A poet once wrote and asked: 

How does it feel to know
That your vote dictated
The dictates of a dictator?

I often wonder how Nigerians like Tolu Ogunlesi, Adebola Williams, veteran journalist Tony Momoh, the late Professor Tam David-West, and a host of other Nigerians feel, whenever they think about the product of their time and talents – Mohammadu Buhari. I sometimes put myself in their shoes to simulate how I would react to the continued incompetence of the man they passionately contributed to his emergence as President of Nigeria. Whenever I try this onerous task, I get the same result. And it is to do what Katsina State youths did about a week ago. To protest and denounce the monumental incompetence of the president. The youths led by Nastura Sharif came out to protest the complete breakdown of the security apparatus in the state that has made bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, and Fulani herdsmen to engender a reign of terror. Their protest was preceded by the verdict of no confidence on President Buhari by Northern Elders, who could no longer sustain their historic silence whenever a Muslim northerner is in power. These elders did what the pastorate of the Redeemed Christian Church of God has been unable to do because of their men-pleasing policy. The elders could not keep quiet again because their own survival is threatened and not because they have the capacity to criticize their own.

Their farmlands and harvests have been decimated. Their relatives cannot go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped, raped, and killed. And the elites can no longer visit their hometowns and villages unless with a costly small army. This is the present-day northern Nigeria that has made the elders speak. The grand patron of Miyetti Allah – the Sultan of Sokoto who is normally quiet in matters like these, unless a Christian is the president, has also spoken of the security situation. If by now you still support Buhari or have not voiced your criticism verbally or otherwise of what is happening in Nigeria, please do a mental checkup. There is something really right with you. This is the place the pastorate of the Redeemed Christian Church of God finds themselves. Maybe they are still hoping Buhari will miraculously disappear and their manly calculations will come to pass, and worshippers will continue worshipping their prophetic thoughtfulness. Spoiler alert!!! Buhari is healthier than Osinbajo, mentally, physically, spiritually, and otherwise.

The Presidency recently reminded Nigerians who Buhari is, when they told the Katsina protesters how lucky they are that Buhari is retired and we are in a democracy. The truth is that Buhari has always been incompetent. Tunde Idiagbon, his former cover, is no longer covering for him. From his seeming weakness of continually tolerating the incompetence of the service chiefs to the raking in of debts that is putting unborn Nigerian children into indebtedness, Muhammadu Buhari is Nigeria’s most incompetent leader yet. My earnest prayer is that Buhari will be our last incompetent leader if we miraculously remain one nation. My prayer is premised on our present choices of potential next president. Most South-Western Nigerians would choose Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT), many Northerners will still consider Atiku Abubakar, and a sizable South Easterners will choose Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leaders. These choices are in the backdrop of Nigeria having one of the most educated and experienced professionals globally with the likes of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Akinwunmi Adesina. It has been said a people get the kind of leadership they deserve and so we continue to sabotage ourselves by promoting evil, unreasonable and incompetent men whose past and present clearly show their unpreparedness to fix this very sick Nigeria.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com