*The Unprecedented Level of Patience Shown to Buhari---the ECONOMIST*

Nigerians have never shown such level of patience and tolerance towards any of their past leaders for his record and strange policies as that shown to their current leader, Muhammadu Buhari – a former military dictator now self-confessed democrat who said he came to fight corruption.

Buhari, 75, is being plagued with failures across every single sector in the economy, the like as has never been seen before. Less than a year into office, the economy plummeted into recession, an economy which had till then grown at an average rate of 7% in previous years (2011-2014). The nation’s currency lost 70% of its value, unemployment rose from 6.5 to 26%, commodity prices tripled across many quarters and the state-regulated premium motor spirit prices were hiked by 67% without practically anybody batting an eye.

There have been stern opposition to his policies however and to his very personality as well, notably in the South East and South- South regions in the country as they are called, where he both received less than 5% of the votes cast at the last Presidential election and where he has always been sternly unpopular for his history of bigotry against the people, perceived incompetence and dictatorial tendencies. But in many other regions across the country the people have rather resolved to suffer patiently, drawing up excuses for him at will, blaming everyone including his hundreds of political appointees, anything and anybody but never the man himself.

But in many other regions across the country the people have rather resolved to suffer patiently, drawing up excuses for him at will, blaming everyone including his hundreds of political appointees, anything and anybody but never the man himself.

Buhari’s party, the APC, promised Nigerians unprecedented swiping changes in government and the eviction of all corrupt individuals.
One possible explanation for this could be his party’s hope narrative in the 2015 General election where citizens were promised an unprecedented crackdown on corruption and the abolition of all government waste by a man whose financial worth they declared to have been less than N30million ($150,000 then), a historical low for a former top official in the country and most especially a former leader.

In a country plagued by acute corruption problems and with the unremitted crude oil revenue scandal of 2014 still fresh in the people’s minds, many were eager for an abrupt change, the like as never been seen before. He was seen an army general, already experienced in government, with a great strength of will, tough to take on the nation’s cabal of hardened criminals. He promised to appoint only technocrats to head the country’s departments and to see out the lingering Boko Haram insurgency from the warfront. For a nation lacking basic amenities such as power supply in spite of its huge energy resources and with the lingering insurgency crises, the choice seemed easy to many- the general with integrity was the man for the country.

Talk was cheap then but now reality has taken its course. His earliest opponents pointed out to his track record and not to his speech, noting that the last time Nigeria fell into dismal failure, currency woes and commodity shortages was when he had seized power as a military general in 1983 and stating that the facts of that record contradicted the poems of his image brokers.

Many however just wanted “change” as it was then called and so voted the General and sat to wait for the sung promises. But from the onset of his government, the course was as his critics had predefined: Incompetency, bigotry and dictatorial tendencies plaguing the country.

He ignored the newly born genocide in the middle belt of the country perpetuated by the Fulani herdsmen of his kindred against the Christian communities in Benue, Plateau and later on Kaduna. He breached the Central Bank’s 2007 Act of Independence, telling it to suspend forex disbursements to steel importers and other manufacturing sectors in a bid to defend the Naira, a disastrous action which kick-started a spiral of recession.


He took 3 months to appoint his Chief of Staff, 6 months to appoint a cabinet and now 23 months and yet counting to appoint heads of agencies and board members he was so eager to fire upon his assumption into office and rose import duties on the most basic of commodities in a bid to raise government revenue.

And as for the corruption fight, the facts on ground do not show any one at all. Apart from a few officials harassed or imprisoned without court order, the country is yet to witness the first victim of the said campaign at the court stands.

Government waste is on the rise, officials publicly caught in graft acts were swiftly excused, the 2016 Budget year passed without implementation and most worrisome, the Central Bank’s foreign reserves were being shared among unknown Bureau De Change operators at variable rates at the detriment of critical manufacturing, business and banking sectors.

The government continues to praise itself but the people seem to be increasingly tired of the paraded self-righteousness. The President’s recent illness was greeted with cheers by many. Many are just tired of the government. But the remarkable level of patience shown so far has been unprecedented and many a times the general reactions towards acts of constitutional violations was one of calmness or insensitivity.

If the Change narrative of the 2015 election and the songs of man of integrity are to account for this, then Nigerians may have just certified themselves on the world map as a nation easy to fool with propaganda. An adult should be judged on his track record not on his tongue.

