for all officials except President, Vice, and Prime
Minister.No more workshops and seminars in expensive hotels when there are so many
ministry board rooms available.
President Magulufi asked how come engineers are given V8s when a pick-up is more suitable
for their jobs. No more sitting allowances. How the hell are you paid allowance for a job which
you have a monthly salary? That also applies to MP’s.
President Magulufi has literally pressed the reset button; returning Tanzania to default factory
settings, because that was the TZ Nyerere left us with.
On the day after he was brought to power, in the morning as State House officials were
showing him round he decided to take a walk to ministry of finance, told them to get their act
together, asked why some employees weren’t in office (ever since then the traffic jam in
mornings has become worse) and ordered TRA to scrap all tax exemptions, everyone must
pay taxes especially the big guys
President Magulufi went to Muhimbili Hospital unannounced and walked through the worst
parts that they keep hiding from important visitors. He fired the director, fired the hospital
board and ordered that all machines that weren’t working (so that people go to private
hospitals owned by some doctors) to be repaired within 2 weeks otherwise he fires even the
new director; the machines were repaired in 3 days
Finally, last week when going to officially open parliament President Magulufi didn’t go by
plane, drove the whole 600km from Dar to Dodoma.
President Magulufi has reduced the size of the presidential convoy, even reduced the size of
presidential delegation that travels with him
President Magulufi chose a Prime Minister we haven’t heard of before, a guy with reputation
for hard work and no corruption. All the big guys we expected could be PM have been let
wondering what hit them. His motto is: Hapa Kazi Tu
After President Magulufi visited ministry of finance and Muhimbii Hospital without announcing,
it is said the ports, (most corrupt, delaying, thieving officials) were all of a sudden the most
efficient place. No loads are missing, things are done quickly and that habit of forcing for a
bribe so that your container is released is no more.
Oh, they say when he was confirmed as winner people started congratulating him and wanting
to bring gifts to his place he turned them back, saying he will receive all congrats over the
phone, nobody should visit him.
All individuals/firms that bought state companies that were privatized but haven’t done
anything (20yrs later) are to either revive the industries immediately or hand them back to the
government.”
How I wish President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo will take some cue from this truly
‘change’ agent!

Drastic Change
I wish same for my Country Nigeria!!