₦airaland Forum

Gosh

U are a rough handler of phones

I use the same phone and have used mine for a year now and it is still brand new

Now they are representing us

Chai

Horrible

This pictorial thread is for all those my mama say I be Igbo and efulefus who don't know the evil that Nigeria did to us. After watching this, u will understand why we hold this day dear to us

Two years ago to this day, you brought me to tears.

You were in our nation’s capital, being inaugurated as the first Nigerian in our nation’s history to win the presidency from an opposition party. I was far away, in Lagos; but I had a cherished privilege: to be the one to publish the very first tweet on your account as President of the Federal of Nigeria.

And as my colleague, Oluwatobi Soyombo watched, I threw my head back on the chair, and I began to weep.

I couldn’t help myself. This moment was too big, was too strong; was too much.



They were tears of joy. But they were also tears of relief, personal and collective. Personal relief from the fear of the consequences of my decision – after having readied myself for four years of repercussion for supporting so publicly a man who was hardly likely to win; collective relief that we would not be facing four more years of the triumphal leadership of the corrupt and the reprobate; relief that we had just dodged a bullet.

Barely six months before I had never met you, never stayed in the same space you, didn’t even believe in you. The one thing I knew was that, for this young man, it was anybody but Goodluck Jonathan. But then you filled me with such hope, because you appeared to finally carry on your shoulders the burdens of an exhausted, furious generation.

I was as furious as anyone. Actually, I was more furious than most. Furious enough to burn bridges, risk backlash, annoy friends and family; to cross the divide to vote and work passionately for a man I had voted for reluctantly, even bitterly, only four years before.

It was like a miracle. I never believed this was going to happen. I never believed an opposition leader could win an election in our country; I never believed that citizens could make this change happen in my lifetime.

It was so hard to believe that I continued to argue with my team, right up to time that the incumbent president conceded. Our data already projected your win, but I refused to be seduced, memories of Karl Rove making a fool of himself on Fox News over a quixotic Mitt Romney win in 2012 haunting me. “Push all the votes from the South-East and the South-South to Jonathan’s column,” I said to my colleague Joachim MacEbong. “Assume Buhari gets zero votes there. What we have now is too deceptive. An opposition candidate can’t win with such a margin.”

I couldn’t believe it, until it happened. Some days, even now, I wake up and I almost still can’t believe it.

From 2010, when I became active in civic spaces, this had been the dream: to have a citizen-led movement that could put the fear of God into the political establishment.

I had spent days on the streets, in protest, at risk to life and business. I had sat in countless meetings and strategy sessions. I had spent millions of my own money invested in this vision. I had spent time in private and group prayer, shouting in pain, sobbing in frustration, crying out for all of this to not be for nothing, for some intervention, for some sign from God that our country would be better, even in our lifetimes. I didn’t believe it could be this dramatic, I didn’t believe it could come to pass.

But it did. And when it did, it was enough to overturn my theology of God’s agenda for politics. Because it certainly felt like an answer to our prayers. It certainly felt like divine intervention. It absolutely felt like the heavens had heard Nigeria’s heart cry. It had to be. This was a miracle. You were a miracle. You were a change, desperately sought. A change, desperately won.

But it wasn’t really about you, Mr. President. This was never about you.

You were a symbol of our aspiration, you were an expression of a democratic ideal: that the citizen is the most powerful force in any democracy. You were a symbol that we mattered, that our voices mattered. That if we organised, we could defeat powerful forces. That if we came together, nothing was truly beyond our grasp, no possibility beyond the reach of a determined population. That we, truly, are the ones that we have been waiting for.

For me, after 10 years of nation building aspirations and five years of activist engagement, you presented the unique opportunity for to all come together. For the networks, and the platforms and the reputation and the skills and the creativity that I had to come to a head, to join the effort to make change happen. And there were many Nigerians who took that risk also, because we saw a ray of sunlight.
We thought this was worth the risk. This had to be worth the risk.

The many people who worked incredibly hard to get you into office, but then stayed aside and asked for no benefit in return thought it was worth that risk. It was the reason I said no to an offer to join this administration in its first two years, same as many that I know. We couldn’t dare corrupt this one sacrifice – this gift – with the appearance of self-interest.

But it’s not just about those who can afford to keep their distance. It’s more about the many whom your inchoate policies hurt the most – the people you told us you were running for.