*Culled from The Economist*

what sector has he improved.

Could you provide a link to the actual Economist article from which this was supposedly "culled"? Much of the language doesn't read like something native-English speakers would write, let alone contributors to a periodical with such elevated standards for writing style.

I dislike Buhari for his incompetence as much as anyone, but this particular "culling" reads more like something written by a Nigerian with a "tribal" axe to grind.

Put the link. I didn't see The Economist signature (style) on that article.

Put the link. I didn't see The Economist signature (style) on that article.

omohayek:
Could you provide a link to the actual Economist article from which this was supposedly "culled"? Much of the language doesn't read like something native-English speakers would write, let alone contributors to a periodical with such elevated standards for writing style.

I dislike Buhari for his incompetence as much as anyone, but this particular "culling" reads more like something written by a Nigerian with a "tribal" axe to grind.

Thank you. You beat me to that!
I love people that are observant.

The Nigerian economist

Gbam!

SouthEastFacts:

Thank you. You beat me to that!
I love people that are observant.

exactly my point

The economist of Nnewi

its not patience but cowardice, greed and fear. buhari has shown us that to succeed in power u must instill so much fear, flout court orders, engage in constant propaganda and arrest and jail any contrary voice. I believe if GEJ has done same there would have been no protest at ojota by crooks and the media would have been dumb and silent.

We need solutions now please if you don't have one keep your text stop reminding us all of our failure. If Buhari fail we all fail, if he succeeds we all succeed so please solutions we want to hear not the story we already know.

I just discovered how to treat snake bite naturally on NATURAL REMEDY LAB

The unprecedented level of HYPOCRISY shown by Nigerians of a particular region and religion.

omohayek:
Could you provide a link to the actual Economist article from which this was supposedly "culled"? Much of the language doesn't read like something native-English speakers would write, let alone contributors to a periodical with such elevated standards for writing style.

I dislike Buhari for his incompetence as much as anyone, but this particular "culling" reads more like something written by a Nigerian with a "tribal" axe to grind.

Yes, you are right. This article has been featured before now, earlier this year. February or March and yes it was written by a Nigerian.
But the heading still apply to happenings even till this day.
Nigerians would have been up in arms if it were someone from the South. Be it South West, South East or South South.

[/b]"Buhari, 75, is being plagued with failures across every single sector in the economy, the like as has never been seen before."[b]
Nigeria and Nigerians doesn't need any media to tell that Buhari is a colossal failure.

Its the mumuism down the extreme N that is setting us backwards and allowing him to continue heading mumus like himself towards the cliff
P.s.If it was made to look like truly an article on the Economist,but isn't,the Op should be sanctioned.
Falsehood is as bad as incompetence

Dalaman this is an outdated article(it's been around for months) and it's not from "The Economist", it's from "Nigerian-Economist" specifically Olajide Oyadeyi.

But let me ask you this, If Jonathan had won the election, what reasons can you give for Nigeria to be any better than this?

When you are not stealing money like the party that put a weakling in Aso Rock to loot the country, the masses give you benefit of a doubt. Buhari removed subsidy and devalued the Naira and nothing happened. That is the power in a GOOD name.

4kings:
Dalaman this is an outdated article(it's been around for months) and it's not from "The Economist", it's from "Nigerian-Economist" specifically Olajide Oyadeyi.

But let me ask you this, If Jonathan had won the election, what reasons can you give for Nigeria to be any better than this?

Yeah I noticed as well.

If Jonathan had won nobody can rightly know which way things will be but I believe things would have been bad. Buhari was voted to right Jonathan 's wrongs and not to be excused for his own incompetence.

It's pigs and idiots again...

anibi9674:
what sector has he improved.

1. Stealing is now Corruption.
2. States and individuals are now growing rice through Federal government support. A people that cannot feed itself cannot survive.
3. Lagos-Ibadan expressway is about 80% completed, something PDP could not do for 16 years.
4. If you pass around Ikeja, Agege, Iju e.t.c you will see that the Lagos-Ibadan-Calabar new standard railway is progressing.
5. All newspapers in Nigeria even the enemy's papers like Vanguard and Thisday reported that Federal roads all over the country are being constructed / repaired.

omohayek:
Could you provide a link to the actual Economist article from which this was supposedly "culled"? Much of the language doesn't read like something native-English speakers would write, let alone contributors to a periodical with such elevated standards for writing style.

