I start today with Ecclesiastes 3:1; “To everything
there is season and a time to every purpose under
the heaven”. Truly this is Arewa’s time and there
must definitely be a purpose or an agenda. The
suspicion that the North, mostly represented by the
Hausa/Fulani ethnic grouping, desires a total
dominance of others, has been there from the
beginning, with its leaders doing little or nothing to
dispel such fears. But If what is fair is just, then the
North may be excused for the truculent pursuit of the
presidency in the last elections. A Northern
presidency should be rounding-off when the leaders
were expressing desperation to have it back.
But the
2010 loss was providential and the zone was not in
short supply of sentimental support in 2015 even in
the South, which ultimately delivered the
Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency.
Months before the elections, a die-hard Buharist
Lagos APC chieftain and I, had a lengthy discourse
about his sincerity as an expected father of the
nation. I expressed doubts. He asked for a chance.
Thursday night after North took another five out of
six national appointments, sustaining the trending
pattern since Buhari assumed office, I called him for
his view. The APC leader said South-West has entered
“one chance”. He said I was entitled to my mocking
grin now. But I wasn’t making a face because the
brewing political disaffection was no laughing matter.

Without doubts, there were all manners of
mathematics of sharing in the alliance that sacked
the incumbent. I would not know if inked or given in
assumption of gentleman’s words being their bonds
but I am too certain South-Western and North-
Central political leaders would not append an
agreement with an intendment of what is playing out
now. I will explain.
Buhari didn’t defeat Jonathan simply because
Nigerians were tired of the Otuoke fellow. Political
forces coagulated to achieve the unprecedented.

Without them, he would have been fourth time
unlucky.
The spread of such forces also ensured Buhari’s
national acceptability and appeal. Today, Buhari is a
hero in unlikely places. In my church, he is a spiritual
project. This birthed what is now known as the
“Buhari effect” perceivably turning things around
before touching them. Nigerians are beginning to
believe. This optimism, founded on his perceived
“moral authority” gave him reprieve, even when not
sought, anytime he had a melt-down. Until last
Thursday.

The question being asked in hushed tone, has come
alive. Is Buhari incorrigibly pursuing a Northern
agenda? A Northern agenda is legitimate.
Considering what went into its demand before the
presidency was delivered, it would be foolhardy
expecting Buhari to be an Olusegun Obasanjo.
Yoruba demanded for presidency in 1999 but not
Obasanjo. Hausa/Fulani demanded for it in 2015 and
Buhari was their joker. Unless, he wants to be a
turncoat, he must have a Northern agenda. Jonathan
was also accused of having Igbo agenda.

In his own
case, he is not Igbo. A report last week that his village
was without drinkable water speaks to whatever
agenda he pursued.
Without doubt, Buhari has outrageously favoured
North (Hausa/Fulani to be precise) in appointments.
The supporting argument is that he is on a rescue
mission and should be allowed to pick his entire
team even from Jupiter. Let him just deliver. The
argument suits me, only that it makes the rest to
appear as morally-bankrupt nation destroyers
without patriotism.
That would be unfair to others. What about variety as
the spice of a menu.
Nobody loves the nation more than others. I am
more worried because the Northernisation agenda
appears to be more of the president’s mindset than a
Caliphate blueprint. When he spoke to the vote-for-
patronage ratio in USA, it was glossed over as a non-
issue. He was certainly talking about patronage and
not merit. But even if merit was projected to deliver
the 95 per cent, his mindset should have been
engaged at that point on the desirability of gradual
ascension while the fault-lines are being gradually
mended. Where is even the empirical evidence that
the beneficiaries are the best anywhere in the nation.

Now with undisguised arrogance, Buhari has broken
the cistern of national trust built round his
presidency. The damage has been done even if
corrections are made with subsequent appointments.

The workings of the inner recesses of his presidency
are now known. Definitely there would be reactions
to this action. I sincerely hope Buhari isn’t doing this
because he is probably not thinking of a second term.

It would be sad if he destroys the national coalition
that produced him on the basis of jingoistic
disposition. I warned that those egging him on, may
be his undoing. Nothing seems to have changed.
Sadly, he has said it clear to other zones they are on
their own in the next four years. Would there be a
moral justification to blame any zone that seeks its
destiny elsewhere? Everyone was concerned with him
seen as the father of all. Now that the song is “To
your tent O’ Israel, different paths would definitely be
charted.

In all these, I feel for his genuine supporters in the
South, particularly those who may never meet him
physically in the next four years, let alone nurse hope
of appointments. They are in pains, sad and
ashamed.
The despatch rider in my office, Michael Ayilaran is
their face. He was unapologetically Buhari during the
poll. I asked him few days to the poll why rooting for
Buhari. He said Yoruba would have a better deal
under him. Friday morning, he looked beaten when I raised Buhari’s issue with him. He kept saying “o
disappoint opolopo nibi sir” (He has disappointed us
in the South sir). His ilk are the people Buhari and the
North must listen to. Three years, nine months and
six days ahead are enough to reinvent a bent
mindset. A sense of proportion in everything speaks
to a balanced mind.

tribuneonlineng.com/norths-bragging-right

too early to say anything meaningful/detrimental about ds govt. my advice is 'let's see what d future holds'

Are you people deaf? The man has said it quite clear in public that those that gave him 95% of their votes can not be treated the same as those that gave him 5% 'on some issues'. It seems those issues include sensitive appointments.

No need to keep moaning and complaining about all this. If the economy improves, corruption decreases and the security situation across the land improves, do we really care on the ethnic make up of certain govt appointees?

bjdon:
Are you people deaf? The man has said it quite clear in public that those that gave him 95% of their votes can not be treated the same as those that gave him 5% 'on some issues'. It seems those issues include sensitive appointments.

No need to keep moaning and complaining about all this. If the economy improves, corruption decreases and the security situation across the land improves, do we really care on the ethnic make up of certain govt appointees?

We are neither moaning nor complaining, we are just WAILERS wailing for a better democratic rule founded on the rule of law, fairness, equity and social justice.

K

I didn't vote for Buhari but in all fairness, let's give him a chance to see what he's got...I personally gives him 2 years before assessing him...Time will tell..