Lolu Akinwunmi wrote:
MR. PRESIDENT, ITS TIME FOR A STATE OF THE
NATION ADDRESS

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing this to you for two reasons. One, as a
very passionate Nigerian who wants you to succeed,
because in your success is ours. Two, as a professional who believes you definitely need help at this point. And I am not playing any blame game; you are probably already under immense pressure, and blaming you can only aggravate the situation.
I am writing about the situation in the land. I don't
know how much time you have for news, whether
you read the papers or your aides simply extract
details fro you. I don't know if you watch TV, or you
are like OBJ who curiously boasted that he didn't
read local newspapers or watch local stations.

Either you have been doing this or not, the news out there is not good Sir. Nigerians are suffering in more ways than you would believe. And I am not talking about the endless queues for fuel that never arrives. There is no electricity either. As i write this, we have a generator on using fuel we are managing. Worse, your favourite boy Fashola has colluded with the power companies to increase rates when we are not getting value, with the promise that the additional income would help the power companies to operate better. So we are funding their investments when we are not stake or shareholders.

Things are very expensive in the markets. Companies are labouring to keep their plants open because they cannot get enough fx for packaging and raw materials. People are complaining about too many things.

Sir, I believe its time to speak to Nigerians as a father and the President in a State of the Nation Address. You missed the opportunity to say some critical things during your inauguration. I had hoped instead of the eleven minutes speech, it would be an opportunity to form the basis for bonding. At that time, it would have been appropriate to let Nigerians into the mess you inherited, far worse than what you feared. It would have helped if you told us that as a result of this, some election promises might be slow in coming or not even come.

IBB was a master in this communication style. You were so hugely popular then that Nigerians would have understood and would have empathised. Now the things you did not say are happening and everyone understandably is upset with you because lets be honest, you over promised during the campaign. It was understandable that after three unsuccessful attempts, you were throwing in all.

Still, some of the promises were way above normal. The chicken has come home to roost. People are asking for the CHANGE you promised us. And Sir, don't be upset, for as long as you promised, they have a right to demand a performance. It probably has not helped that the government communication
machinery has not rallied to cover these areas and
your flanks.

Mr. President, the effect is that we have this gap between you and your people. They are wondering if you are aware of their suffering. They are asking for the CHANGE they voted for. They are not getting
answers; they are getting plenty of excuses and spin
and propaganda, but not the genuine truth they crave. And mind you Sir, they know things are tough. They are literate enough to know our oil is not selling. But they are not hearing it from you in a way that suggests you care.And don't let your spin
doctors deceive you, this is not about PDP and APC; I have heard die hard APC stalwarts totally condemn your administration.

What to do?

Address Nigerians. Let us know how we got to this pass, the efforts you are making, the huge challenges you inherited, the good times that are ahead as we must sacrifice at this point. Nigerians are not like our North African brethren who will riot over a few cents increase in the price of bread; Nigerians are patient and stoic and don't really demand too much. Your ministers have not helped. Ibe Kachikwu has forgotten he is no longer in MOBIL; he spoke with arrogance to a people suffering from the incompetence of his ministry. Lai Muhammed? I have nothing more to say about his imperial majesty. So Sir, choose a date you want, let the best of your wordsmiths prepare a speech after speaking to him.

Open up to Nigerians. Give the necessary assurances. Many smart leaders, especially the Americans do this during periods of crisis; and trust
me we are in a period of crisis at this point. I assure
you Sir that your speech will calm many frayed nerves and give hope to many who are so despondent now.

Now i don't know if this will get to you. But I pray it
does.

Mr. President, PLEASE DO IT!


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Open up to Nigerians. Give the necessary assurances. Many smart leaders, especially the Americans do this during periods of crisis; and trust
me we are in a period of crisis at this point. I assure
you Sir that your speech will calm many frayed nerves and give hope to many who are so despondent now.

Now i don't know if this will get to you. But I pray it
does.

[/quote]Asking Buhary to do the above will only serve to make matters worse. Put the daurian in front of a camera to address the nation and all you hear is insults to the citizens and tribes that didn't vote for him!


Infact, if Buhary is compelled to make that address, he will come with two speeches; one for wailers and another for his fellow zombies!

Buhary suffers from a speech impediment, he is undiplomatic, uncouth and arrogant while at it.

Asking him to address the nation will only make matters worse.