TOBI AWORINDE
For over a month, Nigerians watched with bated breath as the world’s superpowers battled thousands of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. But it was not until February 27 that the fears of many Nigerians were realised. That was when the country recorded its index case.
There have since been about 51 COVID-19 cases and one death, with the Federal Capital Territory and seven states, including Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Oyo, Edo, Bauchi and Osun affected.
While many world leaders have periodically mounted the proverbial soapbox to educate, update and reassure their citizens and bring hope to a tense national atmosphere, Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has kept mum – save for a 23-second video retweeted on Twitter and later deleted by his Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad.
Conversely, barely a year ago, the President defied insinuations by some people when he embarked on months of rigorous daily campaigns across the country, delivering a series of sweet-talking speeches to lure the electorate for the purpose of his much-coveted and soon actualised re-election.
The sudden loquacity stunned many Nigerians, given the Commander-in-Chief’s silence amid scores of Boko Haram attacks, herdsmen/farmers clashes, banditry incidents, kidnappings and his numerous medical vacations.
Meanwhile, in a widely lauded move, the Senate recently told Buhari that the citizens deserved to hear from him, adding that, if the President addressed Nigerians, citizens and government agencies would be more serious in adhering to the preventive measures.
But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, attacked the Senate, which is dominated by people from the President’s party – the All Progressives Congress. Shehu said such calls by members of the Senate were “cheap and sensational.”
To many, Buhari’s silence in the midst of the pandemic is best described as deafening, though unsurprising.
Prof Onyebuchi Ezeani of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, told Saturday PUNCH that the President’s failure to address the nation was not out of character.
Ezeani stated that since Buhari’s return from his months-long 2017 medical trip in the United Kingdom, his impression of the President was that he was not in good physical shape, which he said might have affected his body language and some of his actions.
He said, “To be frank, I am not that surprised because, for quite some time now, even before this coronavirus situation, I have noticed that he doesn’t appear so much in the public and that has made people to question if there is something wrong. So, to me, it doesn’t come as a surprise.
“You will recall the case of the National Security Adviser (Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.) accusing the Chief of Staff (Abba Kyari) of usurping his powers and his inability to have access to the President, and so on. Access to him has been very restrictive and, personally, I would look into his health conditions.
“I believe the Buhari I knew when he was healthy was more active. My feeling is that his health condition is affecting his ability to meet the expectations of the people.”
The 2019 presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, Tope Fasua, agreed that Buhari’s silence was problematic yet predictable, citing the example of the Lagos gas explosion that claimed 20 lives on March 15.
Fasua said, “It’s not surprising. The truth is that leadership is now 90 per cent communication. So, 95 per cent of the work of a leader these days is communication. He has to communicate in any manner; written, spoken and even body language.
“Your body language should entail being able to move around a lot and show up in so many places. For example, some have criticised the President for not going to Abule Ado, but instead waited in Aso Rock to view the pictures, and so on.”
On Tuesday, the coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria seemed to escalate overnight with confirmation that the President’s Chief of Staff, Kyari, and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, had tested positive.
Though Buhari tested negative, there is a school of thought that believes there was a renewed sense of urgency to the President’s need to address the nation.
Dr Idowu Johnson of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, stated that Buhari’s withdrawal at a critical time showed that he was not on top of state affairs.
Johnson argued that the alleged lack of accountability of the President amid the outbreak showed that Nigeria does not have leaders but rulers.
He stated that world leaders speaking to their citizens within the context of the pandemic had demonstrated normal behaviour by heads of government.
The political scientist said, “When they see their leaders, rather than fear or panic, they have a morale boost and confidence that their leaders are supporting them. World leaders addressing their citizens on this pandemic give them hope and assurance that the virus will be eradicated soon.
“Coming back to Nigeria, is Buhari in charge of Nigerian affairs? If he is in charge of it, does he even know or have the information about the pandemic? The summary of this is that the action of the President is an indication that some people are in charge of Nigeria, not Buhari.
“We don’t have leaders per se; we have rulers and there is a difference between rulers and leaders. A leader will know the steps to take and how to address the nation. For not addressing the nation, it shows the man is not in charge of governance, except we are deceiving ourselves.”
Also, former Head of Department, Political Science, University of Lagos, Prof Solomon Akinboye, decried Buhari’s reticence, saying he needed to be more forthright in dealing with Nigerians on matters of public concern.
Akinboye stated, “I believe he has to speak more. People have been wondering why he has not spoken. I think he should speak about it, just to encourage people like some other presidents are doing. (President Donald) Trump has been doing that; enlightening United States citizens and residents about the state of things as far as COVID-19 is concerned.
“Even in Africa, some presidents have been doing that, like (Yoweri) Museveni of Uganda and Uhuru Kenyatta in Kenya. It is to encourage their people. Even in Lagos State, you can see that the governor (Babajide Sanwo-Olu) has been doing that; briefing Lagos State people about the situation of things.”
The political scientist further explained further that even though Buhari had people, including ministers, working for him, addressing the nation was his duty.
“This pandemic is ravaging the entire global system and because it has a serious impact on our land, I believe the President has the responsibility to show up and, at least comment on it, encourage the people and tell them what the government has been doing,” Akinboye added.
Penultimate Friday, three weeks after the first case, the President, via his official Twitter handle, released a terse statement, saying, “Protecting Nigerians from the coronavirus is a key priority for us as a government. We have the Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control working round the clock with several other agencies as well as state governments to ensure this.
“I have absolute confidence in the relevant ministers in the cabinet, the Presidential Task Force on coronavirus which I recently established and the officials of the NCDC who are all providing constant updates and professional counsel.”
The tweets were, however, met with cynicism and criticism.
Critics stated that a television broadcast would send a better message than tweets directed at the President’s mere two million followers in a country of more than 200 million people.
Responding to one of the President’s tweets, a former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, said, “Faceless ghosts hide behind handhelds and credit someone else with words. They forget that, actually, communication has DNA. It’s easy to know this is not from @MBuhari. It’s not his syntax or sentence DNA. It’s not difficult to figure out who wrote this, is it?”
The Head of Department, Political Scientist, UNN, Prof. Jonah Onuoha, did not agree, however. He said, “It must not be the President alone (speaking). His officers are speaking enough. The health minister has been addressing the press and informing the citizens. The international airports have been closed down. The victims are being treated. I think his officers are really on top of it.
“He has taken appropriate action and he’s on top of it. Reassuring the country is important, but taking urgent action is more important. I think he should provide more resources to encourage medical doctors and nurses to quell the scourge. I understand they are also trying to recall retired nurses and doctors to handle the menace. So far, so good.”
But Fasua argued that times of tragedy were opportunities for true leaders to show their humanity.
The former presidential candidate said, “President Franklin Roosevelt led Americans through World War II by giving what he called the fireside chats. He was in a wheelchair and all they had was the radio. But he inspired them through the World War by daily communication.
“People are saying this coronavirus is more of a world war. Perhaps it’s a biological war, and so you need all the leadership you can get. Even the most criticised leaders in the world, like Donald Trump, are engaging on a daily basis. I think we need that kind of thing.
“It’s an opportunity for a leader to draw himself closer to the people. Unfortunately, that opportunity is not being utilised. We hope the virus doesn’t spiral out of control (in Nigeria). If it does, then leaders always get the blame.”
Coming weeks will tell if the President will have a change of mind and engage the citizens who are in dire need of reassuring words from him at this critical moment of global emergency or he will move on in his habitual ‘I don’t care way.’
