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Buhari, APC Change Promise Has Failed, Nigeria Is Sinking, Mr President Must Act Now – Ekekere
September 16, 2016 – Buhari, APC Change Promise Has Failed, Nigeria Is Sinking, Mr President Must Act Now – Samuel Ufot Ekekere
DOES #BUHARICHANGE BEGIN WITH ME OR YOU?
For some time now, I’ve beem out of the blogosphere. I’ve covered my head in shame for the last one year. Some persons assumed I was a one time show, a writer who was seizing the moment. I wasn’t. I was just watching, and I couldn’t write. I couldn’t make out what was becoming a disaster, a nation for which I had huge hopes of change arriving.
I hear people cry every day. Life is increasingly becoming unbearable. My customers complain of failing businesses, I visit the market and I can no longer afford the same meals that my little salary could afford just a year back. So PDP was good? I hear people ask. Maybe, maybe I reply. Who did you vote for? They’d ask. No one in particular, I reply. Off course, I knew it wouldn’t count and it never did.
As I read through news blogs daily, and I’m inundated with events in this nation, I knew this was not the change we bargained for. This was not the freedom we thought we should have. This was not the one dollar to one naira that they promised us. This was not the blossoming economy that we shouted change for. This was not the freedom of expression we had assumed we would get. This was not the united Nigeria that we thought change was going to foster. This was not the N50 per liter of fuel that they promised us.
Don’t mind me, but when I heard that gas pipeline explode just behind my backyard, I knew it had never happened before now. Change had truly arrived and I was feeling increasingly less secure than I had always felt. This change is one that makes the president afraid of visiting his countrymen in various parts of the country and the police and army can’t guarantee his safety.
No one is saying the truth. Everyone seems confuse about the direction our great nation is heading towards. We hear today that Nigeria is technically in a recession, tomorrow we are not in a recession, next tomorrow, the nation’s economy is improving. We are left confused.
Those “ogas at the top” claim to understand what we are going through but do they? When they don’t know how much a plate of meal cost, how would they know what we are going through? Ok they watch on TV and see the huge lines that form in the IDPs scattered around Borno and they claim they know. They know nothing. They don’t know that three cups of Garri now cost N100 when 6 cups used to go for the same prize a year ago.
Now they tell us that the promised change wasn’t for the economy. They fool us with false inflation rates, they claim 14%. In actual sense the inflation is galloping. It is at about 200% and it is itching badly. We are dying slowly and no one is helping out. No one is telling the truth to us, Nigerians are being fooled again and this time around, we are being quiet about it. Those voices that shouted change are now mum, their lips have being taped.
Have the girls returned? We are waiting for the girls, and they are coming. I hear the girls even refused to return. They love it better with the militants who I hear care so much about them than the uncertainties of being free, of joining their parents at the IDP camps who can hardly afford a day’s meal. The girls are wise. Those who propelled the Bring Back Our Girls campaigns and jumped on the streets at the slightest opportunity just over a year ago must be looking amazed at their inability today to step on the streets. They are now a nuisance to public peace. Haba!!
UP NEPA!!! We are still familiar with these shouts but they told us we’d have 24hours power in no time. Sadly, we don’t produce half as much as we did just over a year back. And those small “I better pass my neighbor” generators that we used to manage at ten thousand naira now go for about twenty five thousand naira and the cost of petrol has doubled. Those power distribution companies even increased the cost of their power while they don’t even provide it. Is this change?
I hope I’m not arrested once those ogas read this. I can no longer stay quiet. Some of my cronies I hear are in police custody or have being in and out. It seems every one doesn’t want to say something yet the campaigns are on TV “if you see something, say something”. I am seeing something and I am saying something.
When did naming a dog become a life threatening event? Please note, I just named my goat Buhari. I want my goat to be famous just as that dog. I want it to be on social media, to be watched on TV and to be announced on radio. I want the goat to also be a democratic martyr, the first martyr goat just like that dog. If you are looking for my goat to kill, just Google “Buhari the goat”.
