No doubt Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is a force to reckon with in today’s Nigeria. He is a man you cannot easily ignore. This was demonstrated in the past one week or so following the release of his open letter to President Buhari. As usual, some praised him, some condemned him.
Unfortunately, as is often the case in Nigeria, majority of those who condemned the move focused their criticism on the letter writer instead of on the issues raised in the letter. This is sad, especially noting that many of our popular leaders fall into this category. While it is okay to make a comment or two on the messenger for those who must, focus must not shift from the subject. The truthfulness of a true statement does not reduce simply because the person making the statement is a devil. Addressing the issues raised dispassionately is what may be of help to us as a nation.
First, I believe we should be thankful to God that such a thoroughly experienced, strong and courageous leader willing to contribute positively to the growth of our country is still around and doing so without hesitation no matter what his errors in the past may have been. For such an individual to not only make observations on the state of the nation in good time but also make suggestions on the way to go must be seen as praiseworthy even though his judgements may not be perfect.
Second, I believe the fair scores Chief Olusegun Obasanjo awarded President Buhari in the fight against Boko Haram and Anticorruption war, and the low marks in areas like herdsmen/crop farmers crises, nepotism and economy are generally appropriate. That of the economy may be debatable especially after government’s reaction to the open letter but one thing is clear: majority of Nigerians are deeply disappointed in the overall performance of the Buhari government.
Before the elections that ushered in the current regime it was obvious that Chief Obasanjo was disappointed with the Jonathan regime and said so in no uncertain terms. It is obvious that he threw his weight behind General Buhari on the belief that Buhari was the right man to fix Nigeria. Having now observed otherwise, he was not afraid or ashamed to say it aloud stating his reasons. This is commendable. Not all past leaders of Nigeria would be courageous enough to do likewise.
Chief Obasanjo’s suggestion of a National Coalition may or may not be the best option at this point. I do know that individuals remain individuals, and institutions remain institutions. The emphasis should therefore be more on people re-orientation and institution strengthening by all Nigerians.
