Reflections on independence

After his Independence Day anniversary speech last week, President Tinubu proceeded on a two-week vacation to the United Kingdom. The trip was tersely announced as usual, to be part of Mr. President’s yearly leave, but instead of resting he had converted it to a working holiday and retreat to enable him reflect on the administration’s economic reforms.

In the first place, constitutionally-minded Nigerians have asked why President Tinubu did not hand over to his Vice President, Kashim Shettima. The Constitution (1999) has no provision for working vacation, which this Presidency has coined to avoid giving details and escape the radar of transparency. Despite the deliberate ambiguity in Section 145, it is still very clear on what a president must do whenever he is proceeding on vacation, whether for two or four weeks. Vacation is vacation.

State affairs are not designed to suffer as a result of a president’s personal indulgences. The office of the president is amply supplied with material comfort to enable the occupant function with ease. He has access to best medical facilities at home and abroad. He travels comfortably on land and in the air.

He has more than enough cash to spend, so that he is not limited multi-dimensionally, as millions of citizens have found themselves since the advent of the Fourth Republic. He doesn’t have to lose sleep over price of gas, rice or petrol, so that he will stay focused and be clear-minded.

To avoid mischief in high places, the Constitution has provided options to ensure a smooth and seamless running of government; working vacation is a predilection of this government, not a constitutional option. The idea conveys that state affairs are being conducted in another country because operators have no confidence in the Constitution, which recommends that a letter be transmitted to the National Assembly to enable an Acting President take charge.

It also suggests a lack of confidence in the office of the Vice President, which if that is the case, is an affront and a constitutional offence. Working vacation, apart from being a security risk increases governance costs.

The risk aspect has to do with possibilities of other countries’ intelligence bodies nosing around and sniffing stuff about Nigeria, that’s if we ever had anything serious to hide. One cannot imagine presidents of serious-minded and security-conscious countries such as Iran, Russia, China and Israel, abandoning home for some strange vacation in a western capital, to spend two weeks attempting to remotely resolve hyperinflation, terrorism, fuel scarcity and acute corruption back home. It appears Nigeria has no parallel in the funny things leaders do.

As per increased governance costs, yes, it’s possible to work remotely and reduce cost, but that’s not what we see when Nigerian presidents abandon home. They carry along some kitchen cabinet members to provide real time updates. Their upkeep and travel expenses are borne by tax payers, whereas, the office of the Vice President could have discharged these tasks at less cost and also gain experience.

We have been through all these and it’s unfortunate that those who knew all the facts and made all the noise while similar infractions took place during previous administrations are now in power. Their friends in the media, in the academia, the civil society and elsewhere are keeping straight faces and keeping mute. Those who are hired to defend and normalise absurdities even justify that President Tinubu can rule Nigeria from an Elon Musk’s space craft in faraway Jupiter.

On different occasions, Muhammadu Buhari as president was reluctant to hand over to his Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. He preferred to carry the office abroad, where he spent hundreds of days nursing undisclosed ailments. The only time Buhari released the levers of power to Osinbajo due to public demand, the difference was clear, as history doesn’t forget.

In August 2018, Osinbajo, as Acting President sent home Lawal Daura, former Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), who had unlawfully laid siege to the National Assembly. Buhari had condoned the excesses of Daura, whom he had recalled from retirement on July 2, 2015 to head the Service. Osinbajo, still in acting capacity nominated Walter Onnoghen as substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria, at a time the Presidency deliberately created a logjam to frustrate his appointment.

Handlers of former President Umar Yar’adua, also toyed with the Constitution when they attempted to privatise the Presidency. That was a classic case of closet takeover, as a handful of friends and family attempted to capture the seat of power, while the Vice President and the nation were completely shut out. Justice however prevailed in the end. But lessons were not learnt, apparently.

