President Muhammadu Buhari
Although President Muhammadu Buhari might have put together a solid team of ministers, it is still too early to concede it all to him, writes Adedayo Adejobi
A distinct calibration of Nigeria’s new ministers would certainly come with mixed perceptions. After about six months of intense wait, Nigeria presently has found itself in the wisdom of Buhari assembling his team of saints and miracle workers. Of course, a few people snickered at the image of the president’s choice of ministers and more so because the nation might have fallen victim of nepotism yet again, capacity and competence aside.
Nigeria, as it were, might have been caught up in the familiar trap it gets into from time to time – trying to be what it is not. The nation puts on this facade, thinking that it is fooling everyone when in fact it is not but itself. The choice of the ministers, unfortunately, is an unpleasant image of what the country should not be, especially in the wake of what her citizenry is, and what the world expects her to be.
It is against this backdrop that the appointment of some of the new ministers could be likened to a Nigerian, who wants to save a few naira and tries to be his own plumber, roofer, web designer, mechanic, and/or electrician – one in all. President Buhari, according to expectations, should have encouraged more square pegs in square holes otherwise there is the possibility that a majority of them might end up huge disappointments.
Buhari’s thriving on the factor of believability isn’t the answer. It would slide off in time and might have to start all over again on the wrong side of the time wasted. After spending a few hours watching the swearing-in, it occurred to many people that the time wasted trying to put the team together could have been deployed to better use elsewhere.
The truth is that many believe that ministerial appointments is rooted in the fractionalization of the ethnic groups, political and economic grievances with considerable suspicion and claims that there is little evidence of any relationship between ethnicity or inequality and political exclusion that can motivate conflict. Drawing on insights from happenings, country-level indices directly reflect inequalities among ethnic groups, including political discrimination and wealth differentials along ethnic lines.
Reviewing the antecedents of former governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos as a multi-tasking person with hands-on experience as the chief of staff to Senator Bola Tinubu, his predecessor, the last eight years saw Fashola handle things that involved his responsibility and trust well. But with the Ministries of Power, Works and Housing, the stakes, responsibility and expectations are high for Fashola.
Indeed, it is a challenge many are worried that Fashola can rise up to, going by the weight of work on his table. But Buhari might have concluded that since he did well in Lagos State, he could replicate same at the federal level.
However, if Fashola can solve the power challenge in Nigeria, it is believed that at least well over 85 per cent of Nigeria’s problems might have been solved. His Lagos experience with Integrated Power Project should come handy, and the construction works he did as well. Although there are those who contend that his housing scheme was designed for the right, his new appointment is a litmus test Nigerians can’t wait to see its outcome.
But the sheer thought that Fashola has more resources to play with at the federal level, the whole country cannot wait to feel his impact for good, as he takes on the prime and mega ministries. If he succeeds and people can swear by his name, then he becomes a game changer in 2019. On the other hand, a structural critique of some others appointed to handle affairs, for instance, in education ministry, Professor Anthony Onwuka, and Adamu Adamu, appears more like a mismatch – an obvious square peg in a round whole.
A majority of Nigerians are dissatisfied with such an imbalance, which many have also described as tragic. Many a Nigerian thinks it’s a case of the tail wagging the dog. It is therefore a tragedy for a former Vice Chancellor and Professor, who has run a University, to now be a side-kick to an accountant-turned columnist.
Such, however, can only happen in a country like Nigeria. It’s like putting Larry Thomas when he was President of Harvard University, to be an appendage to a less known and qualified person like Adamu Adamu. Obama would never have made such an error.
Anthony Onwuka deserves more than that, and not just because he deserves same, but because he knows Education – it is his turf. But many Nigerians don’t know what antecedents, expertise or track records Adamu has in the Education sector. Yes, he was read in the New Nigeria many years back, but that does not qualify him as Minister of Education, education being a hydra-headed monster.
It is so intense from a problem-perspective. Human capital development is not a job for the inexperienced. Running a University is likened to running a whole state, and Buhari in his wisdom has reduced Onwuka to a sidekick with no competence, nor core requisite capacity to fit into that office.
Similarly, Adebayo Shittu’s appointment is yet another mismatch for the role he has been assigned. Besides, an information ministry is an aberration in this age, particularly for a government supposedly committed to cutting cost of governance. Every ministry, department and agencies have information units.
In addition, the president has two spokesmen. Every minister should speak on behalf of the ministry they superintend. That’s how it is in a modern state. If a portfolio for Islamic or Sharia religion were feasible, he wouldn’t be a bad pick, as his credentials, personality, worldviews and career slant fit in, but certainly not for communications.
Knowing full well that this is a crucial stage in the development of a new Nigeria, the world expects more from the president and there shall be no excuses for failure when stocks are being taken. It is important that the president imbibes the culture of looking at the needs of the Nigerian people and create from it, a quality checklist of qualified people, who would in turn build a lasting structure for a country in dire need of real, tested and genuine ‘change’ that supports growth and development.
On the economic divide, every economist at this time expects a professional to run the economy in a recession. The duo of Kemi Adeosun and Udo Udoma are saddled with the responsibility of driving the economy. A close shave at Adeosun and Udoma, given their background and experience shows that they would give their best possible. Although it can be argued that the president could have done better, certainly not bad choices for the respective ministries of Finance and Budget and Planning.
In the final analysis, Nigerians are not likely to expect results from these ministers before the first quarter of next year, but they shall be in office, knowing full well that the feelings out there are mixed. Importantly, how well they perform will determine whether or not a cabinet re-shuffle would be imperative.
This Day
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