Does President Buhari have a medieval mindset? The answer for me is No. I am convinced that the people who have medieval mindsets are those who have engaged in the mindless looting of our common patrimony over the decades, and who have stolen what they and their children might not even need or be able to access on the long run.
One of the most popular businesses in Nigeria today among some of our politicians is the business of attacking and disparaging President Muhammadu Buhari over the poor state of affairs in the country. Interestingly, some political office holders have literally abandoned the business of governance for which they were elected in favour of tackling Mr. President. Curiously, some of our former political office holders who did not represent any recognisable standard or value when they were in power have now joined the fray.
Many of the critics claim that the president does not have the intellectual capacity to govern Nigeria; and there are those who have accused him of possessing a medieval mindset and having no clue on how to handle this e economy.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in criticising the president, after all, criticism is an integral part of the test of leadership. But we must at this point separate responsible critics who offer constructive and superior arguments on situations as they arise from the irresponsible ones who are mere attention seekers.
So much has been said about the president bringing chains instead of his promised change. But is it not ridiculous to blame the president for the rot in the system today, and subsequently write him off as a failure just one year into a four-year term, for allegedly failing to resolve the immense problems left behind by his predecessors?
Critics argue that the current economic problems in the country arose because the president lacks the vision and intelligence to manage the economy. But the truth is that these problems essentially come from the crumbling crude oil prices in the international market. Nigeria is still an import-based economy which constantly needs foreign currencies, especially, the US dollars, to finance the importation of products, over eighty percent of which could be conveniently produced at home if the elements are on the ground.
Nigeria’s forex crisis has also worsened because, even though it is the world’s sixth largest oil producer, it has been spending her hard earned foreign currencies in importing refined petroleum products which it ought to actually be exporting to her neighbours, in the past twenty years. But why was Nigeria importing petroleum products through sixteen consecutive years of democratic governance in an era of unprecedented financial abundance? The answer is corruption. Our former leaders preferred unending importation of these products as they criminally enriched themselves from the importation system.
Consider that the world largest refinery, in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India was initially built and commissioned in July 1999 with an installed capacity of 668,000 bpd. In December, 2008, however, it was commissioned for expansion and this was delivered within 36 months, making it the world’s largest refinery with a presently installed capacity of 1,240,000 bpd. The question is, why didn’t our leaders successfully expand any of the the existing refineries in the last sixteen years or build new ones?
Again, right thinking nations build up their foreign reserves for the rainy days when they might need to revert to it for the financing of strategic businesses. But Nigeria’s foreign reserve, which stood at miserable $28b when President Jonathan assumed office, was not built upon over the years but was rather squandered by the ex-president and the state governors. And here again, we are blaming President Buhari for the poor jobs done by others.
Does President Buhari have a medieval mindset? The answer for me is No. I am convinced that the people who have medieval mindsets are those who have engaged in the mindless looting of our common patrimony over the decades, and who have stolen what they and their children might not even need or be able to access on the long run.
Chris Chukwubuzor Azuka is National Coordinator, Save the Dream Nigeria-Project; azucomms2000@gmail.com.
