Letters
An Open Letter to President Mohammadu Buhari -By Professor Okike Benjamin
Dear Sir,
First and foremost, let me use this medium to congratulate you once again over your victory against INEC server custodian and your successful swearing in ceremony against all odds. Again, I want to appeal to you as an elder statesman as usual to be fair to all Nigerians in your appointments. I am not sure that after this your tenure in office that Nigerians will allow you to seek for third term as General Olusegun Obasanjo did. This is an opportunity for you to right the wrong, it is never too late to do that.
Again, let me use this opportunity to remind you of your statement during your inauguration on the 29th May, 2015 and I quote “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”. This statement of yours was widely commended by all Nigerian even those in diaspora. But unfortunately for Nigerians, that statement was a mere paradox when compared to your actions after your inauguration.
Although, you have some
i. Both of you were once military officers who rose to the rank of Generals.
ii. Again, both of you were elected presidents after leaving the army.
iii. Charles de Gaulle lead the French against the Germans during world war II, and you were Adjutant and Company Commander 2 Battalion Unit against Biafrans during Nigeria Civil War.
In any case, the implementation of the statement “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody” was different. The former French President was practical in the implementation of that statement, whereas, you are political in your implementation of the statement. In your own case, everybody in that statement refers to Northern Nigerians and APC members and nobody represents Southern Nigeria and all other parties other than APC.
Although, it is never late for you to commence the practical implementation of that statement. This can be achieved by ensuring equity and all inclusive administration during this your second term in office. This Open Letter is the second open letter I am writing to you since you assumed the Office of the President of Nigeria. The first can be read here for those who missed it.
Mr President, it would be a good idea if you use technocrats to run this your second term in office instead of your usual choice of lawyers turned politicians. Politicians are only interested in the amount of money they can grab within the period of their stewardships, but technocrats’ reputations are at stake if they fail to deliver as expected.
As the first Nigerian professor of Information Encryption, a subfield of Computer Security and also someone who was once at Nigeria Army Depot, Zaria for the purpose of recruitment, I understand what it takes to train one military officer, it is very sad that Boko Haram should take a life of an officer. Mr. President, technology has made it possible that drones may be deployed for surveillance against Boko Haram sect members, herdsmen armed bandits, kidnappers and their likes. This will reduce the cases of our gallant military officers from ambush attacks and as such, preserve the lives of our officers.
Technology rules the world today. Donald John Trump, the President of America deployed technology to defeat Secretary Hilary Clinton the then government in power anointed candidate I cannot claim to be responsible for Donald John Trump’s victory, but I made my mark which he acknowledged. This is evidenced in Trump’s “Thank You Message” sent to me after his victory. This is embedded in my Open Letter to him which can be read here. Then, I was in Fayetteville State University, North Carolina,
However, I wish you well during this your second tenure as the President of Nigeria. God bless you and all Nigerians.
Yours Faithfully,
Professor Benjamin Okike
Department of Computer Science
University of Abuja
