COLUMNS 28/06/2023
How Buharocracy Put Nigeria In Throes (Part 3)
By Prof. Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb, Ph.D, LL.M, LL.D, D.Litt.
INTRODUCTION
I write to straighten history. Mangled history. I write to prevent historical revisionists and modern day turn-coat “Messiahs” from rewriting the immediate past history of the Muhammadu Buhari locust years as president of Nigeria. He bled Nigeria. Buhari put Nigeria on life-support oxygen. He asphyxiated Nigeria economically, socially and politically. He deepened and widened with alarming precision, Nigeria’s divisiveness. Under Buhari, ethnicism, sectionalism, clannishness, tribalism, favouritism, prebendalism, cronyism and mediocrity were enthroned, celebrated, glorified, nurtured, watered and held aloft as “Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy”. Buhari did not care. He did not bother. He simply winced, wringed his hands, or laughed heartily at the befuddling troubles of Nigeria. He persistently and unapologetically feigned ignorance of the anger, melancholy, disillusionment, poverty, penury, sweat, pains, pangs and blood that besotted our beleaguered country, Nigeria. He turned his erstwhile austere, Spartan-like life into one of opulence and unrestrained grandeur; wearing well-ironed designer babanriga and sokoto national dresses. He hardly appeared twice in the same dress. The once lean-looking retired Major General became plumpier and healthier than he was when he took office. All the aircraft in the presidential fleet which he had vowed during campaigns to trim if he became president were not only retained, but increased and expanded; all with suffering and agonizing taxpayers money. Nigerians begged for crumbs that fell from the master’s table. Many resorted to garbage dumps for survival. PHCN increased its tariff astronomically, even as darkness enveloped Nigeria. Inflation galloped away like a wild hungry horse. Government propaganda increased, making Adolf Hitler’s Goebel green with envy from his 1945 cold grave. Many a time, I actually wondered whether the false, fake and illusory statements and claims from the government’s amplified megaphones were from another planet different from this our mother earth where we live. Did you not also wonder? Nigerians became Ayi Kwei Armah’s “walking corpses” and “The Living Dead”. They trudged on aimlessly, somnabulistically. Today became bloody. Tomorrow became a mirage. Life became colourless. Ha! Buharocracy!!
As Nigerians died in droves in the hands of reinvigorated deadly Boko Haram, ferocious kidnappers and blood-letting armed bandits, Buhari and his coterie of cronies, hangers-on, bootlickers, fawners and ego-masseurs, increased and blossomed. Presidential aircraft were parked unused for weeks, at times for months, awaiting Buhari’s recovery in British hospitals during his many medical tours abroad. Aso Villa clinic into which billions of naira were poured remained empty of drugs and doctors. Buhari increased cost of governance, rather than reduce it. Lip service was paid to democratic dividends. Our national ethos was further bastardised as men and women of questionable character were either openly decorated with national honours, or were permitted to take honorary doctorate degrees, the latter practice of which had been banned by his predecessors. All these are part and parcel of the new concept called BUHAROCRACY. The concept is drawn from my OZEKPEDIA neologism. I will still give more later on Buharocracy, as it is a very wide and elastic undemocratic concept which I have just introduced into our political lexicon.
Unlike many other Nigerians who failed to speak up, or reclined in self-imposed cocoons, I have been speaking up. I did not just wake up today from a deep slumber to start xraying, critiquing or criticising former President Buhari. As I earlier showed in Google links in part 2 of this dissertation, I had never relented. Read more today, continuing from 2019, having already treated 2014 to part of 2019.
