Good presidential speeches often strive for eloquence and significance. President Buhari’s October 1 address had some terrific phrases and forgettable claims that meet both conditions.

In 1,978 words, the president makes a special effort to strike a note of unity and fairness. For me, those are the impressive parts of his speech. There are also some platitudes with a certain ring of anger in the speech. Those are forgettable.



This point may be best appreciated by separating the nice phrases from the unremarkable sentences in the speech. One example from each group should suffice. First, the good stuff.

The most memorable part of the president’s address is his recognition of Nigeria’s “…profound diversities and opportunities and the need for us to work TOGETHER” (his emphasis) to become an indivisible nation “united in hope and equal in opportunity.”

For all those who are strong believers in one Nigeria, this will be the best-remembered passage of the president’s October 1, 2020 rhetoric. Indeed, the best legacy the president can leave is a concrete effort to build a nation out of the “profound diversities” of Nigeria’s peoples.

So far, he has hardly lifted a finger on this count. Instead, his administration has been marked by an atmosphere of divisiveness, distrust, and discrimination according to some Nigerians. This reality cannot create the level of togetherness that can fuse an indivisible nation.

I have no doubt about the sincerity of Mr. President’s desire to create a strong and united Nigeria: His love for Nigeria has never been in doubt. But why does no one tell him that he cannot achieve a strong and united Nigeria through exclusionary and punitive policies against those who did not vote for him? That once elected, he becomes the president of everyone, political foes and friends alike. And that one way to demonstrate that is to let every vote count, from Edo to Imo State.

Another way is to mend the cracks on the wall of national integration in Nigeria.They exist, these weakening and disuniting cracks & it is a piece of greatpatriotic advice to point this out to Mr. President.

There is the unsettled citizenship question, there is the indigene-settler contradiction, there is the general perception of injustice and unfairness, and there is nepotism, all of which combine to create an atmosphere of distrust and violence, of demands for separation and restructuring of the federation.

Let me say a word or two on restructuring. The last restructuring of the federation was done on May 27, 1967 by Decree No. 14 of the Federal Military Government as a Nigerian civil war weapon to divide the country into 12 states to appeal to the non-Igbo ethnic groups in the former Eastern Region. This inadvertently corrected an obvious territorial imbalance that had advantaged the powers that be in the Northern Region of that time.

After more than fifty years, the issue of restructuring, with its attendant political instability remains. A second legacy of the president is to take this bull by the horns and solve the second round of the restructuring question on a conference table. It may be as simple as decentralisation of some powers and responsibilities.

Now, the bad stuff.
There is the Trumpian boast that “No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources” for starters. This declarative statement was not substantiated with any evidence, except for the bogus claim that all Nigerian governments from that of Obasanjo to Jonathan presided over the near destruction of the country and, therefore, should not attempt to criticise “our efforts” defined as managing “to keep things going.”

Managing “to keep things going” indicates little haste or even incremental progress. In fact, it is a lousy way to express a difference between one administration and others, because it suggests nothing more than treading water to stay afloat. This produces no great advance to brag about. The line is below presidential. It reminds one of the joke, “What did the snail say when he hitched a ride on the turtle?” Answer: ‘Wheeeee!!!’

And then there is this weird paroxysm of anger: “Democracy, the world over and as I am pursuing in Nigeria, recognises the power of the people. However, if some constituencies choose to bargain off their power, they should be prepared for denial of their rights.” Who writes like that?

 Presidential speeches on grand occasions such as the celebration of 60 years of independence should have avoided the temptation to go low on some citizens or on some past administrations, no matter the provocation.

Still, the president’s speech has its own shining moment, and who knows the theme of nationhood & togetherness may become as memorable as “We the people.”

Ebere Onwudiwe is a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)-Abuja

https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2020/10/05/buharis-october-1-rhetoric-the-terrific-and-the-forgettable-by-ebere-onwudiwe/ Lalasticlala

Iyooooooo cartel

This Buhari of a man is not even worthy to lead a herd of cattle not to talk of an over populated nation like Nigeria.

....The best legacy the president can leave is a concrete effort to build a nation out of the “profound diversities” of Nigeria’s peoples.

Instead, his administration has been marked by an atmosphere of divisiveness, distrust, & discrimination. This reality cannot create the level of togetherness that can fuse an indivisible nation.

Presidential speeches on grand occasions such as the celebration of independence should have avoided the temptation to go low on some citizens or on some past administrations, no matter the provocation..

The Oct-1 speech was just another gross flop and unpardonable gaffe for a government that has never hidden its bigotry, nepotism, clannishness vindictiveness and ethno-religious supremacist agenda.

So since the president also surrounded himself with more daft aides, then senseless speeches like this will not be unexpected.

Arrrrrrrh


I rather take a 5 year old word serious than Buhari's word. After analyzing the whole speech i guess nothing change. Well it's an opinion. every individual is entitled to he/her opinion.

Buhari is synonymous with disaster

this country is a joke.

He came into power on a tidal wave of misinformation and propaganda, why should he stop now when all evidence points to the fact that Nigerians are easily deceived by their leaders. Economics has always propounded that when supply is low, demand and value becomes high. But in the case of Mr President’s speeches, fewer & fewer people are interested nowadays. There’s nothing 'terrific' in it, but rather as 'forgettable' as his petrol hike excuse. Which unity are you talking about when your next line is about denying some people of their rights? Rights that you didn’t give them. It wasn’t terrific, it was terrifying!

Hmm

olisaEze:
He came into power on a tidal wave of misinformation & propaganda, why should he stop now when all evidence points to the fact that Nigerians are easily deceived by their leaders...

Which unity are you talking about when your next line is about denying some people of their rights? Rights that you didn’t give them. It wasn’t terrific, it was terrifying!

The bigotry, diversive and nepotic nature of this president is unprecedented

Racoon:
The bigotry, diversive and nepotic nature of this president is unprecedented

Unprecedented true, but not unexpected.