“There are no secrets to success. Success is achieved as a result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” – Collin Powell
It is not only in Nigeria that elections took place in the year of our Lord 2019. From January to June 2019, many countries had gone to the polls to elect their leaders. Indonesia, India, Ukraine, Slovakia and Australia had elections. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inaugurated on 30 May 2019 and the next day he formed his cabinet. In Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s cabinet was formed three days earlier before his inauguration on 26 May 2019. Others are yet to form their cabinets.
In Africa, Senegal’s President Macky Sall, announced his cabinet five days after inauguration in order to get the machinery of government running. In South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated on 25 May 2019 and announced his cabinet four days later. Nigeria, the “giant of Africa,” and the largest democracy in the Continent, inaugurated President Muhammadu Buhari’s (PMB’s) second term on 29 May. He has delivered his Democracy Day Speech on 12 June 2019. Many Nigerians have analyzed and debated what they think PMB wants to do, or should sort out, in order to have a prosperous nation.
By the time you are reading this article, it is most likely that PMB would have formed his cabinet. If PMB does, it is a signal that he means business in his second term in office. But if he does not announce a single appointment into his administration, one can only pity the most populous country in Africa and her 200 million citizens. Nigerians do not want a repeat performance of what happened in the first tenure (2015-2019) during which there was an unprecedented six-month delay in appointing a cabinet. You will recall this sluggish action took the nation into recession. Then, most Nigerians thought PMB was looking for saints in politics to be members of his cabinet. Yes, we often think of politicians as corrupt people who lack virtue, and while this can certainly be true, some politicians throughout ages have displayed great virtues, character and faith.
Even with the delay, what did we get? We got “saints” who did their best while in office. But their best gave the country a tag as the world’s poverty capital. Overall, their tenure was barely impressive as some of their actions were conflicting with policies of the APC-led federal government. Most state governments are equally waiting for PMB to form his cabinet before appointing commissioners to run their policies. So for now not much is happening in the country.
Time is of essence in governance. There is a Chinese proverb, which says that an inch of time is an inch of gold but you cannot buy that inch of time with an inch of gold. It is hard to feel successful when you are staring failure in the face. So why the delay in forming an all-inclusive cabinet of technocrats? Having been sworn in, it is what PMB does next that counts. Although, from PMB’s homily of 74 verses delivered on 12 June 2019, he promised that over the next 4 years, his government would be committed to assembling a strong team of Nigerians, and allies, to implement his party’s transformative plans and proposals. The transformative plans and proposals appear good on paper but the strategy to drive the plans and proposals are not known. Besides, the cabinet has not been formed after two weeks of inauguration. In spite of widespread criticism which PMB received in his first term over delay in key appointments, one would have expected him to show leadership and direction in appointing a chief of staff, secretary to the government of the federation, chief security officer, spokespersons and other political appointments that do not require senate confirmation. If PMB had named his ministerial candidates ahead of the inauguration of the 9th Assembly on June 11, 2019 may be they would have been confirmed before the lawmakers went on recess.
From the quote above, there is no secret to success. This columnist thought PMB has learnt from failures of the past. PMB talks about “Next Level” in his campaign promise. Next Level to this columnist is vague. PMB needs to tell us the strategy that will lift us to the “Next Level”; strategy that is the mode of survival of a nation of about 200 million people; strategy that will deliver 90 million poor people out of poverty. Strategy that will liberate 60 million illiterates cannot be hinged on hope.
We have been hearing expressions like: “Let’s keep hope alive” and the slogan “change.” But “Change” is not a destination, just as “hope” is not a strategy”. Whatever is the slogan, those who have volunteered to serve us need to work hard to bring life into the economy of Nigeria and to ensure that lives and properties of people are safe and secured. It is good to have hope. The fact however, remains that hope will not reduce housing problems. Hope does not provide food and clothing. Hope will not make the value of the Naira appreciate against other foreign currencies. Hope cannot create jobs. Hope will not improve electricity supply to consumers in their various homes and offices. Hope will not increase economic growth to 2.7 percent in 2019. Hope cannot provide security for those Nigerians who feel insecure currently. Hope cannot raise the drop in the country’s foreign direct investment. That is why hope can never be a strategy for Nigeria.
We cannot just wish away our country’s problems. There is need to reduce our challenges and turn them into positive opportunities. Just talking and sitting around thinking about the current situation we find ourselves in is not going to change anything. PMB, state governors, and local government chairpersons must act ASAP. Certainly, hope and prayer can work wonders in the face of a difficult situation, but those who volunteered to serve us must be prepared to do their part in order to achieve national development. So when will the appoint of cabinet members take place? PMB sir, over to you. God bless Nigeria!
MA Johnson
