You must be retarded if u think I will tell you, a faceless, nameless person on social media where I live.. but will tell u this much, I live and work in central lagos..

vikyno:


and where is your hood that get 20+ hours of power everyday?

midolian:
“If Nigeria moves, then Africa moves. If not, then we must wait”. True? Seems like it.
[img]http://cdn.mg.co.za/crop/content/images/2014/11/12/katsinadurbar_square.jpg/300x300/[/img]
The Katsina Durbar, a parade of the Emir and his entourage on horseback that draws visitors from miles around. Nigeria is on the move, and Nigeria moves Africa. (Photo/File).

“IF Nigeria moves, then Africa moves. If not, then we must wait.”

I don’t remember where I first read that, but as a Kenyan I could never find a good reason to agree with it. That’s until I begun to interact closely with Nigeria. Over the past two years I have been a part of the Vecna Cares team that is working on designing and implementing an electronic health records tech tool for low resource settings in several Nigerian states.

I am just concluding my second trip to Nigeria in two years. The first time out, I spent all my time in Abuja and the outskirts of the FCT (Federal Capital Territory). This second time, I swam in the belly of the monster, venturing to some of the smaller rural towns of Ondo State, and then wound up my trip in Lekki area of Lagos. 

I have changed my stance. There’s no doubt in my mind that Nigeria moves Africa.

This is a huge country. The number that I was operating on when I first arrived was 140 million people strong. But having spoken to a few people here and seen it for myself, I dare say that we should be pegging that number at about 190 million if not 200 million. One of the most mind-boggling statistics that I heard is that Nigeria now has 120 million active cell phone users.

I am here shortly after an election that saw a former military dictator win by a landslide. Think about that for a minute. Where else in the world would such a sentence be written, read out aloud and make sense? 

It is said that during President Buhari’s first stint as leader of Nigeria, back in the 80s, Lagos was a hub for drug trafficking. Upon his assumption of command he decreed that drug trafficking would from then on be a capital offence. 

Then he backdated the law and declared that all those that were in jail having been convicted for it would now be executed. Nigerians watched the public executions one after the other in utter shock. Needless to say the drug trade ground to a screeching halt, or so the story goes.

His was a no-nonsense regime, they say. He did not tolerate theft. He threw people in jail for mere suspicion of theft.  When he left the throne, the weeds soon returned.

Sheriff back in town

Fast forward to 2015 and the sheriff is back in town.

It’s now September 2015, only months since President Buhari took over. The national electricity utility, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which was never known to supply electricity for more than 2-3 hours a day is now consistently powering the cities for 20+ hours.

Port Harcourt petroleum refinery that had not refined even a litre of petrol over the last 15 years is now pumping hard, and Warri and other refineries are about to come back online. “To the best of my knowledge,” my host says, “there’s been no extra funding, technical assistance, or anything new given. This is happening because of the fear of Buhari.”

The fear of Buhari. What a wonderful phrase. Who would’ve thought that a president who wins a landslide election victory would be termed as being fearsome.

Still, I cannot find anything to disagree with this view. President Buhari has not even named his cabinet and all these things are happening. The terror group Boko Haram which was advancing southwestwards into the country is now said to be just months, maybe weeks, from being snuffed out. How is it that Nigeria is now winning a war that it was steadily losing for almost five years?

As I write this, the sitting Nigerian Senate President, a key member of the President’s party and one of Nigeria’s most powerful men, is facing trial for false declaration of assets. His trial is being broadcast live all over the country. No matter the outcome of this process, the message is that there are no sacred cows in Nigeria.

Waiting for Buhari

Since their election, none of the state governors have named their cabinets either. They are all waiting for President Buhari to set the tone, and then they will align. It is expected that some of the best performing governors who couldn’t stand for election by a two-term limit rule are competing to be in President Buhari’s cabinet. 

I never thought I would write such a thing when I came here. That governors in Nigeria would be angling for a cabinet position using their excellent past performance as credentials, in order to get to do even more transformative things on the national stage. Confusing, I know, in a continent where people just do a smash-and-grab on power.

“A governor in his state is more powerful than the President of Nigeria in the whole of Nigeria,” declares my host. So why would a person with near absolute authority feel the need to compete at all? It’s a sign of an emerging meritocracy, which the cynics had long-said was impossible in Nigeria.

