YarAdua - As the reality show drew to a close

The star actor in the hilarious but hurting reality show that played out since November 23 when President Yar’adua left for a Jedah hospital in Saudi Arabia until the ascension of Jonathan GoodLuck as the acting president was not, unexpectedly, the president himself. It was a suspense packed show. The opening character was the presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi who announced to a bewildered nation that their president had travelled to Saudi Arabia for a routine medical check up. This time around, in order to prove that there was nothing to hide, he went on to disclose the true nature of his illness. Hoever he made no mention of delegation of authorities. This sudden announcement was met with strong condemnation from the Nigerian public and the opposition. The AC was the most vociferous in this regard. However, Nigerians in their large heart wished the president well and early return to the country. It soon became the lot of our religious leaders to offer prayers of quick recovery for Mr President. As days and weeks drew past and the presidential spokesman was not forthcoming with updates on the president's health situation or his return to the country, tongues started to wag.

It's now the turn of the Attorney General of the Federation Aondoakaa SAN to justify the president’s absence. He let us know that the president can rule from anywhere in the world and he is not mandated handover to his deputy when travelling out of the country. He did not clarify whether the president is able to do that even as a severely sick person. Soon it was time to sign the Appropriation Bill. The vice president had no acting capacity to do so. One David Edevbe had to travel to Saudi to get the document signed by the sick president. Turai, the president's wife who's been with him since he moved to Saudi decides who sees Mr President. David, the transmitter, was not allowed to see Yaradua according to newspaper reports; and back home this has raised a doubt on the authenticity of the signature. But the FEC through the spokesman Aondoakaa who, udoubtedly,is the star actor in the reality show continued to insist that the President was fit to rule. Meanwhile Nigerians were and are still kept in the dark about their leader’s health whose hospital bill is being picked up by the tax payer.

It remained like this with intermittent power game here and there until the American Chronicles introduced some shock when it reported that 'Yaradua is dead'. It was the beleaguered president himself who doused the rumour by granting a radio interview with the BBC. Why BBC and not any of our numerous media organisations in Nigeria? When asked when he would return home he was evasive. Obviously he will not stay a day longer than necessary! Like everything that has a beginning must have an end. It was becoming dawn the president's so called kitchen cabinet that the end game was nigh. That was when, after a spell of dilly dallying, the Senate thought it right to do the right thing, and the FEC strongly divided against itself.

Glad we now have acting President Jonathan Goodluck on the saddle. At least the nation can inch forward after a period of unwarranted stagnation. Why a cabal had to hold 150 million Nigerians stagnant for that long beggars reason. This is a patriotism issue which I prefer to leave till another day. I will rather use this time to advise the acting president to hit the ground running

Lots of things happened when the country remained rudderless. One of them was the Jos crisis which claimed the lives of many people and led to destructions of properties worth millions of naira. Far reaching permanent solution should be found to the problem in the area which in mind smacks more of political than religion. Another ugly incident was the United State's blunder that added Nigeria to the terrorist list I still can’t fathom why the Obama administration took that hasty, ill-conceived decision. Blunders like this have precipitated terrorism in otherwise peaceful nations in the past. Terrorism is foreign to Nigeria and the US should not try to bring it into her consciousness.

Another ugly incident while the president was AWOL was the murder of Dipo Dina, a politcal figure in Ogun State. It was a heartless act to say the least. Justice must be obtained for the deceased.

It is important to note that all these three incidents are security issues. Jonathan should do a lot in this direction. He should also heed the advice of the elder statesmen that he prunes down the 7-point agenda to two or three manageable level. Electricity, of course, must be on the top.

I wish the acting president Goodluck well in this new task. I also wish the president gets well quick enough to come home and resume full duties. May these prayers be answered.

by Onaolapo Adedeji

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