My dear president,
It is with much sadness that I write to you, due to deliberate efforts to emasculate the opposition and muzzle the press over the widespread bloodshed, massive decay and corruption in the country.
These dictatorial tendencies, partisanship and nepotism, that have become the hallmark of your leadership, are threatening to pull down this nation, that was once the pride of Africa.
Under your watch, Nigeria is now the world’s poverty headquarters, overtaking India, which has over one billion citizens.
Mr. president instead of fixing the nation’s dilapidated hospitals, you prefer to spend unquantifiable sums of money on medical trips abroad. Your wife has just returned from one.
Members of your family and inner circle take turns to patronize the choicest health facilities, at the expense of taxpayers.
Mr. president your citizens are suffering. Remember that power is transient. Someday you will exit the throne.
How will you be remembered? That is the question for you today, as your citizens groan under your iron rule.
Prominent Nigerians have cautioned you about your uncharitable dispositions, urging you to put your house in order.
Mr. president I join the plethora of voices to ask you to amend your ways, while you still have the wheel and the will.
Every man’s work follows him.
However, yours is already trailing you, with uncommon umbrage, given the deluge of vituperations against you on the social media.
Events across the land demonstrate that you have, knowingly or unknowingly, allowed charlatans and nonentities to use you and your offices for self-aggrandizement.
Your silence and body language are both complicit and worrisome. The buck stops at your table and you can no longer feign ignorance of the alleged massive corruption and weaknesses in your administration.
The recent discovery of the reprehensible rot in the oil sector is another issue that you cannot shove aside.
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The nepotistic characterization of your appointments especially in the security architecture of our country since you mounted the saddle of leadership has remained a major charge against your administration.
My dear president, there is time to retrace your steps and etch your name in the nation’s hero’s list.
The name of former dictator, Sani Abacha stinks to high heavens, as one of the most corrupt leaders in the world and for his atrocities and the looting of our commonwealth. It is time to think of your legacy both for you and your family.
Your activities will definitely affect not only our country, but your family too, negatively or positively. How do you wish to be remembered? Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is still derided for allegedly using renegades to scourge many parts of Nigeria. His successor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is still vilified for ignoring the pervasive corruption perpetuated by his aides and cronies under his watch. The gluttons allegedly used by these past leaders to wreck our beloved country have left them at the mercy of history. Therefore, I urge you to rid yourself of political leeches and do not allow the same fate to befall you.
I am greatly disturbed that you have metamorphosed from a survivor of political oppression to the antithesis of democratic values and political freedom.
Today, most countries are beginning to recognize the dangers of racism and systematic oppression and are taking the necessary steps to make amends.
Clearly, it is not too late for you to set Nigeria on the true path of greatness by at least, upholding the democratic principles you listed at Chatham House.
It is much more important that the promise of democracy goes beyond just allowing people to freely choose their leaders. It is much more important that democracy should deliver on the promise of choice, of freedoms, of security of lives and property, of transparency and accountability, of rule of law, of good governance and of shared prosperity.
It is very important that the promise embedded in the concept of democracy, the promise of a better life for the generality of the people, is not delivered in the breach.
These were your words. You promised much, but you have delivered little or nothing.
Yours truly,
Emmanuel Godswill
(An Attorney/Research Analyst writes from New York)