OZEKPEDIA, 2019 CONTINUES
https://sunnewsonline.com/ozekhome-charges-buhari-to-be-more-accommodating/?amp; OZEKHOME CHARGES BUHARI TO BE MORE ACCOMMODATING; June 5, 2019
https://dailypost.ng/2019/07/28/el-zazakky-ozekhome-blasts-buhari-govt-proscribing-shiite-tells-ban-miyetti-allah/…; EL-ZAZAKKY: OZEKHOME BLASTS BUHARI GOVT FOR PROSCRIBING SHI’ITE, TELLS HIM TO BAN MIYETTI ALLAH ; July 28 , 2019
https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/08/05/mike-ozekhome-blasts-buhari-over-sowores-arrest/?amp=1; MIKE OZEKHOME BLASTS BUHARI OVER SOWORE’S ARREST; August 5, 2019
https://dailypost.ng/2019/08/08/revolution-now-ozekhome-faults-court-judgment-blasts-buhari/?amp=1; NEWs; REVOLUTION NOW: OZEKHOME FAULTS COURT JUDGMENT, BLASTS BUHARI; August 8, 2019
https://saharareporters.com/human-rights?HwGVUrde_html=&page=62; SOWORE: OZEKHOME HAILS RULING, ASKS GOVERNMENT TO DISCONTINUE CASE; September 24. 2019
https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/10/01/parents-now-sell-children-to-survive-under-buharis-govt-ozekhome/?amp=1; PARENTS NOW SELL CHILDREN TO SURVIVE UNDER BUHARI’S GOVT – OZEKHOME ; October 1, 2019
https://sunnewsonline.com/ebute-ozekhome-disagree-over-buharis-october-1-broadcast-on-hate-speech/?amp=; EBUTE, OZEKHOME DISAGREE OVER BUHARI’S OCTOBER 1 BROADCAST ON HATE SPEECH; October 1, 2019
https://dailypost.ng/2019/10/01/nigerians-now-live-like-corpses-walking-dead-mike-ozekhome-blasts-buhari-govt/; NEWS; NIGERIANS NOW LIVE LIKE CORPSES, WALKING DEAD — MIKE OZEKHOME BLASTS BUHARI GOVT; October 1, 2019
https://independent.ng/president-buhari-can-be-investigated-while-in-office-ozekhome/; october 7, 2019
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/11/08/ozekhome-faults-buhari-for-signing-bills-into-law-in-uk-during-private-visit/amp/; OZEKHOME FAULTS BUHARI FOR SIGNING BILLS INTO LAW IN UK DURING PRIVATE VISIT; November 8, 2019
https://prnigeria.com/2019/11/12/death-penalty-absurd-ozekhome/; DEATH PENALTY ON HATE SPEECH, ABSURD, OUTRAGEOUS…OZEKHOME; November 12, 2019
https://dailypost.ng/2019/12/14/onnoghen-ozekhome-criticise-buhari-over-seizure-of-ex-cjns-passport/?amp=1; NEWS; ONNOGHEN: OZEKHOME CRITICISE BUHARI OVER SEIZURE OF EX-CJN’S PASSPORT; December 14, 2019
https://africadailynews.net/2019/12/24/sowore-dasuki-buhari-has-realised-mistake-ozekhome.html, SOWORE/DASUKI: BUHARI HAS REALISED MISTAKE – OZEKHOME; December 24, 2019
2020
https://insidebusiness.ng/81656/sowore-buhari-is-allergic-to-criticism-ozekhome/; SOWORE: BUHARI IS ALLERGIC TO CRITICISM — OZEKHOME; September 19, 2020
https://thestreetjournal.org/ozekhome-flays-buharis-lame-independence-anniversary-broadcast/; OZEKHOME’S FLAYS BUHARI’S “LAME” INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST; October 1, 2020
https://mikeozekhomeschambers.com/buharis-independent-speech-shows-fixated-hatred-for-igbo-ozekhome/; BUHARI’S INDEPENDENT SPEECH SHOWS FIXATED HATRED FOR IGBO – OZEKHOME; October 17, 2020
https://www.mynigeria.com/NigeriaHomePage/NewsArchive/Ozekhome-faults-Malami-says-NASS-has-powers-to-summon-Buhari-400421; OZEKHOME FAULTS MALAMI, SAYS NASS HAS POWERS TO SUMMON BUHARI; December 10, 2020
https://thenigerialawyer.com/ozekhome-san-replies-agf-malami-says-nass-has-power-to-summon-president-buhari-over-operatiional-use-of-the-armed-forces/; OZEKHOME (SAN) REPLIES AGF, MALAMI SAYS NASS HAS POWER TO SUMMON PRESIDENT BUHARI OVER ‘OPERATIONAL USE OF THE ARMED FORCES’; December 10, 2020.
https://saharareporters.com/2020/12/20/insecurity-buhari-government-has-lost-legitimacy-ozekhome-says; INSECURITY: BUHARI GOVERNMENT HAS LOST LEGITIMACY, OZEKHOME SAYS; December 20, 2020
2021
https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/ozekhome-faults-buhari-over-retirement-of-service-chiefs-says-they-deserve-to-have-been-sacked/?amp=; OZEKHOME FAULTS BUHARI OVER RETIREMENT OF SERVICE CHIEFS, SAYS THEY DESERVE TO HAVE BEEN SACKED; January 27, 2021
https://saharareporters.com/2021/02/28/807-school-pupils-stolen-under-buhari-hope-nigeria-itself-won%E2%80%99t-be-abducted-%E2%80%93-ozekhome; 807 SCHOOL PUPILS STOLEN UNDER BUHARI; HOPE NIGERIA ITSELF WON’T BE ABDUCTED? – OZEKHOME; February 28, 2021
https://www.arise.tv/elites-united-in-haemorrhaging-nigeria-senior-lawyer-ozekhome-says/; ELITES UNITED IN HAEMORRHAGING NIGERIA, SENIOR LAWYER OZEKHOME SAYS; March 5, 2021.