I dislike Buhari for his incompetence as much as anyone, but this particular "culling" reads more like something written by a Nigerian with a "tribal" axe to grind.

Is this false: Forget about the source for a sec...

...Buhari, 75, is being plagued with failures across every single sector in the economy, the like as has never been seen before. Less than a year into office, the economy plummeted into recession, an economy which had till then grown at an average rate of 7% in previous years (2011-2014). The nation’s currency lost 70% of its value, unemployment rose from 6.5 to 26%, commodity prices tripled across many quarters and the state-regulated premium motor spirit prices were hiked by 67% without practically anybody batting an eye....

Sirjamo:
The economist of Nnewi

The OP is talking about people like you...see...

There have been stern opposition to his policies however and to his very personality as well, notably in the South East and South- South regions in the country as they are called, where he both received less than 5% of the votes cast at the last Presidential election and where he has always been sternly unpopular for his history of bigotry against the people, perceived incompetence and dictatorial tendencies. But in many other regions across the country the people have rather resolved to suffer patiently, drawing up excuses for him at will, blaming everyone including his hundreds of political appointees, anything and anybody but never the man himself.

We'll right this wrong in 2019

Sirjamo:
The economist of Nnewi

The article was written by Olajide Oyadeyi, an Economist, not The Economist.

https://www./unprecedented-level-patience-shown-nigeria-olajide-oyadeyi

Ok

Stingman:


Is this false: Forget about the source for a sec...

...Buhari, 75, is being plagued with failures across every single sector in the economy, the like as has never been seen before. Less than a year into office, the economy plummeted into recession, an economy which had till then grown at an average rate of 7% in previous years (2011-2014). The nation’s currency lost 70% of its value, unemployment rose from 6.5 to 26%, commodity prices tripled across many quarters and the state-regulated premium motor spirit prices were hiked by 67% without practically anybody batting an eye....

Why should I "forget about the source", when that is precisely what I'm questioning? If you bother to look through my comment history, you'll see that I have been vocal in my criticisms of Buhari's economic mismanagement, but that is not what is at issue here, namely what seems to be an attempt to mislead readers by passing off this badly written, jaundiced piece as an "Economist" article, which it clearly isn't.

Had the OP been forthright in admitting the true source of his content, instead of trying to ride on the prestige of The Economist through false pretences, there wouldn't be much at issue, though there probably also wouldn't be anything near the amount of attention the OP was seeking for his piece. Dishonesty like this discredits both the messenger and the message, however legitimate it might have been otherwise.

omohayek:
Could you provide a link to the actual Economist article from which this was supposedly "culled"? Much of the language doesn't read like something native-English speakers would write, let alone contributors to a periodical with such elevated standards for writing style.

I dislike Buhari for his incompetence as much as anyone, but this particular "culling" reads more like something written by a Nigerian with a "tribal" axe to grind.

The only reason why you see it from a tribal point of view just confirms what the article said that Nigerians has shown unprecedented patience towards this govt. so a Nigerian tabloid will not write such but the truth remains that the article is 100% TRUE. Tell me a single line from this article that is false, Just One.

KwoiZabo:
The only reason why you see it from a tribal point of view just confirms what the article said that Nigerians has shown unprecedented patience towards this govt. so a Nigerian tabloid will not write such but the truth remains that the article is 100% TRUE. Tell me a single line from this article that is false, Just One.

Oh yeah? How about the following ridiculous piece of propaganda?

He ignored the newly born genocide in the middle belt of the country perpetuated by the Fulani herdsmen of his kindred against the Christian communities in Benue, Plateau and later on Kaduna.

If you think only Christian communities have suffered attacks at the hands of Fulani herdsmen, or that even the worst of such attacks constitutes "genocide", then you clearly have a 2-digit IQ at best.

bonechamberlain:
its not patience but cowardice, greed and fear. buhari has shown us that to succeed in power u must instill so much fear, flout court orders, engage in constant propaganda and arrest and jail any contrary voice. I believe if GEJ has done same there would have been no protest at ojota by crooks and the media would have been dumb and silent.

Just try talk na, what happened to Nnamdi kanu will happen to you, we are scared to the marrows