Remember that woman who wrapped up her entire savings and donated to your campaign? Do you remember her, sir?

What would you say to her, if you saw her today?
I write this today because I don’t know what happens next.

I don’t know if you are well, or how well you are. You haven’t treated us, your citizens, your voters, with the respect of telling us what ails you, how it ails you and how it affects your ability to do your job. Instead you treat us with the scorn and contempt that Aso Rock seems to breed – the contempt of silence.

Look at the nation you left behind, as you duck for cover in the United Kingdom: Healthcare so shabby even you can’t rely on it for your own well being. Schools still exactly in the state at which you met them 24 months ago. An economy in shambles. An anti-corruption fight running around in circles. A nation fragmented, with the one time since the 1960s where Biafra has become a dominant narrative – courtesy of tone-deaf ethnic-coloured politics. Businesses attacked by a combination of violent tax authorities and ham-fisted fiscal policies, which seem to punish citizens for the failings of past governments and inadequacies of this one. Indeed, the anecdotal stories of businesses folded up, investments dried up jobs lost and dreams shattered have become the defining testimony of your leadership.

You have taken the hopes and the dreams and the faith that we invested in you, and you have shattered them into many tiny pieces.

Is this fair? Is this right? Is this why you ran? Is this what those four attempts were about? Is this the plan you had? Is this the vision you shared? Is this what this was all about – just being president?

It is easy for us to hide under the shadow of your acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, who makes it easy to prove citizens right, that we made the proper choice to vote for change and to upset the old system in 2015. It is convenient to turn to him as justification for our wisdom.

But the truth is that, for me, it isn’t. You are the man with the mandate. You are the man with the ultimate responsibility.

To be honest, there is no regret in voting for you. Even if everything failed, even if your acting president had been a failure, there would be no regret in voting for you.

We had a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. As it turns out, we chose the deep blue sea.
If that time came again, I would make no other choice, even with everything I know now. With everything I have, and everything I believe and everything I hold dear, I am passionate about the fact that, despite the disappointment you have presented to us, voting what you represented for president was a crucial step in re-making Nigeria, in the long term.

I just wish you had made it easier, with your performance, with visionary leadership, with actions and decisions, to justify that choice. I wish we could point to the short term as well as the long term as the vindication of that choice. I wish you had risen up to the occasion, Mr. President.

Yes, you care for Nigeria. I know that. Or at least I think I do. But that doesn’t matter. It’s neither here nor there. Love is not just something you say, love is something you do. And there is no evidence, today, of your love.
We didn’t vote for you to try your best; we didn’t vote for you to complain to no end, no. We voted for you to make change happen.

And no matter what your remaining rabid supporters, either blinded still by anger at Dr. Jonathan, blinded by the comfort of denial or blinded by proximity to power, say, this is the truth: we are disappointed in you. This is not the change we voted for.

Of course, there is still a year to make it happen before the politicking fully kicks in, but not today.
Instead, disappointment, shame, sadness – that has become your legacy.

And it breaks my heart sir.

It breaks so many hearts, home and abroad. Those who believed passionately in you. Those who didn’t believe but decided to give you a chance. Those who couldn’t bring themselves to vote for you but still celebrated the possibility of change. Those who rolled the dice and hoped for the best.

Your performance, your failings, the ineptitude, it has severely broken their hearts. It has severely broken my heart.

I sincerely hope, in your quiet moments of truth, that it breaks your heart too.
—
*Jideonwo is co-founder and managing partner of RED (www.redafrica.xyz), which brands including Y!/YNaija.com and governance consulting firm, StateCraft Inc (www.statecraftinc.com). Office of the Citizen (OOTC) is his latest essay series.


https://ynaija.com/chude-jideonwo-dear-president-buhari-you-have-broken-our-hearts/

Just one door for that price?

obonujoker:
Lol... you eh... Mr Yoruba Muslim.... Last govt, u were blaming Jonathan for everything, you didn't think of LG chairman or state government.... odape nkan shey e abi.... Buhari is to blame.. He is the number 1.... sho ti gbo, kosi nkan ti o le sheysi....

Don't mind the hypocrite

Viking007:
Insecurity. Most men suffer from insecurity, but they hardly admit it. I learnt my lesson the hard way.

