OPINION: Buhari’s rejection of Rolls-Royce ride in London, Obasanjo and lessons of history

Dr. Chido Nwangwu.

A few days ago, Nigeria’s newly elected president who will be sworn in on Friday, May 29,  retired army General Muhammadu Buhari, snubbed and turned away a prestigious convoy of cars including the power establishments’ ultimate car Rolls-Royce from the Nigerian High Commission in London, for a modest Toyota Camry from a private arrangement.

It is a matter of fact that the diplomatic corps and influence peddlers around the high commission were shocked by this rare act of dignity and responsibility and example shown by the former military head of state. Buhari ruled briefly from December 1983 to August 1985 before the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida clique forced him and late Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon out of office.

Second, as a leader, Buhari has shown that the paraphernalia of office, the pomp and pageantry of presidential authority and the flamboyant accoutrements of power do not fall into his areas of interest or indulgence. I believe that the man wants to make history as a potentially great Nigerian president.

Third, Buhari is starting well by  sending the right warning message to all those serial swindlers and misappropriation cabal who are clothed and fed and wined by our scarce resources. I believe Buhari’s austere and spartan approach has made very uncomfortable the maniacally greedy and violent gormandizers of Nigeria’s commonwealth and resources. It’s about time for Nigeria– especially after watching the country of 172 million struggle through the blinding bouts of corruption and primitive thieving since the 16 years of the PDP locust and profligacy which formed the end notes of the Goodluck Jonathan indecisive presidency. Before him and with him came the corrupt presidential docility years of the late Umar Yar’Adua.

Fourth,  I know that for Buhari — of the Fulani-Kanuri heritage and a conservative Muslim — to be that great Nigerian leader, he has to profit from the lessons of the mistakes of the previous leaders and presidents of the country. Especially, from one man who is similar to him in some ways.

Remarkably, from 1999 to 2007, the presidency of the man, retired General Olusegun Obasanjo of the political-business animal called the PDP, rolled like a juggernaut.

Fifth, like Buhari’s coming into Abuja to lead, Nigerians held high hopes for Olusegun Obasanjo that, tragically, he thought 8 years in office could also mean 80 years. No!

I recall that Obasanjo’s redemption opportunities to truly perform to historical distinction were squandered in petty fights and punitive expeditions and private appropriations — all wrapped in his torn and incredible garment of ‘Nigeria’s National Interest.’ Consequently, my mentor, the greatest novelist of African descent, Chinua Achebe, protested and rejected Obasanjo’s “national award” as published first on USAfricaonline.com

Sixth, like Buhari, Obasanjo is the only other Nigerian who served as a dictator and as an elected leader.  I met Chief Obasanjo 3 times in Houston when he came out of Sani Abacha’s prison during his first trip after his release; when he decided to run for president in 1999 and after he was victorious; and once in Calabar, Obudu ranch and Tinapa port during the outstanding governorship of Donald Duke.

Seventh, Buhari benefits by taking Objective recommendations from Obasanjo, while looking beyond Obasanjo’s faux righteousness and spin. Regardless and frankly, Nigerians still recall Obasanjo for  the serial corruption of budgeting and spending billions in the monumental failure to give as little as 15% of Nigerians steady supply of electricity or cooking gas or kerosene!

Eight, like Buhari,  Obasanjo is remembered for unlawful and unconstitutional impunity and operational excesses. Both men were foes of the freedom of the media….

In terms of the challenges ahead, as President Buhari is inaugurated on May 29th as a democratically-elected president, it is important that he profits from the lessons of history, and I have to say it, particularly,  the reasons why so many leaders in Nigeria’s history squander opportunities for greatness. Buhari should remember that Nigerians voted for him in high numbers in order to fight corruption, corruption and corruption. Interesting that already the captains of corruption who wickedly reduced Nigerians to children of a lesser god are afraid of the emerging Buhari presidency.

Buhari has the capacity to rise to the challenge of history to be recorded as a man who had a rare second chance and truly turned Nigeria away from being the playground of economic leeches, political gangsters, irreligious murderers, social swines….

He should also note that they would not give up without a fight. Those legions of perversion, those offsprings of Machiavelli who show no fear of God!

Buhari, in my view, has an advantage because he wants to make history instead of coming in to stack mountains of dollars, euros and Naira for his great grand, grand, grand children in Daura, Dubai, Maidugiri, Abuja, Lagos, Aba….

• Dr. Nwangwu, Founder & Publisher of USAfrica multimedia networks since 1992, first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the Internet USAfricaonline.com; served as adviser to Houston’s ex Mayor on Africa business and recipient of several journalism and public policy awards, has been profiled by the CNN International for his pioneering works on multimedia/news/public policy projects for Africans and Americans. He is writing a 2015 book titled ‘Nelson Mandela & Chinua Achebe: Footprints of Greatness.’ Chido247@Gmail.com