Who becomes the next president of Nigeria?

Gloria Oloruntobi (Maraji), a young comedian, is quoted as saying that Jesus and not Allah is the only way to salvation. That is the level of ignorance bedeviling Nigerians, if not humanity at large. How can Jesus born by a woman be a greater saviour than the Almighty Allah, otherwise called Olodumare or Odomankoma, etc in Africa? Christianity and Islam are bundles of confusion. I dedicate this letter-article to the leader of the Shiites in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat. I wish them sound health, peace of mind and joy in India. Nigeria needs them to come back and lead the Shiites, as permitted by the Constitution that guarantees religious liberty and freedom of association. Together, we should work for the humanisation and modernisation of Nigeria. Any religion that disapproves of religious sects is ipso facto outlawed by Nigeria’s Constitution.

When I formatted my phone, I lost the number of some people, including that of Prof. Hussein Oyinlọlạ Bọboye Oloyede, the Vice-chancellor of Summit University, Offa, Kwara State. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasak, Kwara State, is quoted as saying he would not misappropriate public funds. Let me appreciate him for ensuring that Radio Kwara is back, kicking.

My immediate problem with him (AbdulRasak) is how anybody who does not see anything wrong with what the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) is doing can be a good person, even though some people spoke on radio saying AbdulRasak is a good person, hoping they knew what they were talking about. The Yoruba say a sheep associating with dog will eat faeces. How can you be a political associate of the most brutal President of Nigeria, committing the worst carnage and economic destruction of Nigeria, and be saying you are a saint? The English say show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.

Nigeria is in shambles due to the unjustifiable war against the Boko Haram Islamic sect-community of men, women and children that did not attack anybody until attacked; and protection of the Fulani herdsmen terrorists ravaging agrarian communities, resulting in worsening insecurities in mushrooming armed bandits and kidnapping gangs. Why is GMB unable to pay N30, 000 minimum wage, and will AbdulRasak be able to pay? That goes beyond whether AbdulRasak is a good person or a bad person. But can a good person associating with a bad person be a genuinely good person? That is the riddle beyond my imagination. I appreciate that there is fresh water welling up in Kwara State, with people phoning-in on radio and saying they appreciate AbdulRasak for not distributing rams as usual but trying to fix infrastructure, as possible. What about his contribution to the Ilorin Dubar festival?

Rather than facing the issues of the moment, including who is the actual winner of the 2019 presidential election, some enemies of Nigeria, including Nasir El-Rufai, are distracting Nigerians with the issue of who becomes the next President in 2023. Among the worst enemies of Nigeria are the opponents of presidential zoning that is in tandem with Nigeria’s federal character policy. Everybody wants to be the President whether Nigeria is orderly or not. Such people don’t even pray that Nigeria should ever be orderly.

The enemies include about hundred candidates who presented themselves for presidential election in the 2019 edition. When self-conceit gives way to putting Nigeria first, Nigerians will unite around what the octogenarian former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo, PhD, advised: a Third Force that will reorder Nigeria for peaceful and sustainable progress.
Prof. Ọlọjẹẹde Oyeniran Abiọjẹ, wrote from University of Ilorin.