And The Beggar d’Or Goes To…

THE ALTERNATIVE with Reno Omokri

Many Nigerians are blissfully unaware of how indebted their country has become under Muhammadu Buhari. Let me put this into perspective. Buhari is the 15th President of Nigeria. But in six years, he has borrowed more than all the 14 Presidents before him combined.

This is not hyperbole. I urge you to do the maths. The total sum Nigeria took as loans from independence on October 1, 1960, to May 29, 2015 (less interests) is less than the total amount that Buhari has borrowed.

Nigeria had a total indebtedness of approximately N12 trillion on May 29, 2015. Today, that figure has been multiplied by three and a half and now stands at approximately N39.6 trillion. And only last week, the profligate Buhari sought and got from the remarkably pliant National Assembly, permission to borrow an additional $5.8 billion.

Where is all that money going? Bola Tinubu answered that question in a very fitting manner in his birthday message to Buhari, which was really a polite insult. A slap disguised as a kiss. Praising Buhari for his “unseen” achievements. Read between the lines. If after seven years in power your achievements are invisible, then you are a very visible FAILURE!

But the question remains unanswered. Where is all that money going? It is going towards paying grossly inflated salaries and allowances to Buhari and his cronies, and in building infrastructure, at Nigeria’s cost, in Niger Republic, where Buhari famously said, “I have first cousins in Niger Republic”.

I mean, what is the economic justification in building a $2 billion railway in Niger Republic, at Nigeria’s cost, when the entire Gross Domestic Product of Niger is less than $14 billion (I invite my readers to fact check me)?
It makes no economic sense. It however makes tribal sense, when you take into effect Buhari’s “I have first cousins in Niger Republic” comment.

Nigerians, being a people of extremely short memory, may not remember how, as military head of state, General Buhari in 1985, voted against Peter Onu, an Igbo man, who was Nigeria’s candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity, in favour of Ide Oumarou, a Fulani from Niger Republic. Is Buhari from Niger Republic as has been rumoured?

For those who do not know or have forgotten about this incident, I urge you to read up about it in the book titled ‘The OAU: Reality Or Fiction’ by Ibrahim Dagash.

Mr Dagash wrote about how his fellow African leaders were stunned by the bizarre action of General Muhammadu Buhari, who could not hide his glee and began publicly celebrating the victory of Oumarou, over his own nation’s candidate, a victory that he engineered.

The late Tanzanian leader, Julius Nyerere, was so outraged that he approached Buhari and upbraided him. It was a show of shame. This was more so as Dr. Onu was much more qualified and competent than Ide Oumarou. He had been Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany and had worked as a diplomat in Moscow, and had advised Nigeria’s previous governments.
Nyerere was so offended by General Buhari’s behaviour that he vowed to make sure that Oumarou’s tenure was short-lived, and this he achieved in 1989, when he sponsored Dr. Salim Salim to run against Ide Oumarou, and eventually defeat him to emerge the longest-serving Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity, which he led for twelve years, from 1989 to 2001.

Buhari has placed his own tribal interests above and beyond Nigeria’s national interests and if everybody else is too afraid to say it, then I, Reno Omokri, will write it for all to see, so that it goes on record and can be used to bring Muhammadu Buhari to justice when a sane government takes power, hopefully in 2023.

Because our present indebtedness is no joke. We are now at a very real risk of joining the grieving list of careless and unfortunate nations that have lost their sovereignty to the People’s Republic of China.

In fact, when I heard that the Confederation of African Football was considering postponing the Africa Cup of Nations, I thought it was because Buhari had borrowed the AFCON cup and refused to return it. The man can borrow for Africa! He met a foreign debt of $10 billion and has increased it to $38 billion (not counting domestic debt) in just six short years, without anything to show for it.

If there were a Ballon d’Or for borrowings, it would undoubtedly go to Buhari. Heavy Beggar d’Or! If Togo or Ghana agree to lend him money, the shameless bambiala will collect. He has gone everywhere to beg and borrow. An eater up of other men’s work. What did we do to deserve this plague? Tueh!

And if tomorrow a future government wants to bring Buhari to account, then those in the National Assembly, who did his bidding, must also be brought to book for failing to exert enough checks and balances to stop this maladministration that has brought Nigeria to its economic knees and made us look like big for nothing in the international community.

Consider that 42 people, including children, were robbed, killed and then burnt in Sokoto. And two days after this evil stain on our nation’s conscience, Buhari went to Lagos to celebrate with Bisi Akande and Tinubu. No visit to Sokoto. No representative of the Federal Government to offer condolences and reassurances to the grieving families.
Then consider again that a week after Buhari went partying in Lagos, the Vice President, the Senate President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other top shots in Buhari’s cabal attended Buhari’s son’s turban ceremony in Daura on Saturday December 18, 2021.

Remember that 42 people were robbed, killed and burnt in Sokoto, and none of them visited Sokoto, including Buhari. 25 people were killed by bandit terrorists in Niger last week. They all did not go either. Nine people were killed in Southern Kaduna. Still none of them went. But when Buhari’s son was given a useless title, they all went. Buhari’s vanity is more important to them than national security. And you are wondering why Nigeria is wandering and blundering?

Do you still think human life has value under Buhari? Remember that this same government once issued a stern warning when herdsmen lost their cows. But since those killed in Sokoto are mere human beings, there is no need for action. Where else can such a disgraceful thing happen than in Nigeria under Buhari? Imagine turning on the TV in Sokoto and seeing this. Alas, you can’t crown a clown and expect a king!

And by the way, Now that Twitter has also deleted Osinbajo’s tweet, what will the Buhari regime do? Will they re-ban Twitter? Will they extend the ban already in place? Or will they just accept that both Buhari and Osinbajo and their media aides have no clue how social media works?

They think Twitter and other Silicon Valley tech giants are like Nigerian TV/radio stations and newspapers that they can bully using NBC? I really applaud Twitter for cutting Buhari and Osinbajo to size and bringing them back to their reality as mere paper tigers.
Analogue leaders!

Reno’s Darts

I mark Buhari’s alleged 79th birthday, by wishing him as much happiness as he has given Nigerians, and as much prosperity as he has given our countrymen, and as much personal security as he has given citizens of our dear country. May he be as fulfilled as the fulfilment of the campaign promises he made. May he be as valued as the Naira is valued. And finally, May he be as respected as he has made Nigeria’s passport and image internationally respected. In Christ’s Name.

Reno’s Nuggets

The world’s population is currently 7.7 billion. By 2023, it is projected to hit 8 billion. If you don’t have a house now, your situation will be worse in the next few years because the human population is growing faster than the housing accommodation. Even if you have to starve, buy a piece of land. Build a house and have a garden where you can grow food. Don’t buy another iPhone, or another designer outfit, or aso ebi, until you have started on the journey of home ownership. Don’t wait to buy a house. Rather, buy or build a house and wait!
#RenosNuggets #FreeLeahSharibu