31 July 2009
editorial
Abuja — The decision by President Umaru Musa Yar'adua to go ahead with last Tuesday's state visit to Brazil while his own country was literally on fire is a clear example of the exercise of poor judgment. The hands-on leadership that the country desperately needs at this critical time of crisis, has been sourly lacking as the president merely gave marching orders to the troops shortly before boarding his plane to Brasilia. We expect that even his hosts will wonder why their guest chose to be there at a time when the whole world media is beaming pictures of death and destruction in a big chunk of his country including his own home state
President Yar'Adua took the ill-advised trip on the day that the Boko Haram religious sect crisis rocking the nation was at its peak. Over 100 Nigerians, including some soldiers, police personnel, prison officials and members of the sect, were reported to have lost their lives in the deadly encounter that broke out on Sunday. On the very day he left, there were reports that the menace was spreading across parts of the northern states.
We find it difficult to agree with President Yar'adua's apparent attempt to rationalise the trip. He told reporters on his way out that he was indisposed when the visit was first scheduled last year, so could not honour it, meaning that it would be wrong if he again failed to go to Brazil now that he felt well. If the president could not visit Brazil the first time around because he was sick, he has even better reason now to have postponed the trip because this time around, his nation was critically ill.
That President Yar'adua went ahead regardless of the situation at home is one further example of the growing insensitivity on the part of our leaders to the plight of Nigerians and the country as a whole. A few days ago, the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu was caught on camera dancing away in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his marriage while millions of Nigeria's university students were at home instead of being in schools because of a strike by their lecturers.
A few days later, it was the turn of the Information and Communications minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili, to display her own brand of insensitivity when a national television station beamed live a most elaborate and obscene party celebrating the marriage of her daughter to an American. For a highly placed public official who is championing an attitudinal re-orientation on the part of Nigerians for a better image for the country, Akunyili's extravagant display is offensive to the sensibility of many Nigerians, for some of whom it is a challenge to eat one decent meal a day.
There are even reports that some of our public officials export their recklessness and excesses to Dubai and other 'happening places' in the world, where they organise or sponsor all manners of social get-togethers at which events they often 'spray' the musicians and dancers with dollars, almost certainly from public treasuries back home. News of the irresponsible behaviour of those who are supposed to be role models often filter back to the country, creating disenchantment and disaffection in many citizens. The path to rebellion, even anarchy, is often paved by the callousness of such leaders.
Nigerian leaders must realise that they are not only expected to deliver the so-called 'democracy dividends', but are also required to engage in some symbolic acts which show that they are concerned about the fears, anxieties, hopes and expectations of the people that they lead.
Our leaders must learn from the examples of their counterparts in other parts of the civilised world who go to great lengths to show that they care for the people they lead. The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was scheduled to be a guest at the African Union meeting which held a while ago in Libya, but cancelled the trip and remained at home because of the crisis that developed following the presidential election there.
Similarly, the Chinese President recently cut short a foreign visit when he got reports of the severe flooding in one Sichuan province of his country. Ex-US president, George W Bush was roundly condemned when he appeared to not show compassion for victims by failing to promptly visit the Katrina flooding in the state of New Orleans.
When there is crisis at home in which citizens are at great risk, it is not the right time for the leader to honour a visit to another country. Visits can always be rescheduled, but crises need careful handling with all the right gestures.
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IF THE PRESIDENT CANNOT LEAVE HIS COUNTRY IN GOOD HANDS THAT HE APPOINTED, THEN HE NEEDS TO MAKE BETTER APPOINTMENTS. THE CRISIS WAS HANDLE THE WAY THE PRESIDENCY WOULD HAD ORDER, HAD HE REMAIN IN NIGERIA . CHILDREN, GROW UP YOU HAVE A MAN'S MAN FOR PRESIDENT NOR A GIRL!!
TONY