I am proud to be Nigerian but I doubt that I’d accept to be a “murmurous” Nigerian. I came through university with a first class; I created so many records to attain this feat. You see why it is difficult to understand and accept what’s going on in this great nation. I read ten books everyday especially on leadership. I know that when the ship is shaking, you can check on the leader. Nigeria is shaking, Mr. President must answer.
There’s hardly no day I enter church without my pastor asking us to “pray for those at the helm of affairs, pray for our president”. I am praying but how long will the prayer continue before answers arrive. They ask me to fast and I fast, yet I see no changes. The politicians tell us now “change begins with you”. How?
What should I change after all the prayers and fasting.
The change campaigns have started. The problem is they expect us the majority Nigerians who can’t afford a single meal to change. They want the change to begin from us who are praying, starving and paying taxes to them when they know that when the river source is clean, it’s only a matter of time before the lower part of the river is clean. They have to clean the top first, common Nigerians like you and I can only follow.
Is it possible that Mr. President will do without his motor arcade and his retinue of aides every time he travels? Is it possible that the president’s children who are studying abroad return to Nigeria to complete their studies? Is it possible that Mr. President gives out his salary to the almajiris who flock all around our communities? One cannot think about changing a system when he cannot change himself.
Except our leaders can undertake a hunger strike for our nation, except they will come down to the common man and become like them, and bear as we are doing the challenges of a dead economy, except those men in agbada will give up their costly attires and come down simple to work Nigeria dirty, we are certainly in another propaganda program.
I’ve changed already, what change do they expect from me? I no longer eat fish and meat; I manage crayfish for my soup. I ate two cups of garri, now I eat one. I transported on keke at every turn, now I work the distance. I bought two shirts and one trouser per month, for the last one year, I’ve had to visit the tailor to mend my worn and oversized clothes because I can’t afford new ones. I scarcely eat rice, and if I do, adding palm oil to it is all I do to make it jollof. I’ve lost weight.
They promised to change us but now they claim we should be the ones changing ourselves.
Nigerians, we’ve being shortchanged. It’s time to plan to change them.
We don’t just have to change ourselves, we’ve got to get out on the streets, and we’ve got to revolt.
I can’t be patient anymore else I’d be dead soon. It’s time to shout out, enough is enough, Mr. President, Change your change package, we are dying.
About the author: SAMUEL UFOT EKEKERE
Twitter @ naijasoars, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naijasoars , Tel: +2349055530115
Keeping it real
September 16, 2016 at 1:20 AM
What an amazing writeup & a sexy good looking goat (BUHARI )
Thank you very much MR EKEKERE!
Dede
September 16, 2016 at 3:19 AM
Just wondering what may have become of my vocal good friend, the man I regarded as the lone voice in the wilderness during the GEJ’s dispensation. His sweet voice is no where to heard anymore. Could it be that all the missiles he sent against the GEJ -led administration have BOOMERANGED or the chickens may have been compelled to roost by the turbulence in the economic, political, ethnic and spiritual spheres of our “DEAR” country _ N I G E R I A.
Peregrino Brimah, are you a one-season wonder?
Now, I am not convinced if I should commend Sam U.E because I’m destitute of what his motives are for putting up such a beautiful article. Nice write-up, nevertheless.
Musa Sule
September 16, 2016 at 5:03 AM
Beautiful article. The writer reminds of Brimah. Where is him. Omokehinde is still busy shouting at Johnathan twisting facts and figures as if we are all dead brains and no sense of reasoning
Endure
September 16, 2016 at 5:35 AM
They keep lecturing us on how more and more money have been looted and stolen from our national treasury with all sort of news report to fool and way down our spirit so we won’t see their errors,incompetency,lack of true vision for the nation,poor economic reform,inexperience economic team and analyst and their lack of ability to proffer sustainable growth to the poor economy they took path in worsening.
