OSINBAJO: 7 YEARS OF “MERITORIOUS” SERVICE

By Aanu Oluyide

The adage that says “it is not how far, but how well” is like a two-way street. But in the case of Nigeria, this two-way street has been merged into one. First, it is already far (considering how long we have been recycling the same set of leaders), yet, it is not well (the verity of our dear nation in shambles and our leaders’ predilections for failure).

Nigerians have consistently raised their voices over the same issues for at least the past 10 years. There is no gainsaying that since Mohammadu Buhari became president in 2015, all major sectors of the nation became sinking sand. However, this is not the actual point or is it?

We are aware that another election is around the corner. Of course, this is the time of sour declarations, fruitless promises, and brutal manifestoes. It is also the period of “judastic” appearances, political party shuffling, and crocodile tears. Every “agenda” must “agend” against 2023 while all the glory belongs to the gutter.

When I started the presidential candidate series, there have only been the likes of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All Progressive Congress burning the fire on all ends. Still, with the 2023 elections now closer, more politicians in and out of governments (previous or present) have indicated their willingness to serve the country with the usual aspire to “Maguire” insincere motivation culture.

Monday, April 11th, 2022, came with a rather big bang. Nigeria’s dear Vice President declared his presidential ambition. In the roughly 7 minutes video, Professor Yemi Osibajo mentioned how he has served the country for 7 years and analysed the greatness of his principal, promising to continue from where he (Buhari) stops.

What shall we then say? Shall we say that those who love the country with all their might, who have performed commendably in capacities locally and federally, people who have lifted Nigeria to the greater height it is currently soaring, should not serve their father’s land? No, we simply cannot. 

Here are a few reasons why we cannot:
First, it is outrightly appalling that in the middle of a national security crisis, a serving government member chooses to talk about a personal ambition instead. If this is not the highest level of gaslighting, then Shakespeare would need to resurface from the grave and provide us with a more appropriate vocabulary.

What Professor Yemi Osibajo is telling us is to look away from how badly his government has performed and give heed to his ambition instead, since all we do in Nigeria is compensate for failure with praises and electoral positions. We keep going round and round in circles, like a dog trying to bite its own tail.

In his video, the Vice President brandished visiting everywhere in the country, from schools to factories, agriculture to IDP camps, markets and all local governments in Nigeria (which is a big lie anyways) but couldn’t pinpoint an actual achievement relating to all the places visited. Not one actual achievement or purpose.

In all his years of service so far, Professor Yemi Osibajo served as the Vice President of Condolences and Sorrows. Our Professor VP is only present whenever tragedies befall the good people of Nigeria. Let us remind Mr Vice President that in his 7 years of service, all he can point to as his achievements are condolences visits to bereaved families, and loaning twenty thousand naira (#20,000) to traders in this hyperinflated economy. This same scheme is meant to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, but failed woefully.

As long as the nearly 7 minutes video was, the Vice President failed to cite the country’s security sector or what he would do in that regard, as though a nation’s economy plunged into security crises can ever grow. In his 7 years of phony service, the educated erudite scholar has regaled himself like a third party to the government, constantly construing words and information. He isn’t even a part of the incompetence and the 360-degree disaster of Buhari’s Government. Our Vice President was quite selective and picky of words. 

Whoever wrote the speech presented honestly did a good job. Over the years, we have been in perpetual shock that a man of professorship standard, exposure, education, and a supposed man of God would stoop so low, but Nigerians didn’t even know a lower stoop was coming.

Since it is a regular occurrence in Nigeria for people to parade the name “God” in committing atrocities, I am not stunned listening to Professor Yemi Osibajo say that “if God wills…”, he would complete the erroneous calamity President Buhari has started. The audacity to declare a presidential ambition after such a bloodstained antecedent is enough to conclude that Nigerians are not only tolerant, but we take everything thrown at us. 

What shall we then say? Shall we say that someone who loves the country with all his might, who has performed applaudable in respective capacities locally and federally like Professor Yemi Osibajo, a man who has lifted Nigeria to the great height it is currently soaring, should not serve their father’s land in the most significant capacity there is?

No, we simply cannot.

(c) Aanu Oluyide 2022