Buzz by Olumide Iyanda
Email: oiyanda@yahoo.com Twitter: @mightyng
Our Father in heaven, the most gracious and most merciful. We bring our President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, before you. We are indeed very grateful for all you have done for him. We particularly give you thanks that we are still standing in spite of real and imagined threats most of which are self-inflicted.
The terrible events of the early days of 2012 still haunt us in ways only you can heal. Our President, in whom we were once well pleased, set the country on the path of chaos on the first day of that year with the announcement of fuel subsidy removal. It pained us; yes it did, as we were forced to march on the streets all over the federation to protest against that kick in the teeth. The fuel price went up, our President’s goodwill went down and I am not sure we have forgiven him for the needless loss of lives and properties that occurred during those days of ‘Occupy Nigeria’.
I know you ask us to forgive those who trespass against us, but that singular act of the President, who mouthed that he was one of us and that he felt our pain, seems to make forgiveness difficult. We have since become suspicious and apprehensive of his ways, to the point that unease spread across the land when he addresses his “dear compatriots”. That was the case when his office announced on Monday, October 8, 2012, that he was going to address the country the next day. Our fears later proved unfounded when it turned out that all he wanted to do was pledge assistance to thousands of fellow countrymen affected by the country’s most devastating flooding in five decades.
Having been told that there is power in our tongue and it shall be done to us according to our faith, we are left with no other option but to bring Dr. Jonathan to you and proclaim positive things towards him. Whatever anybody may say about Mr. President, the truth is that it is in our best interest that he does the right thing. So, this prayer is more about us than it is about him. Knowing that our collective good or otherwise depends on what he does or does not, we therefore call on you to destroy every force that might have risen against us through him.
One area the President has been caught with his guards down is the growing insecurity in the land. His promises of dealing with terrorism and ensuring the safety of lives, particularly in the areas worst hit by activities of the Boko Haram sect, have been met with more vicious attacks on helpless citizens by the sect. Going to church, market, school or riding an Okada in parts of the North has now become a potential journey to the great beyond. Attempts at using brute force to run Boko Haram out of town have resulted in abject failure and greater human casualty. It would appear as if our security agencies have not upgraded their operation manual to combat modern day terrorism.
While Boko Haram wastes lives with reckless abandon in the North, kidnappers and armed robbers run riot in the South. Those who are supposed to look after our welfare misappropriate monies voted for security, buying arms has become meal tickets for men in uniform and cassock. Our prayer is that you please give the President the wisdom of Solomon and strength of Samson to look beyond politics and deal with criminal elements operating as suicide bombers in Maiduguri or kidnappers in Odogbolu.
O God of light, you are indeed loving to be mindful of a country perpetually in darkness like Nigeria. Many families spend hours in darkness and they are looking up to Jonathan to deliver on his administration’s promise to improve electricity generation and supply in the country. I do not want to proclaim anything negative even as this year will soon enter the last quarter; so I join my faith with that of millions of other people of goodwill to claim electricity for me and my family. Stable electricity will no doubt be a shot in the arm for our productive sector which is currently on life support. Some companies may have a rethink about relocating to Ghana and that poor barber or hair stylist will not need ‘You Win’ to run their business.
There are many things to pray for Jonathan about, but those around him obviously don’t desire a change in the status quo. They would rather capitalise on the President’s perceived weakness (some say wickedness) and incompetence to rob the country blind. It is obvious from the messages from the Presidents and some of his aides that he panders to almost every interest from the bedroom to the boardroom. Ordinary Nigerians can go to hell after all the man seeking re-election in 2015 once told us he does not give a damn.
Jonathan boasts that his administration has achieved a lot in the positive transformation of vital sectors of our national life. He talks of higher GDP and lower unemployment rate. Unfortunately, many of us can’t see what he sees. We would love to love him, but not as long as he makes intangible promises and leaves us hoping against hope.
Our greatest hope is in you, our heavenly Father. And we ask that you do all that is right with our dear President, for now at least. You do not need to bother about the TAN and the #BringBackGoodluck2015 campaign. We will cross that bridge when we get there.
