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Buhari’s Gucci Shoes: Weird Display Of Patriotism -By Adetunji Ayobrown

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Adetunji Ayobrown

All animals are equal but it seems some are more equal than others, if you doubt this statement read through this. For some time now, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been seen to be enforcing the patronage of ‘made in Nigeria’ foods and goods without any clear or cut-out strategy in order to cushion the effects of such harsh policies on the lives of Nigerians. To be candid, my take is that any government policy without human face to it is not a good policy. Enforcing some policies are easier said than done, without human face, these unpopular alteration to economic growth, many believed is blindly enforced on those at the lower strata of the societal ladder, while high profiled government officials are playing to the gallery and doing nothing but the opposite of what they preached and the policy demands. What right does the like of Mr President have that other ordinary Nigerians do not have when it comes to obeying the laws of the country? This, I can assure you is the very pertinent question on the lips of many citizens as they resigned to fate.

Between hope and hopelessness, where are we? This happens to be the conclusion of the Nigerian masses as they ponder on the saga around President Muhammadu Buhari’s designer Gucci shoes. Gucci is a known name in the world of fashion, if not one of the best designers in the world. Surely, belief can change worlds and shape lives but when over flogged, it can also make us blind, and this is why many faulted the president.

Being nice sometimes is a rip-off as many tend to see this in bad light.

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Where is the new Nigeria you promised us? Asking our president, many whose foreign and imported foods and goods were confiscated or destroyed by President Buhari’s administration will not wish the administration well or pray for it but you and I know how and what these Nigerians would be saying in their inner minds. It is a case of if you will not help me, why not leave me alone?

Like Diezani, like Buhari, what’s the difference? It is probably a case of kettle calling pot black. Their insatiable tastes for foreign products can never be curbed, weird don’t you think? A friend tweeted. That a pair of Gucci shoes worth $640 (N223,905) at a time like this when US dollar is $1 to N345 is okay for him is not funny at all especially in the corridor of the anticorruption warlord.

Nigeria’s request for Alison-Madueke’s extradition is notable given it’s a major change of tact. Three years still after she was first arrested in London on money laundering charges, Nigeria is still looking for ways to bring home its former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to face corruption charges.  She has been in London since 2015 after being released on bail and having her international passport seized after her arrest. She served as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum. Now back to the President’s Gucci shoes, how many of such Gucci shoes did Diezani also she rocked in her days? Only God knows! Buhari too should remember that nothing last forever, I didn’t say that too, Uhmmmp. In October 2017, Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s attorney-general, claimed there was “no need” to extradite Alison-Madueke” since the UK government is already investigating her.” Indeed, the government claimed bringing Alison-Madueke back would interfere with investigations in London.

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Then this! It is impossible! Again, another two weeks of holiday, many could not believe it, as their dear president flew to London to meet the queen. Or how best can anyone arrange the news in his or her brain, on hearing the news. Every effort deserves its reward…now you know; what you thought was just anything is in fact good news to many Nigerians. Buhari too, the incumbent (two times) minister of petroleum, sounds a kind of… If you ask me, I know nothing. But similarities of this kind seem more than coincidence, don’t you think so too? It is not me but some Nigerians that asked the question.

After all, his kids schooled in England, his wife just returned from a 3-month UK stay. His daughter gave birth to his grandchild in Spain (made in Spain someone said), yet Buhari is back in London, but wants us to patronise made in Nigeria everything (hospitals, shoes, food, clothes, among others), who is fooling who? Who will save Nigeria?

According to a statement credited to Reno Omokri making jest of the president on patronage of Nigerian goods teachings, “Buhari is made in London indeed. Considering what is being preached by him, the family and his family seem to be doing the very opposite. Who no like better things? Yes, it is okay for President to be made in London just because he is the number one citizen or because he has more than necessary. The likes of Okri can never lack reasons to keep mocking President Buhari if he continues with this trend. To be frank, if that much can be spend on just a pair of shoes, only God knows how many of such shoes alone our president have in his closets, imagine, an old man!

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Little wonder when someone said there is nothing to do except to leave our case to God. In fact, many seem to have no choice but ride it out until it is over.

And all these noises are just on shoes, what about Gucci rice, am sure that is what our president must be eating too, for him and his vice, food only in 2020 budget to gulp nothing less than N149million in a twelve calendar months. I tell you, nothing less than Gucci of anything must be for our dear president to live long, I laugh in Greek.

How far really is heaven self? I have asked this question too often, provisions in next year’s budget where his foreign trips will cost over N2billion will buy something better than this mere two hundred and twenty thousand naira worth of a Gucci shoes, Nigerians better wash out.

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Between made in Kano and Gucci Shoes, which one would you choose, though, no one is saying he should not, if and only it is a gift, but if not, is not only sending but also showing a very wrong signal to millions of Nigerians who believed in his administration style

God dey oh’, a quarter of a million Nigeria naira for a pair of shoes of Mr President of a country where N30,000 is too much as minimum wage should rather be doctored for some categories of its labour force before payment. Kai, try to live your words, walk your talk is the message from Nigerians sir.

Where is the messiah all Nigerians voted in 2015? These were messages that flashed through my mind on hearing the news that someone like president Buhari whom many Nigerians like me thought and trust to lead us out of the woods. Peradventure after the Supreme Court judgement, many ‘Kuku Ma’ no have option or choice, my Hausa brother said.

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Practise what you preach. After all, former president Olusegun Obasanjo wore made in Nigeria clothes and shoes as president. We need to help this country for crying out loud. Leaders should not only show the way, they must lead the way.

I don’t want to lose my head; I mean the one attached to my head, in valour there is hope.

I pity ordinary Nigerians.

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