Times have changed here. Nigeria has managed over the past few years to create a demand for more accountability, more thinking, more prosperity. It’s why the former president Goodluck Jonathan had no chance in his re-election bid. He has sunk into mediocrity, become out of touch and got comfortable. He didn’t take any decisive action against Boko Haram until six weeks before the election. The people saw through this.

Now, of course not everything is rosy. It is now emerging that former president Goodluck Jonathan withdrew almost $300M is cash from the Nigerian National Bank just as Nigerians went to the polls. 

Many of the governors who have taken office have complained bitterly that the bank accounts of their states are empty having been looted heavily just before their election.  As a result some states have seen industrial action by state workers as they have been unable to pay salaries, and many have gone home with empty pockets.

There’s blatant and open corruption everywhere you see somebody wearing a uniform. Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos is a shakedown experience like none you have ever seen. 

The check-in counter guy will shake you down, the civil aviation authority official issuing directions will shake you down, immigration people will bleed you dry and the the customs people will eat your bones. Then you will go to the loo and the cleaning lady will ask you to leave her “something for the weekend.”

Still, there’s a lot of fresh air in this country. A renewed expression of critical thinking, innovation and commitment to public service. Of course nobody knows how things will turn out over the course of this presidency but one thing is for sure Nigeria is on the move and the rest of Africa is likely to benefit.

The fear of Buhari. Long may it continue.

http://m.mgafrica.com/article/2015-09-28-the-fear-of-buhari-whips-nigeria-into-shape/

Lalasticlala

See this Drug dealer!!! Bias Opinion aLl. the way

midolian:
I don't understand you, Mr chuna. Like a ghost, you always appear from no where to tackle every pro-buhari thread

im allergic to nonsense.

I was actually hoping that for the first time, a foreigner was going to give us reasonable reasons for the changes but then he bursted my bubbles again by according them to 'BODY LANGUAGE'
Is this how daft Kenyans are?

[size=14pt]If, might, will, could, etc.

And... 'The national electricity utility, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which was never known to supply electricity for more than 2-3 hours a day is now consistently powering the cities for 20+ hours'.?

And... 'The terror group Boko Haram which was advancing southwestwards into the country is now said to be just months, maybe weeks, from being snuffed out. How is it that Nigeria is now winning a war that it was steadily losing for almost five years'.?

Are these the kind of falsehood and satanism Africa is banking her development on?[/size]

Taa!!!! shut up, who dey fear the dullard of Daura

The fear of Buhari. What a wonderful phrase. Who would’ve thought that a president who wins a landslide election victory would be termed as being fearsome.

Buhari's election victory was in no way a landslide. For God's sakes the difference in votes was less than 3 million, compared with 10 million in 2011.

Sycophants can't even be bothered to present facts.

I can testify that things are getting better,my business has been enjoying the increased hours of power supply. Now all my profit is not eaten up by petrol cost .

chuna1985:



im allergic to nonsense.

We wont value what we have

agarawu23:
na village you dey live

City. No light at all

hinwazaka:

YOU AND THE OP ARE WHAT WE CALL MUFU: MUMU + FOOL. THE OP PUT ON HIS THREAD THE PICTURE OF AN EMIR ON A HORSE AND BASED HIS THREAD ON THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT WHO, WITH THE EMIR ARE MEMBERS OF THE SAME TRIBE, IS THE BEST THING FOR GOVERNANCE IN OUR COUNTRY SINCE FRIED EGG AND BREAD( MAISHAI). IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE OP IS A SLAVE TO THE HAUSA/ FULANI TRIBE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER, AND EVEN ARE THE OWNERS FOR THE CLOTHES ON HIS BACK AND OFFER HIM UPKEEP ALLOWANCE. MAYBE YOU AND HIM ARE COLLEAGUES. RUBBISH!

You are very stup!d. Its people like you that are pulling us back. What's wrong with posting the photo? Even animals have higher IQ than you. Bastard. Go and get a life

asuustrike2009:

City. No light at all

which state ?

PublicAssurance:
[size=18pt]Fear of which Buhari?.....Abeg make I hear word!!....The Nigerians I know only fear God[/size]

Some of them don't even fear God like the APCs feeding Nigerians with lies.

agarawu23:
na village you dey live

So him village na part of Israel?

movement of the people.sai buhari,sai afrika!

