The images of Muhammadu Buhari visiting Bola Ahmed Tinubu have gone somewhat viral with commentaries raging from Buhari visiting his successor, to one sick patient visiting another in solidarity. Before this visit, many Tinubu supporters claimed Tinubu is not ill. Others debunked the idea that he even traveled abroad until his stooge number three, Lagos State governor Sanwo-Olu visited him. Nigeria is a funny country and Nigerians often do not see the irony in many happenstances like this one. Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has overseen Lagos State for about 3 decades could not build and equip a world-class medical facility in Lagos State. After all the funds that have gone through his various accounts. Yet this same Tinubu wants Nigerians to entrust Nigeria into his hands. In saner climes, Tinubu and Buhari would not have the temerity to showcase the inadequacy of the Nigerian medical sector or infrastructure. Notwithstanding both stood up and poised for the camera. I am done weeping for Nigeria because we must start looking beyond these old and dying men. Nigeria has a record number of youthful populations in the world, and we must start planning for ourselves.

We must start by clarifying our past and present situation. Nigeria was once a nation whose currency was higher than the US dollar. Nigeria was once a nation that had more prospects than the Asian tiger nation who now leads the world in many indexes. The assault a Nigerian diplomat received in Indonesia is an inkling into how downward our prospects have become to the point our fundamental human is no longer fundamental in virtually all nations of the world. From Ghana to South Africa in our continent, the narrative is the same. Nigerians are not welcome. Our businessmen and women continue to suffer untold humiliation and manipulation in the hands of foreign nations and nationals who see Nigeria and Nigerians as worthless. And you would not blame them. This is because we have worthless leaders like Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu who among other things cannot put their country and countrymen first. For Buhari, Nigeria can go in flames as long as his Fulani kinsmen are okay. The genocide going on in the middle belt of Nigeria that is perpetrated by his kinsmen can continue as long as he and his wedded daughters and son are in a good place secured from the violence and poverty in Nigeria. The same holds for Bola Tinubu and most Nigerian politicians.

So, Buhari and Tinubu are in the United Kingdom to update their health while daily the masses lack one-hundredth of the type of medical care they enjoy. And they are callously careless. They only care about holding and withholding power. Buhari has normalized not handing over power to Yemi Osinbajo as the constitution stipulates. Tinubu has normalized being the de facto government in Lagos State. But these are the same individuals some people still call their leader because of the poverty in their soul. Buhari and Tinubu have a mindset that cannot think beyond self. They want to continually enrich themselves while hoarding the commonwealth of the people and trampling on the fundamental human rights that include rights to safety, peace, and prosperity. These rights cannot be gotten from the leadership of our present crop of rulers. They lack the empathy or sympathy to leads us into an era where we can dream, work towards our dreams, and achieve them. For now, we must keep hope alive. Whoever you are Buhari and Tinubu cannot live forever and the bad leadership that Nigeria and Africa have endured will not continue indefinitely. As we hope for better days, let us better ourselves in the ways we still can. Let us do all to train ourselves through orthodox means, Youtube or vocationally. Let us eat as healthy as we can adding exercise to our daily routine while also abstaining from hard drugs. Because a day cometh when Africa and Africans will get it right, rise again and be respected in the comity of nations.

Ata Ukuta, www.towncryyers.com