Glimpse of Buhari’s soul

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s media chat with a team of journalists the other day has proven a good mirror into his soul. In spite of the many comments praising or condemning his performance, that platform provided a good chance so far of gleaning the direction in which he would take Nigeria, a nation seemingly in the emergency theatre. While some of his ideas caused jitters, there was no doubt about his passion and commitment, his discipline and sense of urgency. Fair enough.

In the main, the president bared his mind on key issues such as devaluation of the national currency, the war on corruption, the missing girls of Chibok, the agitation for Biafra, the ever-present oil subsidy debacle and the opaqueness of the operations of the national oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

On the question of devaluation, the president was quite clear in his resolve to defend the national currency, the naira, and demonstrated knowledge of the basic economics of its ongoing free fall. As the president put it: “Personally, I don’t want to support devaluation of the naira. I need to be convinced before I can approve the devaluation of the naira. I need to be convinced. If you devalue the naira, against what currency…? If we are exporting, yes we can devalue, because we will export more, produce more, create more jobs. But we are at the receiving end.” Many critics may see this as mere sense of patriotism not backed by the realities of a situation of no choices in which Nigeria is, but Buhari’s position is commendable.

With this, the president addressed the problem of dwindling foreign exchange earnings, especially the sliding fortune of the naira and underscored the undesirable consumerist orientation of the national economy. He then stressed the point that “we don’t have enough foreign exchange, anymore” and that those importing rice and toothpicks and textiles should go and look for their own forex while he would set priorities based on the earnings and those industries employing people and producing goods.

Corruption has become endemic in Nigeria, thereby assuming the status of one evil which may sound the nation’s death knell and one which must be fought to a standstill if the country is to free resources for developmental purposes. It is, therefore, gratifying that the president again emphatically expressed his determination to rid the country of corruption without regard to any sacred cows. When he said pointedly that “if anyone is caught, I will not only sack but I will ensure that the case is taken to court,” his words not only resonated with all Nigerians, it reassured the citizens of the hope of a graft-free country.

Besides, the president also addressed the agitation for Biafra and displayed a good sensitivity to the diverse orientations from which unity must be forged even as he wondered aloud what the motive of those clamouring for Biafra could be. He then challenged the agitators to give concrete instances of marginalisation if there were any.

His pains over the parlous state of the economy and resources were palpable as he spoke about NNPC and the subsidy question. The president shared a belief that the so-called subsidy is abnormal and expressed the hope that it would cease to exist given the plummeting price of oil and the eventual fixing of the existing refineries. In his words: “None of the refineries is working efficiently as I am talking to you compared with when I was in government in 1984 when we were producing 150,000 barrels per day and the four refineries were working.” He then promised that “we won’t be talking about subsidy by the end of the next quarter because the cost of crude oil will drop. I’m hoping our refineries will start working and that will meet 60 per cent of our requirement and 40 per cent will be done with the swap.”

He also highlighted the complex nature of the rot in the national oil industry, indicting almost all the stakeholders, including oil majors, international financial institutions, shipping lines and insurance companies.

In the context of the wide expectation of a possible rescue of the abducted Chibok girls, the president was very frank and truthful. The damage to the national psyche is deep and the pain over the girls remain searing but he let it be known that the government did not have any useful intelligence on their whereabouts still. He then indicated that his government would always be willing to negotiate with a genuine leadership of Boko Haram if such is found in order to effect the release of the girls.

Indeed, the encounter was very significant as it has served the purpose of good communication between the ruler and the ruled. Communication allows for exchange of information between the leader and a wider audience of his constituents whom government would always need to convince about its policies. Buhari was able to share ideas and information about his government’s activities and it is hoped that what he has begun would continue.

Overall, the president’s viewpoints were timely and useful. His discipline, character and integrity were very much on display especially in his assertion that if and when any of his ministers err, he or she would be given the boot.

However, the president betrayed a worrisome absence of democratic temperament in his response to the delicate issue of alleged corrupt persons being detained despite appropriate court bails. The judiciary must be respected and any appearance of impunity would not bode well for the country’s democratic process.
Buhari also needs to continue to retail hope to the people in the face of palpable gloom on the horizon.