OH Buhari! Now, the challenge of change

Cultivated chaos!    That is what Nigeria is today.   

And that is what Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief, has inherited.    What would definitely compound Buhari’s problem are the number of things he cannot change.  As at the time he was being sworn-in, last Friday, all he had were, 1461days to run his first term – one of the four years is a leap year.    He cannot change that. 

                                       

The Nigerian Constitution says every state is entitled to one minister; Buhari cannot change that even though changing it would reduce the waste associated with the cost of governance.  Except the constitution can be amended within the first one month or as quickly as possible, some states may drag him to court for putting them at a disadvantage on account of not having their own ministerial slot.   Though a few lawyers are arguing to the contrary, Buhari would not need the distraction that would bring.  

There are many more things he can change.

Firstly, he can slash his ministers pay.

Buhari can also disinfect himself of some political contaminants.

The President can take decisions and stick to them in so far as he is convinced that it would guarantee the utmost good for the largest number of people without going outside the law to do those things.

The perception is that Nigeria has gone to the dogs because blind sentiment, cronyism, nepotism, greed and a culture of indolence in high places, have  been packaged as a staple for the immediate past  President who refused to see beyond his nose.

For Mr. President, an attempt at equitable distribution of political power would be a first step towards enthroning a regime of economic prosperity and political stability.  That was where his predecessor failed.    And that was why he did not realize that his style of administration had become an incubating contraption for disgruntlement and angst.   Disgruntlement! Angst! These states of mind do not bode well for any system – be it the corporate world or the murkier platform of political governance.   Jonathan created a situation whereby a few individuals became lords of the manor, poking fun at millions of Nigerians and further exacerbating a sense of loss.

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