Prince Charles Dickson PhD
Often people ask me why I write on certain topics and issues all the time, like bashing the government and seeing very little good in people in government and government actions, and I take on education, health and power, conflict, politics of ethnicity and more.
My answer is that I do because I believe that such subjects are important for Nigeria and Nigerians as they are for other nations, but when it appears to me Nigerians and our leaders particularly do not react to these topics the way they should, I repeat them in new essays to remind old readers and recruit new ones to participate in the continuing dialogue.
As we say in local parlance, May 29 don nearly reach, except events of seismic proportion happen, and I know it won’t happen at the court, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be President. He comes on board with so much expectation and with so many problems; such is the fundamental nature of the problems that they have become part of us. However, on many occasions, we have been provided with the opportunity to get it right, but many times we let go of such moments.
The just concluded presidential polls presented such a moment again while I have refused to discuss the elections, not as an act of cowardice, but truly, who am I, to discuss an election many think was fairly accurate despite all the controversies and many others see as having further divided the nation, or one that has realigned the nation.
There was this young, poor and wretched hunter. His family was nothing to write home about. He was very poor and miserable.
One day, the king of his village died, and when they consulted the oracle, this young man was picked to be the next king despite the fact that his lineage has nothing to do with the kingship.
On the day of the coronation, he wept bitterly as he could not imagine the crown being put on his poor head.
After the coronation, he asked that an extra room should be built in the palace compound, and the things to be kept in that room are just his catapult, hunting boots, hunting dresses and all his hunting instruments.
Anytime he is tempted to be proud, arrogant, think too highly of himself or talk rudely to his subjects, he will go into that room, and once he sees all his hunting instruments and dresses, they remind him of his humble beginning and make him humble the more.
He said that the room was the most beautiful room in the whole palace.
Though what was in that room was not beautiful, they helped him remain humble before GOD and men. In addition, it also gave him a beautiful and peaceful reign and perspective.
Already there is a call for time and patience; how much of it we have, only time will tell; our experience is that the government has to start all over again, and the same old music is remixed, and a few months after, we notice the same old thread in action.
And fearfully, the same issues that the last administration sought to solve or made comic off, are the same ones we will face again.
Bola Tinubu has to, not just by his will but by his powers, thread a new path–or else we may still tow the known path. It is the only road we know for now…road contracts that will be abandoned and the commissioning of hospitals without facilities. Schools that would be neglected, strikes within various sectors of the economy amongst many short and long falls, will characterize the administration with a couple of its own fair share of ‘elephant and hippo’ projects.
As Tinubu is sworn in and he prepares his cabinet, I am not one of those that will really bother about whether he has a kitchen cabinet or even has a kitchen in the first place. The fact is that one, the kitchen belongs to his wife, whether as the wife of the president or first lady…so I would concern myself to his ministers and, yes, men, and of course, women.
The incoming president must stand his ground; we already are starting on a combination of contradictions, whether it is the people’s mandate, with all the ranting and noise, or the INEC mandate, only posterity will judge.
The fact is that Mr Bola will be in the first line of offensive; he will be between making sure it’s not business as usual and settling politicians with aggrieved pockets on the one hand. Mr Bola will have to resist the temptation to be Minister for Petroleum or give Mr Shetima his veepee the power to be this or that; he should be wary of the politics of senior special assistant or some commission or body doing something and nothing about one industry or sector.
Whoever he picks, or someone suggests and demands, or the party hierarchy nominates, for whatever position, the administration is already faced with a conglomerate of jobless politicians, jobbers and ex-this and that, who require settlement of one form or the other. Can Bola damn them?
There will be a need to create a balance between intellect, hard work and patriotism in the zoning thing that has led us nowhere. How Mr Bola is able to come out with any fascinating cabinet that will thrill Nigerians is a big question. For example, the questions to be answered will be what will the Ministry of water resources do differently, as many Nigerians would want to see water run from a tap courtesy of their effort.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going to be faced with giving or sharing the bounty for very mundane reasons. Ministers who failed as governors, legislators who contributed nothing and persons who lost elections and others whose father and mother were former this and former that will be everywhere.
Mr Bola must stop sharing the cake; he needs to shock Nigerians with his appointments. This is my admonishment, Mr Bola…does not have an enviable job, but with passion, he can make it a worthwhile one and start to leave a legacy. Get off all the talk because it is cheap and could come back to hunt and haunt him.
Nigerians want Ministers, advisers, and aides, legislators that will perform miracles. For a nation that has a very low expectation ratio, for sure, we are ‘not’ asking for the impossible from Mr Bola considering the rot he has to contend with, but he must, importantly, often go into that room, seek inspiration from that room, he must tell the truth…he must be transparent, and accountability to man and God, and Nigerians, how it will end—only time tell!