bellomukhtar@icloud.com
“A Man Who Is Made A Prince By The Favour Of The People Must Work To Retain Their Friendship; And This Is Easy For Him Because The People Ask Only Not To Be Oppressed.”
-Niccolo Machiavelli
I wrote this piece some time ago but for obvious reasons thought I should re-publish it for the attention of us the governed and those who are supposed to govern us. The President and Commander In Chief; most especially.
Below, are a few highlights of what must be executed by the President for us to have a seamlessly smooth government fabric.
1. Professional Reputation.
Being The Commander In Chief And Custodian Of The Sovereignty Of The Nation, Whose Constitutional Powers Supersedes Every Other Citizen And Is The Manager Of The Nation’s Economic, Political, Religious And Cultural Values. A Man Whose Expertise In Politics, Governance, Security, International Relations And Foreign Policies Must Be Discharged Diligently And In The Highest Degree Of Accuracy. His Brilliance Of Mind Must Testify In Accordance With The Conduit Of Human Spirit.
2. Public Prestige.
His Ability To Command Respect In The Eyes Of His People, Expedite Action Where And When Necessary Especially On Matters Of National Importance, Discharging Of His Duties As A Nationalist Devoid Of Nepotism, Favouritism And CABALISM. His Inadequacies Or Weaknesses Should Never Be Exposed For Public Consumption.
3. Power Of Persuasion.
A President Is Supposed To Repose Confidence In The Hearts And Minds Of His Citizenry. His Ability To Influence The Public On Government Policies And Programmes Should Not Be Doubtful. He Should Be Taken As A Man Of His Words And Never To Be Influenced By Any Individual Or Group Either Within Or Outside The Government. He Must Be Honest And Totally Against Any Form Of Corruption. He Must Take Every Decision In The Country’s Best Interest And Towards The Development Of His People Without Fear Or Favour With His Watch Words As, Assuring The Citizens Of National Unity And Cohesion.
4. Lieutenants.
His Lieutenants Must Be Absolutely Loyal To The Country And The Office Of The President. They Must Be People Of Proven Integrity, Technical Competence And Must Be Conversant With The Political And Governmental Terrain Within And Outside Government. Just Like In A War Situation, They Must Be Sagacious Commanders Whose Administrative Expertise And Intellectual Acumen Will Be Put To Use In Managing The Machinery Of Government.
5. Political Party Relations.
The President Must Have A Harmonious Working Relationship With His Political Party. He Should Always Liaise With The Top Party Hierarchy And Operate In Accordance With The Modus Operandi Of The Party, In Other Words; He Must Be A Loyal Party Faithful. He Should Intervene In The Party Affairs Especially Where Or When There Is Discord.
6. Consultations With The Great Men/Women Of The State.
These People Involve Former Presidents, Military Leaders, Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders And Other National Stakeholders For Their Support, Counsel, Solution Provision And Critical Decision Making Expertise. The Experience Of Such People Is A Treasure To The Survival Of Any Nation In The World.
How Do We Balance The Above Pointers On A Scale Of Fair Play On One Hand And The Current Nigerian Situation On The Other?
Much Needs To Be Done Very Fast In The Area Of Security And Most Importantly, By The Man On Whose Desk The Buck Stops; As The President And Commander-In-Chief Of The Armed Forces, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu GCFR Must Come Clean And Make Sure He Checks All The Boxes Positively.
PS:
It’s not too late, it’s never fatal to turn back on decisions made for the good of his citizens. It’s never a shame to walk back and re-track his stance on certain policies for the sustenance of peace, harmony and the democratic tenets he firmly believes in. Doing the opposite is akin to assuming the position of lord over Nigerians.
I hope Nigerians will look inward and examine what we stand to lose as a people should we resort to violence and lawlessness. We have the right to protest, but we have no right to destroy, maim or take the lives of innocent people whether they be law enforcement or civilians. Let’s be civil please.
Bello Mukhtar.