https://gazettengr.com/efcc-sought-to-humiliate-me-for-criticising-buhari-ozekhome/, EFCC SOUGHT TO HUMILIATE ME FOR CRITICISING BUHARI: OZEKHOME; March 20,2021
https://www.thecable.ng/its-illegal-for-buhari-to-solely-appoint-igp-says-ozekhome/amp; IT’S ILLEGAL FOR BUHARI TO SOLELY APPOINT IGP, SAYS OZEKHOME; April 6, 2021
https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/04/08/ozekhomes-bombshell-buharis-appointment-of-baba-illegal-prebendalism/?amp=1; OZEKHOME’S BOMBSHELL: BUHARI’S APPOINTMENT OF BABA ILLEGAL, PREBENDALISM ; April 8, 2021
https://businessday.ng/news/article/ozekhome-wants-pantami-prosecuted-for-terrorism/; OZEKHOME WANTS PANTAMI PROSECUTED FOR TERRORISM; April 25, 2021
https://thenigerialawyer.com/insecurity-president-buhari-missing-in-action-his-capacity-has-been-tested-ozekhome-san/; INSECURITY: PRESIDENT BUHARI MISSING IN ACTION, HIS CAPACITY HAS BEEN TESTED — OZEKHOME, SAN; April 28, 2021
https://thisnigeria.com/wake-up-president-buhari-from-his-deep-slumber-self-denial-ozekhome/; WAKE UP PRESIDENT BUHARI FROM HIS DEEP SLUMBER, SELF-DENIAL – OZEKHOME April 29, 2021
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/05/14/nigeria-showing-signs-of-failed-state-ozekhome-laments/amp/; NIGERIA SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILED STATE, OZEKHOME LAMENTS SAYS NO NEED FOR FRESH NATIONAL DIALOGUE; May 14, 2021
https://saharareporters.com/2021/06/04/when-tottering-government-twiddles-twitter-chief-mike-ozekhome; WHEN A TOTTERING GOVERNMENT TWIDDLES TWITTER BY CHIEF MIKE OZEKHOME; June 4, 2021
https://newtelegraphng.com/us-nba-makinde-ozekhome-fault-fg/; US, NBA, MAKINDE, OZEKHOME FAULT FG; June 6 2021
https://guardian.ng/news/ozekhome-blames-banditry-terrorism-on-inequality-cautions-against-subsidy-removal/; OZEKHOME BLAMES BANDITRY, TERRORISM ON INEQUALITY, CAUTIONS AGAINST SUBSIDY REMOVAL; November 30, 2021
https://topcelebrities.com.ng/ozekhome-blasts-buhari-2/; OZEKHOME BLASTS BUHARI; June 7, 2021
https://gazettengr.com/nigerian-governors-are-like-bandits-ozekhome/; NIGERIAN GOVERNORS ARE LIKE BANDITS: OZEKHOME; June 18, 2021
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/07/19/electoral-act-you-have-destroyed-democracy-in-nigeria-ozekhome-tells-nassembly/amp/; ELECTORAL ACT: YOU HAVE DESTROYED DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA, OZEKHOME TELLS N’ASSEMBLY; June 19, 2021
https://thisnigeria.com/buhari-and-his-faulty-policy-of-non-restructuring-by-mike-ozekhome/; BUHARI AND HIS FAULTY POLICY OF NON-RESTRUCTURING BY MIKE OZEKHOME; July 5, 2021
https://youtu.be/Pye4DcqzemM; “BUHARI MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA” – MIKE OZEKHOME; August 2, 2021.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/10/ozekhome-to-buharihow-can-middle-men-hoard-non-available-food/amp/; OZEKHOME TO BUHARI: HOW CAN MIDDLEMEN HOARD NON-AVAILABLE FOOD; October 1, 2021
https://www.page36news.com/2021/10/02/mike-ozekhome-says-we-are-not-practising-democracy-in-nigeria-declares-that-what-we-have-under-president-muhammadu-buhari-others-is-election-ocracy-where-the-leaders-elect-themselves-into-office-o/amp/; MIKE OZEKHOME SAYS WE ARE NOT PRACTISING DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA, DECLARES THAT WHAT WE HAVE UNDER PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, OTHERS, IS ELECTION-OCRACY, WHERE THE LEADERS ELECT THEMSELVES INTO OFFICE ON ELECTION DAYS; October 2, 2021. (To be continued in part 4)