The very idea of taking a vacation in Europe after that rousing Independence Day speech in which Mr. President demanded patriotism and sacrifice from citizens, has added to the trust deficit this government accumulates for itself. Citizens don’t trust Mr. President because what he professes are at variance with his actions.

In the opening paragraph, he said: “fellow Nigerians, as I address you today, I am deeply aware of the struggles many of you face in these challenging times. Our administration knows that many of you struggle with rising living costs and the search for meaningful employment. I want to assure you that your voices are heard.”

Citizens are tired of this ancient and worn-out sermon that is not preached for the class. Let speech writers get more creative. The anniversary was itself a day to reflect on the journey of nationhood that began in 1960. Many patriots have confessed that Nigeria is not where she ought to be as the leader of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as in the comity of the African Union.

Part of the reflections centered around the manner leaders have mismanaged public service. The anniversary was expected to evoke repentance and cause an enduring change in leadership, so that today’s youth and the next generation would have high values and ethics to emulate and adopt.

Instead, President Tinubu betrayed the citizens’ trust and went away to spend their money in UK. Any form of economic reform that fails to accommodate a reset of the mind is bound to fail. The time to save the future of Nigeria is now and it is not only about chasing foreign direct and indirect investment, but to lead by example and begin to earnestly reduce the cost of governance and cut wasteful traditions.

The Presidency should trim the exercise of cabinet members lining up like school children to see Mr. President off and welcome him at airports. The President is an elected officer, not a traditional ruler to be regaled in clownish protocols. At 64, the Nigerian leadership should reflect on how to save time and the resources we borrow from China and the World Bank.

At one point, an exasperated Governor of the Central Bank, Yemi Cardoso, blurted frustration when he announced to members of the House of Representatives in February 2024, that Nigerians spent $40 billion on overseas education and healthcare in 10 years. He was handed a difficult task to magically inflate the value of the naira. He told the lawmakers that it is the frivolous demand by those travelling for education and medicals abroad that is hurting the naira. What he did not tell them is the fact that politically exposed persons are largely responsible for the fiscal indiscipline in the system.

Our lawmakers just resumed from their own vacation. In the spirit of this government and the ones before, a good number of them spent their holidays in Europe and the United States, where they own choice property and pay taxes to those governments. If President Tinubu understands the real meaning of economic reforms, he would have shown by example that he needed to make the job easier for Cardoso and persuade the political class to spend their vacation at home.

The President could have retreated to a safe location in the country; there are safe places here, and save the forex he is wasting abroad. He could have ignited a resurgence in local tourism by that action and begin to create the millions of phantom jobs their party promised when they took office in 2015.

The Independence Day anniversary provoked conversations across platforms, with some doubting if Nigeria is truly independent, if at 64 the basic amenities of life are still being sought after by the leaders and citizens in Europe and the UAE.

A common thread in the conversations was that the flag of independence is different from the liberation of the mind. There is still mental slavery in most of Africa, with leaders failing to sustain the momentum procured at independence and refusing to rally citizens to aim for the top. After all, Africa was not the only continent that was colonised.

Other colonised continents have since awakened, and have taken over from former colonial masters, in industry and disciplined leadership. India is soaring. China has comfortably arrived. South Korea has a comfortable economy. In these countries, their presidents don’t take working vacation to other countries. And they do not romance and deodorise corruption.

According to AEI, as at 2018, half of living former South Korean presidents had been to jail for corruption. Here, we carry out closet plea bargains whereby ICPC and EFCC are not compelled to disclose details of who paid what.

As Mr. President lounges and reflects in UK, he should pay attention to how democratic systems are run, so that he does not return empty-handed. Last week, Prime Minister, Keir Starmer paid £6,000 as refund for gifts that could compromise his office.

In that country, the Ministerial Code requires disclosures of gifts and hospitality to avoid conflicts of interest and maintain impartiality. That helps to avoid biases, maintain public trust and governance integrity.
Mr. President, the ball has been in your court to make the changes you promised and restore hope. Do it now!