A total overhaul of those comedian and bunch of fake and inexperience economic team and analyst appointed
By Buhari is highly needed at this time. It does not take any time to see their flaws and their lack of good method in there approach to revamp our economy. They’ve greatly caused our economy downward spiral and the untold anguish and suffering that plague the masses today. All their scrap,nonfunctional economic reform was carried out in a bid to revive the economy left behind by their predecessor. They claim to have increased petroleum pump price because Nigeria was broke. Yet we are still broke today after about N57 per liter has been added to petroleum product.
There lack of quality delivery in handling our economy shows crystal clear they need real help. The president Muhammadu Buhari should know that this is the time to raise up new economic team irrespective of party affiliation to proffer sustainable solution to the current economic crisis that is biting more harder on various business tycoons and on the masses in the country. So that we can begin to see the gradual alleviation of suffering among the nigerians.
Bok
September 16, 2016 at 9:22 AM
but what is happening in Nigeria now is change, people sometimes do not understand the word change, change is a very versatile word, change from bad to good and change from good to bad. Buhari promised change and indeed there is change.
Metu Nyetu
September 16, 2016 at 9:43 AM
IN A COUNTRY LIKE NIGERIA WHERE THE WHOLE SYSTEM HAD decayed, the political class looting the nation, and the less-privileged citizenry desperately clinging on survival instincts, I doubt there is a better slogan to kick-start a departure from this infernal status quo than Change Begins With Me. If I take it upon myself to change and every other Nigerian—both the commoner and the elite—does the very same, the country becomes better.
AND SO I SEE no season why people should be trying to carve out another meaning from this slogan. Buhari, no doubt, has disappointed Nigerians. But that is not a reason to perpetually pitch ourselves against him even when he moves in the right direction. To continue to censure him—whether he is wrong or not— makes me either an insincere politician or an I-concur Nigerian who nods his head at whatever thing that people around him says because he cannot reason for himself. If Nigeria become better today, everybody would enjoy it. But while the masses would be thanking God, the PDP would particularly feel that APC has finally proven that they are better. This is what PDP does not want; this is why they come against whatever moves that Buhari makes. That may be smart and schrewd of them. But a neutral man like me would be a BIG fool to join them in this. Nigerians should be wise.
Mon
September 16, 2016 at 9:45 AM
Nigerians are impatient set of human beings……what will all the bashing and name calling fix in this current problem….Is it Nigeria the first country to go into recession?
What are we really expecting here when there is no money in the coffer to pump back into economy,all the previous administrations,from Banbangida to Abacha, then from Obasanjo to Jonathan dried up everything, they made our economy rely only on oil revenue, all infrastructure was left in ruin.
What change are we expecting without passing through this phase,yes..nobody is expected to be laughing,but why can’t we be patient and give this man a chance,at least his tenure. The same group of people who looted this country dry are the ones stirring all the problems,to demonize Buhari and put this country in chaos for their easy escape, Buhari is a human and may not be perfect, constructive criticism will not be bad.
The article is good because that’s what we want to hear, but we never ask ourselves how much a barrel of oil 2yrs ago in International market and how much is it now…nobody care to ask how much was left for Buhari to start with?.
My people,good change does not come so easily,sacrifice must follow as we are seeing them now….if you know what can help Nigeria grow,do it.
Jilo
September 16, 2016 at 5:09 PM
@ Mon you are a wise man. May God continue to increase you in knowledge. Few things that I need to add to your excellent comment is some Nigeria are short sighted. They believe in government that will continue to deceive them and mortgage their future. Even if the price of commodities during the last administration were little cheaper than now does that mean the past administration meant well for the masses? Making food affordable and ruining your future.
Buhari adopted this method to quickly get us out of this mess but it requires time. Let’s give him some time. This man is not stupid. At least he read paper and know how people are complaining of the current inflation. There is no leader who will not want to be praised for steering the nation’s towards the right direction.
To be candid with you folks, if this inflation doesn’t happen now is going to pop up in the future. Buhari is doing his best to put us back to the right track and I strongly believe at the of his tenure, you will want him for another four years. It takes time for all these input to materialize.
fifelomo
September 16, 2016 at 9:52 AM
Lovely article. @Endure I feel ur feel ur msg.
