50 days after, we must keep praying for President Buhari

Penultimate week, I promised to talk a bit about the pressures that have seen the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo grow greyer in the past couple of weeks. I have been wondering about the strain of handling the country and supervising the economy while President Muhammadu Buhari who left the country 50 days ago recuperates in faraway London.
Nigerians are rather quiet about the matter. Perhaps for the media, we are just tired of the endless speculations and charade about the president’s absence. It will seem like this time around the president’s inner circle, or the cabal if you may, have successfully kept us busy with other distractions. What we have not stopped doing is praying.
Leading a complex country like Nigeria has never been easy even with a president and his vice at the helm of affairs. On the other hand, nothing has been as transient as information on the president’s health or his return from London. One moment there are new details about the president’s return. The next, it is stale. Recall Orji Uzor Kalu, an ex-governor of Abia State who visited President Buhari in London brought news of his improved health and even said Mr. President would return before June 11. We all know how true that turned out. It will seem to me that most Nigerians now go about like they don’t even care or remember.
There are various versions of stories out there. The thing is, are you ready to stake your byline on speculations? I even got one of those lines from a source who claimed that the first family had already been put on notice to clean up the Daura home as Baba was expected to return and spend the Sallah holidays there. I erred on the side of caution and followed my gut given how all the stories on the President’s return had turned out untrue and were mere speculations. I was vindicated. For my source, who was usually reliable, I think that was probably the story he was asked to tell.
In my article from two weeks ago, I also questioned why Aisha Buhari was in Nigeria while her husband stayed in London battling for his health, maybe his life even. I expected she would give another revealing interview about how her husband had been kidnapped (pun intended) by the cabal. Instead, she seems just fine with the whole arrangement even after not being allowed to see Mr. President, her husband. To be fair, I hear she broke down and was really emotional when she returned, we can agree she actually misses him and has continued to keep busy with her pet project, Future Assured.
In truth, after reading a supposed update on a news website, I think it is better to wait, allow the president take his time and fully recover so he can return strong and fit to resume his duties or wouldn’t you agree?
Well, let me return to my original line of discourse. So the president has been away for 50 days, as of June 25, and Osinbajo has had to carry on so much during this period. Funny that we too have been so engrossed and forgotten headlines like ‘Osinbajo’s one month in Acting Capacity’ and similar others that went out the last time Mr. President was away in London for medical tourism.
However, I have watched how this Acting President, tackles national issues. Forgive the fact I think Osinbajo is a typical workaholic. Oh yes, the professor loves to get things done and it is definitely a good thing. Sometime ago, I wrote about how his aides would sometimes complain that he would attend some occasions that they had expected he would boycott to get some rest, like when he has to attend the wedding ceremony of Chief Bola or Madam Titi’s (not real names) daughter or those sort of events because he has to stay in touch with the none vice president’s side of him. He is actively driving the Economic Management Team, the Federal Executive Council sees to it that the MSME clinics, the implementation of the Executive Orders he signed are all going as planned. He also attends major events that obviously needs his presence. Besides all of these, he has to attend to all other matters of state like the security of the country and all of that. Sometimes things go well other times when we hear of issues like insurgency and herdsmen attacks I only imagine.
Last week I watched as he resumed in the morning, going from one meeting to the other until late in the night and then returned early again the next day. I couldn’t help hearing the strain in his voice during one those consultative fora that started two weeks ago.
It was obvious that he was tired, you couldn’t miss it. Sometimes, I fear that he may just breakdown. Besides every other meeting, he held during the day, every evening he met with different groups including those from the Southeast and the North, consulting and finding peaceful ways to douse the tension and bigotry ignited by those rabble-rousers threatening violent secession. I am backing him to succeed.
I loved the fact that he barred some fangs at some point and talked tough. Sometimes I just think he should consider delegating some of his duties and focus on some majors. I cannot even ask questions like if he is allowed to go on leave (maybe if the president returns). The other is to cut down on some of his activities or delegate them still.
And just before you tell me he is doing his job or that he campaigned to be there, just agree that it is a huge responsibility for anyone to handle a nation of more than 170 million people.

 

Elizabeth Archibong