So true. I learnt it the hard way too and I am better for it

CzarChris:
Boss, that formula works like magic. My fiancée even once asked me "Chris, why don't you get jealous and ask me where I am or show a little sign of anything. It's like you don't care about me". I was like "Babe if I monitor you from now till tomorrow, if you want to cheat, you go cheat, so why bother ". Just let them do their thing and you'll have peace of mind.

Gbam

Oga, u are feeling just too insecure. I used to be like you though am not married yet. I and my gf used to quarrel and fight almost every three months. I suspected her seriously and yes, she gave me every reason to do so. I almost turned into a nag.
I decided to switch it all up. I stopped caring like I usually will do. I don't call at all unless it is necessary. Last quarrel I had with her was May last year. My life became happier. She changed. Before u will correct her and she Will say sorry and still do those things again. She stopped it when she saw that I no longer cared that much. Yesterday she was the one telling me how her colleague bf was paying attention to her and asking me on how to get rid of him.
Brother stop monitoring your wife as if u are buhari's DSS. Stop nagging her. Try and look away and do just what is required of you to do in the home and find other things to keep you happy. Watch football. She will start devising means to get your attention back. When you pay too much attention to ladies and start nagging, deep down they start detesting you

Baroba:
Na Ola Rotimi protege, what do you expect..

Wow, I never knew

Watched it live

Francis Duru has an awesome delivery of his lines

When James ibori came back from London and his people celebrated him, people from the south west was bleating like goats all over the social media about how the urhobo was celebrating the corrupt. But here we can see even traditional rulers celebrating with a man who hid in his toilet for days to avoid extradition to the USA by NDLEA

If they haven't shared pre-paid meters yet, anything else they are doing is nonsense

Faaalse

wine4dguy:
Fox News has also reported of president buharis death.. .now who are we to believe

Are u sure Oga?

Sarkii abi na sarkki

What do u have to say about the enemies of the statte

Where is sarrki abi na sarkii Naa?

Come and see enemies of the state rejoicing

Lmao

Jacinta44:
So, you can just click the green icon on the screen and the phone will snap. Just noticed that you can tap anywhere in the screen once the green thing shows. Don't have to click that white button.

Also, when camera turned on, I accidentlly, use my hand to swipe the phone and lo, the cam changed from front to back.
Cool though. I'm jealous.

On my Gionee M5 mini, I can do this too


Can u minimize a video you are watching and continue watching it while doing other things on your phone like chatting?

CzarChris:
You don start, I go just change my mind na na, you know as my own dey bi.

Lol

Marry ooo. No break anybody heart

CzarChris:
At that point in my life right now, I have this amazingly brilliant sweet angel I'm planning on proposing to next month(vivalavida if you leak this secret I will personally shoot you bro. ) We have practically everything in common, it's just that I am not the religious type and she is a devote Catholic (the strong one). That spiritual compatibility part gives me the chills man.

Hahahahahahaha

This is good news mehn

xynerise:
Op is suffering from Double standard syndrome

Na ur way Naa.

Yabiing chairman of Nairaland

TWOYANSH:
if dem talk no... Una go still complain say dem too dey form

Make dem form small abeg

What is really happening? The ease with which girls give out their numbers online is baffling. Are all these ladies single really? Or they just want something more? Aren't these girls people's gf,fiancee and wives? Haba. U hardly ask one for her number and she says no

CaraJewel:
All is well

Sent u a pm

☺

CzarChris:
No mind the nikka.

Lol
Boss

CaraJewel:
Eziokwu

Lol

Nnem it is well

CaraJewel:
Chai and i live in owerri.my life is so boring.na only shoprite i know.Tears

Nwaoma di ka gi?

Lloydfather:
Some of this pictures are from south Africa, no Ibo place is as developed as some of the pictures shown

Hate filled human being

This is purely Owerri

Propaganda have blinded us in this country. Civil rights organisations have been muzzled and we now look hopeless. It seems we are charmed as a people. Nobody wants to say the obvious truth. Things that would have caused breakdown of law and order are being taken as the norm here. What do they mean by rule at home? I think this is a joke taken too far. We have to rise up and force the Senate to impeach buhari if he refuses to step down. We all understand he is human and probably terminally sick. That is the more reason he has to resign or be impeached so that he can go and take care of his health.

#BuhariShouldResign

MhizTenderly:
See fine boy wey wan kill himself.

U no dey use eye see fine boys