Jayne2014:

Bros, no vex oh. Are you paid to hype the government? Seriously, Goebbels will be envious of you.
Please note that I am neither APC nor PDP.
I am for total restructuring of the foundation.

Not only Goebbells would this guy make envious but also Okupe, Abati, Chukwumerije, Oliseh Mettu and maybe even Femi Adesina.
Midolians are you sure you're Kenyan?

FreeGlobe:
The. fear of buhari has not stopped Nigeria from sliding into recession under buhari, it has not stopped corruption, it has not stopped boko haram, it has not returned chibok girls, it has not produced the 5000 naira buhari produced poor Nigerians like his zombies midolian and agarawu23, it has not stopped kidnapping. No change.

who else tinks dis is crap?

ChappyChase:

Well its obvious that you're as gullible as a gutter!

i am buhari fan... i am cultured and well mannerd sorry to disappoint i cnt engage in a war of words with u...

hinwazaka:
SO IN ESSENCE, FROM THE PIC OF THE EMIR ON YOUR THREAD, ONLY THE NORTH CAN LEAD US TO THE PROMISED LAND. ZOMBIE, YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SAUL AS YOUR LEADER, WHEN MOSES AND JOSHUA ARE AVAILABLE. AS THE BIBLE SAYS" OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE".

Pls I am a learner. who are the Paul and Moses otherwise May iniquity be visited on you and yours until the 7 ti generation

hinwazaka:
SO IN ESSENCE, FROM THE PIC OF THE EMIR ON YOUR THREAD, ONLY THE NORTH CAN LEAD US TO THE PROMISED LAND. ZOMBIE, YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SAUL AS YOUR LEADER, WHEN MOSES AND JOSHUA ARE AVAILABLE. AS THE BIBLE SAYS" OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE".

Must you bring tribes into this?? Na wa 4 una o... Me I Even want make Nigeria Break Make una carry una wahala go.. mtcheww.... The thread is a foreigner's observation of Nigeria. U dey talk about North and South. If the North can lead us to the promised land let them do it, e no bad

viktor01:
I was actually hoping that for the first time, a foreigner was going to give us reasonable reasons for the changes but then he bursted my bubbles again by according them to 'BODY LANGUAGE'
Is this how daft Kenyans are?

na you daft....thunda fire you!!!.....

in other words: go and finger fvck yourself!!!..... you,homo................

KruggerINC:


Not only Goebbells would this guy make envious but also Okupe, Abati, Chukwumerije, Oliseh Mettu and maybe even Femi Adesina.
Midolians are you sure you're Kenyan?

I am Nigerian

hinwazaka:

GIVE ME YOUR EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.

Here you go again...tying intelligence or success to Educational qualifications...again olodo!

mezebel:
Pls who is burugarri? Hope is not the man that sells garri in my hood



mezebelann

Better take your very best and last time...

midolian:
bro, Nigeria is getting the respect and recognition she has long lost. Are you not supposed to be happy?

Care to explain how Nigeria "lost" its respect & recognition un the eyes of the international community?

I don't see one from Kenya writing this.
All i see is die hard APC fan promoting propaganda.

Port Hacourt refinering was just weeks from operation after heavy repair initiated by the previous government.

Quote me wrong

sonOfLucifer:

Any other proof that the Bible is for dummies?

Blasphemy.

Action Man... keep up PMB.... pls remember we youth for Job opportunity

agarawu23:
which state ?

Asaba Delta

..beautiful piece but heavily pregnant with wistful posturing and deeply lacking in critical thinking. at best.. it is a piece written to pander to chronic optimists blind to facts and immune to reasoning. In truth Buhari is a feel-good pill for Nigeria... what remains is the depths he is willing to go with his approach to governance. it is a mix of good with a better portion of it reeking with suspense.. not good for Nigeria especially when you have 4 years of which your fifth-columnists won't spare two.

FreeGlobe:
The. fear of buhari has not stopped Nigeria from sliding into recession under buhari, it has not stopped corruption, it has not stopped boko haram, it has not returned chibok girls, it has not produced the 5000 naira buhari produced poor Nigerians like his zombies midolian and agarawu23, it has not stopped kidnapping. No change.

thank goodness i read a few comments before posting! you took the words right out of my mouth! sentiments and jumping on bandwaggons will be the death of us in this country! the power that we thought had improved has virtually wound itself dead... jobless graduates are still what they were! education?... hmmm...anyways lets give the change agent another year or two!