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The reality that stares Nigerians in the face is unbelievable.  It is like watching a movie that presents information about happenings in other countries of the world, especially the smaller African nations within the continent.  The saying is true that  one can run away from others as well as from one geographical location to another but the truth remains that as it is impossible for one to run away from his own shadow, the same is true that one cannot run away from himself. A wise man admonishes  that kings have long arms but misfortune longer,  therefore, none should think of themselves out of reach.  The effervescent years  of Nigeria that was  popularly known as the giant of Africa have dissipated,  leaving nothing behind other than what fits in for description as the insignificant nullity.  Understandably, President Muhammadu Buhari was first and foremost a man before becoming a general.  There is no disputing the fact that to err is human but to forgive is divine.  However, the pertinent question is; can one remain in sin and expect grace to multiply? The atrocious acts of the Buhari led administration against Nigerians are unprecedented.  Here is a general under whose watch Nigeria suffered the highest number of fatalities from  the Boko Haram terrorists, carnage from the Fulani Herdsmen against innocent farmers, banditry, kidnapping and the unknown gunmen.   Here is a President and Commander in Chief of the Nigeria Armed  Forces who doubles up as the Minister of petroleum resources under whose watch for 8 years running,  Nigeria experienced the unimaginable theft of the country’s crude-oil in quantity that can only be made possible with his consent.  This is a president who promised to fix the ailing economy of the country on assumption of office in 2015 but who is leaving the country after 8 years in office with 133 million poor Nigerians according to the multidimensional poverty index reports.  Here is  a president who promised to fight corruption to its  knees  but who is leaving Nigeria more indebted than any of his predecessors since the return of the country to democracy in 1999. Here is a president under whose watch the court pronouncement even those from the supreme court which is the highest court of the land have been disregarded and disdained in record numbers. Here is a president who promised Nigerians before the whole world especially at the 77th United Nation General Assembly in New York of leaving behind a legacy of a free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process, but who renege on his promise by bequeathing   to Nigerians the worst and the most fraudulent elections in 2023. 

With all that has been said and presented above, the only prayer of   President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians is that of pardon and forgiveness for whatever wrongs he might have done.  The right place to begin is to make him understand that only those who are merciful are deserving of mercies from both man and God.   He should be made to recall what happened under his watch as the military head of states  when three  Nigerian men convicted of illegal possession of cocaine and heroin were lashed to stakes and publicly executed by firing squad outside Kirikiri prison.They were the first Nigerians executed under Decree 20 of the military regime that launched a crackdown on crime and corruption. The decree makes drug handling and illegal oil trafficking punishable by death.The victims were; Bartholomew Azubike Owoh, 26, a former employee of Nigeria Airways, Lawal Akanni Ojuolape, 30, a spare parts dealer, and Bernard Ogedengbe, a 29-year-old sailor. The killings of Nigerians mercilessly are not what just began with the present APC led government under the watch of Muhammadu Buhari since 2015 to date.  Buhari had been a blood thirsty and unforgiven leader since he was the military head of states.  True and final  judgment rests with the Almighty God and he pays everyone back according to His deeds.  What is important at this moment is for President Buhari to search his conscience if it is still living and not dead and choose to correct what is within his powers by returning to Nigerians their stolen mandate.  You cannot be begging for forgiveness when you are also trying to perpetuate the same platform of illegality and criminality used in committing the sins for which you are begging for forgiveness.  One does not need to read the entire Quran or be a practicing Muslim to know that Islam as a religion is against injustice.  A wise man admonishes that; “Every man who is truly a man must learn to be alone in the midst of all others and if need be against all others”.  “Never exchange a good conscience for the goodwill of others or to avoid their ill will “ –  Charles Semes. 

The 8 years tenure of the APC led government under the watch of Muhammadu Buhari can be described as the saddest episode in the history of Nigeria, while his personality can be summed up as that of being as great as a man can be without virtue and as wise as a man can be without modesty. The reason is  because   blood is inherited, but  virtue is achieved.  Nonetheless,  President Buhari has the last chance and opportunity in life to right some of the  wrongs done  against Nigerians just by making sure that only the true winner of the 2023 presidential election takes over from him.  “If you compromise with your own conscience, you will weaken your conscience.  Soon your conscience will fail to guide you and you  never will have real wealth based on peace of mind” – Napoleon Hill. Furthermore let all Nigerians be informed that war looms and the plan of the enemies is to set the Yorubas against the Igbos.  My advice is that lessons should be learned from the civil war of 1967-1970 which claimed the precious lives of millions of innocent Nigerians. The script has been written but the Igbos and the Yorubas should play smart and not fall victims of the evil machination  of the writers of the script who are the Fulanis. The experience of what played out in Lagos should serve as a lesson.  The drums of war are being bitten right now but wisdom demands that the Igbos and the Yorubas should not dance to the devilish tunes, if for nothing, the Igbos and the Yorubas should bear in mind that they are partners in progress and have so much in common.  The two ethnic groups have suffered serious marginalization in the hands of the Hausas/Fulanis and therefore should not be distracted.  The 2023 presidential election has been designed to create disaffection between the two ethnic groups and this must not be allowed to happen. The judiciary  has an important role to play not to set the country Nigeria ablaze.  The polity is already heated and the gun of destruction has been loaded  and waiting for who will pull the trigger.  Let the Nigerian judiciary stand out and safe the country from extinction.  The wars between Russia and Ukraine and the most recent in Sudan are instructive enough to guide the actions of those in positions of authority in Nigeria to do only what is right without fear or favor.  Nigeria is too precious to Nigerians and must not be allowed to be destroyed by those whose conscience is dead.  May 29, 2023 is a day of appointment with destiny.  The history of the country must be re-written, this time in ink and printed in gold and not with blood and at the expense of the colorful destiny of Nigerians.  

On a final note, the independent electoral commission of Nigeria, INEC and its leader, Professor Marmood Yakubu should deem it fit and as a matter of moral obligation and responsibility, to revisit the results of the 2023 presidential elections and carry out a thorough scrutiny for the purpose of verification. The reports being circulated on the social media in respect of errors or the disparity between the results announced in favor of the presidential candidates of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers state, Lagos, Plateau, Taraba and Benue which were won by the Labor Party in Rivers, Benue and Taraba and with a higher margin in Lagos and Plateau should be re-awarded accordingly.  We all make mistakes but the only problem with making mistakes is to keep making them and not be ready to make corrections where necessary.  Nigeria is bigger than everyone of us and because we are mortal, we are bound to die someday but history does not die.  “Kiss the hand of him who can renounce what he has publicly taught when convicted of his error and who with  heartfelt joy embraces  the truth, though with the sacrifice  of favored opinions”.  God bless Nigeria

By: Samuel T. Adeyanju