APC and the Faces of Change

Buhari 72 years, Bola Tinubu 62 years Adebisi Akande 76 years

A young man posted the above photo on his Facebook page with the following caption; ‘see the faces of people that want to change Nigeria’.

In other words, they are some of the faces that caused Nigeria’s problems. And since they created the problems, let me ask, and according to the bible, ‘can demon cast out demon’? Of course “problems cannot be solved with the same mind-set that created them”. - Albert Einstein.

All we hear from Buhari and APC is that they want to change Nigeria. As far as I am concerned, the Yoruba elements of APC are trying to change Buhari rather than Buhari trying to change Nigeria.

I believe they want to purge Buhari of his bigoted ideas and ensure that he realises that there are other ethnic nationalities that exist in Nigeria in addition to his ‘born to rule’ Hausa/Fulani. Thus, the best way to go about is get him to feel other people.

The rebranded Buhari in photos

All the same, if changing Buhari wasn't the intention Yorubas, then, since solving problems require different mind-set than the one that created them, it will be foolhardy to believe that these faces would make any progress towards solving Nigeria’s problems.

Some may argue that they should be allowed to correct their mistakes, but not when they are above 70 years old, which is the average age of the faces that want to change Nigeria now. 

And so, the younger Nigerians should be allowed to look into Nigeria’s problems and inject fresh ideas toward solving them. But unfortunately, these younger generations are the ones rooting and begging Buhari to come and rescue Nigeria. 

The faces of some of these young men with an average age of 51 that want a 72 year old man to change Nigeria for them are:

el-rufai 54yrs

The average age of the men who want a 72 year old Buhari to change Nigeria for them is 51. By the way, what are their reasons for insisting on Buhari to change Nigeria for them?

Fayemi 49yrs

They argue that Buhari is a strong man and therefore, will fight corruption head on. Well, the last time Pres. Obama was in Africa, he told the leaders that Africa doesn't need strong men but strong institutions.

Fashola 51yrs

Besides, that Buhari as a former head of state has the experience to change Nigeria. If that’s the case, Shehu Shagari should come and complete his tenure because he said if Buhari didn’t overthrow him, he would have changed Nigeria. That as a retired Army General, Buhari has the know how to defeat Boko haram and restore security in the country.

The last time Buhari fought in a war was during Biafra war. And since then, military hardware has advanced and Buhari must be out of date with technology.

Nnamdi Azikiwe

became the premier 
of Eastern Region

in 1954 at the age 

of 50; Governor 

General in 1960

at the age of 59;

President of Nigeria 

when it became 

republic in 1963

Anyway, many other faces tried to change Nigeria before and after independence in 1960. Some of those faces are Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa etc.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, these men at an average age of 45 didn't look for a 72 year old man to change Nigeria for them. They tried to do it by  themselves.

On the contrary, it is baffling that Gov. Fashola and Co, at the average age of 51 is asking a 72 year old Buhari to rescue Nigeria for them.

However, the Nigerian leaders of 1960s sowed the seed of disunity that is still troubling the country till today.

Ahmadu Bello and his Hausa/Fulani for instance, never believed in the Nigeria project. Awolowo was interested in his Yoruba people but wanted a federal Nigeria unlike Azikiwe whose interest was in a united Africa.

Finally, Nigeria is the only country in the world that calls itself ‘one’ Nigeria. It is because the country is not one.

And so, until the people of Nigeria agree to sit down and discuss those fundamental issues that disunite them, there will never be change.