Just when I thought aloud saying, “I would love to write a list comprising of my expectations from Nigeria’s next president”, I was stopped in my tracks by a friend who asked me, “What happened to the incumbent?” Only then did it dawn on me that this is still 2012. Wow! 2015 seems so far away. In as much as we still have three more years to ‘enjoy’ President Jonathan’s breathe of fresh air, I can nevertheless go ahead with my list. At least, I can send it to the next aspiring-presidential candidate now so he/she can ruminate on it before then.
I am particularly not scared of 2015 because I know for sure that the present government will still saturate us with good reasons to oust them in a right and peaceful manner. Reacting to the shameful words uttered by the president during the week which alleged the January Occupy Nigeria protests were stage-managed, I refuse to haul more insults on the person of Mr President because I have come to realize that we demand too much from a man that has got nothing to offer. From him that little is given, little should be expected. The day you begin to realize that nothing should be expected from the present regime is when you have woken up to the reality of Nigeria.
What I ask of him/her isn’t much, just a little of what I’d actually expect from him and it goes thus:
Immediately you are sworn in as president, the first thing I will request of you is to get hold of the Nigerian constitution and embark on a massive amendment and restructuring like never before.
Scrap the office of the first lady. You may appoint her minister for women and children affairs (aged, widows and orphans inclusive) if she so qualifies to handle that position and if not, she may please remain in your kitchen or be a professional/business woman as the case may be.
Please merge the ministry of youths’ development and ministry of sports into just one ministry. (abi no be youths de do sport?). Also merge the ministry of telecommunications, the ministry of information technology and ministry of information into one.
Please exclude your upkeep allowance (feeding, children’s school fees, haircut, cutleries, gardens, toiletries, transportation etc) from our national budget and include it in your basic salary.
Reduce the difference between government-owned schools and private schools by investing massively in education. All public office holders too must patronize government-owned schools. On resumption of office, withdraw your children from those private schools, home or abroad, to attend our government-owned schools. At least, president Obama did the same.
Publicly declare your assets and make sure all governors, ministers, commissioners, director generals, auditor generals, accountant generals, etc do same periodically.
Rehabilitate our refineries so that we can use what we produce. We don’t have to export crude to refine and import petrol to use. The existence of refineries has automatically erased the existence of subsidy.
Combine the work of the presidential speech-writer, special adviser on media, special adviser on new media, special adviser on protocol, public relations officer, attack-dog (if need be) into one person.
Reduce drastically the number of your entourage when traveling outside the country and your convoy while moving within the country (helps draw attention from you).
Probe all government parastatals and public offices, any rudiment of fraud found should be cleansed.
There should be massive reforms in the electoral process of the nation. INEC should be indeed independent from government interference; likewise the EFCC.
Mega and multiple rehabilitation of roads throughout the federation should be embarked on. This should go hand in hand with other social amenities like Water, Electricity, Security, Medicare etc.
The Nigerian Police Force is a terrible rot in the midst of a rotten nation like Nigeria. I expect you to embark on a massive overhaul of that agency. Make the work of policing more attractive, also adequate training and equipment should not be lacking.
The immunity clause should be removed for governors.
I also advise that the only way to silence opposition and critics is to perform.
Invest heavily in agriculture as food is the first on the human’s hierarchy of needs, according to Abraham Maslow. When there is food in abundance, naturally crime will take a plunge. One thing other governments have not realized is that you cannot preside over and control hungry men.
Make the issue of security a high priority, rewarding insurgency with cash isn’t the way forward, it’s an eye-opener for other groups and individuals to cash in on the opportunity. Do not for once engage the enemy of the state in any part of your government let alone security of lives and properties as a leopard never changes its spots.
Job creation and employment is the mass murderer of crime in a country. It is heartache to see the masses willing to work but nothing comes their way in terms of employment. Since university graduates cannot get work, what hope do the illiterates have?
Finally, be a listening leader, a leader who sees the voice of the people as the voice of God; a leader who is ready to listen to the grievances of people no matter how small they might be in number. Selective implementation of the people’s needs portrays you as a partial leader.
Should you know that your agenda for the nation is void of all that is written above, you can as well forget about your candidacy because the Nigerian people are awake, thanks to previous governments. That I am very sure of because I will personally lead a standing protest against you.
I Nigeria will be great again if only those that are right are in the right places.
The Baby PHOENIX has spoken.
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