Dalo
September 16, 2016 at 11:56 AM
its only God kingdom that can solve this issue
Jay
September 16, 2016 at 2:32 PM
this man has only been in power for a year or so..give him some time to clean up the mess the others left na..haba.
D Hunter
September 16, 2016 at 2:36 PM
Thank you Mr. Samuel Efuot Ekereke for your vintage write up. A product of a brilliant head with a superior brain. How I wish this will change something.
Its evident that the country is besieged by some bunch of shortsighted empty brainy Elements who have no plan for governance.
I personally doubt whether buhari and his clueless cabinet understood the word “Change“.
The kind of change we anticipated for was a progressive one NOT a retrogressive one.
More annoying is the facts that some brainwashed individuals want to sermonize it to us that all is going to be well when perhaps we must have been all dead or so.
Those who can move and shake things in this country (our representatives) seem to be perpetually blind to reasons.
THE FUTURE would have no pity for those men who possessing the exceptional privilege of being able to SPEAK words of truth of their oppressors, have taken refuge in an attitude of passivity of MUTE INDIFFERENCE and sometimes of cold complicity, complacency, nonchalancy and unperturbed in the face of TYRANNY.
May God have mercy on Nigeria so that…
THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER.
Still strolling…
Abdullahi sulaiman bomo
September 16, 2016 at 4:56 PM
buhari for 2019 countinued sai baba,no more boko harram in nigeria we preffercossing of goods than bomb blast in our country nigeria, you people of nigeria you have to meditate innorance of some people how many of you have been killed you brothers and parent
Omokehinde
September 16, 2016 at 7:41 PM
For those that are new to naijagists, Samuel Ekereke is a core supporter of criminal president Jonathan and his team of faluire who looted Nigeria treasury to bankruptcy and casted away with billions of naira of the people’s money for their own comfort. One will think that the writer will cover his face in shame about looting, embezzlement, mismanagement, money laundering operations and corruption that are been disclosed to Nigerian people about six disastrous years of dumb zoologist in power.But INSTEAD, they are still bitter that Nigerian people voted their man out of power about 15 months ago. Jonathan was president for six years when oil price was $150 per barrel, but of what benefits is the oil surplus to the Southeast, Southsouth people, and Nigerian people ? None. Why? Jonathan administration is a regime of faluire, economy ruin, corruption, and immorality of the highest order. Those of you dancing and jubilanting about the suffering and hardship currently facing our people should know that Jonathan is the creator of this mess and he owns it. Even if PMB is voted out of office in 2019, I don’t think that the next president will come from your region. Why not name your dog, rabbit, goat Jonathan, Samuel, Ekereke, or your father’s name if your intention is godly, lovely, and peaceful? You guys should be ashamed of yourself for misleading unsuspecting Nigerians that President Buhari should be blame for our current economy recession and hardship. Niger Delta Avengers terrorist that your criminal president sponsored to destroy pipelines, thereby causing huge drop in oil production and revenue should be blame for our current economy situation. What about billions of naira stolen by many politicians like Mama Thief-fmr barbaric first lady, Fayose, Raymond Dopesi, Dansuki, Metu, Jonathan and countless of other criminals? What about $20 billions dollars missing from the NNPC account before the election? What about the military funds of $ 3 billions to purchase ammo and equipment to fight Boko Haram terrorists? If your dumb, wicked, unpatriotic, and criminal Jonathan was kind enough to save those billions of dollars in oil surplus for a time like this, Nigeria will not be in this crisis because PMB will be able to tap into such funds to stabilize our collapsing economy. Nigeria will only get better if many learned citizens can reason, think, act, and judge above their personal hatred, tribalism, and other demonic barriers that clouded their minds and judgements. Nobody in Nigeria today would have done a better job than president Buhari who inherited a shattered economy, insecurity, poor infrastructures, empty national treasure, and corrupt system of government from the dumbest and most unqualified president in Nigerian history. Edie Buhari nla gun sugbon iye ni ko je ki a mo. I rest my case.
sola olaniyi
September 17, 2016 at 1:01 PM
what a lovely write-up..kudos Ekekere