Muhammadu Buhari`s 2022 Democracy Day speech is a musical performance that struck the right notes. The 24 paragraph speech was simple, short and straight to the points, leaving no one in doubt that those charged with writing Buhari`s public speech were at their best this time.
Could the speech have been better improved? Absolutely Yes! They could have done much better in so many ways. The speech could have gone much further to address some very salient issues that affects the foundation of the country called Nigeria.
For instance, Muhammadu Buhari could and should have addressed the issue of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the killings and the riddle of unknown gunmen in Biafraland that have led to the murder of so many innocent Igbo youths and many others.
So also is the equally all-important matter affecting the freedom of Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba self-determination activist and philanthropist.
These are issues that have touched on the defective foundation that Nigeria rests on, all of which requires urgent and considerate attention. Yet, the Daura native thought it wise to go silent on them and thereby treating them as essentially not relevant.
Only very few will be surprised by this Buhari`s approach anyway. I for one am not. Buhari and his likes think they hold all the cards on these issues and can proceed as it pleases them. At the moment, in their calculation it pleases them to treat them as trivial and inconsequential.
The future will tell how right he was. The 2022 Democracy Day speech was Buhari`s last in office. He will never address the nation in that position again in his lifetime, not in 2023, not ever.
Buhari just wasted the opportunity presented by his last Democracy Day address to his country to calm frayed nerves, heal wounds and set the tone for dialogue that would lead the country on the path for restoration.
That much may have been expected from Muhammadu, but only as a miracle. It is important to point that out.
Any close observer of Buhari since 2015 at least, would not have really and truly had such almost charitable expectation of him, knowing fully well the character of his person, those he is surrounded with, and also the ambition they all pursue up North.
Nevertheless, Buhari`s Democracy Day speech cannot be dismissed completely. The positive side of it must be acknowledged, commended and perhaps celebrated for what they are worth. There were indeed much to celebrate from this June 12, 2022 address.
If not for any other thing, the 24 paragraph speech was laden with lots of assurance that the hell and fury and the curse the coming of Muhammadu Buhari`s regime inflicted on Nigeria and Nigerian now have a certain expiration date.
Hundreds of bereaved and grieving Igbo families can heave a sigh of relieve that the Lucifer and his demons will finally be leaving the throne, and will be banished from it forever or at last in the nearest possible future, while the constitutional two term limit suffices.
Form the expository wordings of the speech, Muhammadu Buhari has giving assurance of a commitment to seeing through the current democratic process. He has made a clear undertaking not to interfere with the February 2023 presidential election, but allow a credible electoral process.
This to my understanding is a commitment or perhaps a public declaration to also hand over to a democratically elected successor come May 2023. Whether Buhari has any credibility to make a commitment that we can rely on is another thing anyway.
Nevertheless, the fact that he made this declaration publicly is enough to celebrate. It is no longer an assumption, but a concrete declaration cast in stone, and cannot be easily rolled back.
It is also noteworthy that Buhari in very strong and clear language condemned the annulment of June 12 election, which is widely reorganized as Nigeria`s most credible election till date.
Of reference is his comments in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the speech where he said:
“On June 12th 1993, Nigerians saw the best in our citizens as we all went out to vote peacefully. By June 24th 1993, we also saw the worst of our leadership as the elections were annulled.”
“We must never forget the sacrifices of the heroes of Nigeria’s democracy during 1993. Their patriotism and peaceful struggle should guide our actions especially when it comes to electing our leaders and holding them accountable, now and in future.”
You would not ordinarily recorginse Muhammadu Buhari with the above comments. In fact, the full speech does not in any way depict the evil that befell our people from Daura, Kastina for more than 7 years and still counting.
The last paragraph of the speech was spiritual and divine, urging, “God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
This and more could have given the speech the appearance of scripture if not that it was written by Aso Rock demons and read out to the nation by the Lucifer himself.
As it is said bath a pig, cream a pig, it will still remain a pig. That explains why these characters that have held us down for long will always bear the evil marks of lies and deceit, which is inbuilt in their DNA, no matter how much they pretend.
This is exactly what they demonstrated in paragraph 19 of the speech, their usual lies:
“For those who have lost their lives, we will continue to seek justice for their families against the perpetrators. For those currently in captivity, we will not stop until they are freed, and their kidnappers are brought to justice. If we all unite, we will be victorious against these agents of terror and destruction.”
There is nothing in the above comment that holds true with Buhari`s regime. If anything his government have overseen this killings and have practically done nothing to wipe the tears of the grieving families.
Rather than take deliberate actions to console the families of victims or find justice for the killers of their loved ones, to provide rest for the soul of those whom his contract killers, the Nigerian army and DSS have murdered around the South East in particular, Muhammadu Buhari have chosen to look the other way.
Written by Williams Ukonu Esq, lawyer and rights advocate. He is a Clariform columnist and a regular commentator on national issues. He tweets @WilliamsUkonu and can be reached at wukonu@swiftsolicitor.com.
