Buhari’s Fisted Arm And Opened Arm –By Tife Owolabi

Behind any photography is deep thought of messages which express what is going on the inside at a conscious and subconscious level.

In today’s world of selfies of the smartphone, people will go the extra mile to create a lasting impression either positive and negative vice versa. Like a recent drama that surrounded a blogger who posted her achievement of acquiring a duplex on social media but to turned out to be contrived of her imagination because her bubble was busted.Her story is for another day but on May 29th, 2019, Nigeria witnessed another inauguration of President Mohammed Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as they took the oath of office for the second term.

The event which took place at the Eagle Square Abuja, the nation’s capital was attended by Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker House Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and a host of top dignitaries with razzmatazz and a new picture of the President emerged with his arms opened as he waved the cheering crowd in the motorcade.

Tife Owolabi

The picture many now see as a sign of ”good” things to come or unlike the past with a fisted arm waving the mammoth crowd at the inaugural ceremony.

A photo can give a lasting impression. It arouses anxiety, sadness, and good feeling.No wonder they say a picture speaks a thousand words.

In our local parlance, a fisted arm means different things depending on the circumstances or situation. To the man at the forefront of a struggle, it signals no retreat, no surrender while another hand it means stingy; one the never freely gives.

Shall we now say better days lie ahead of the country given the next level slogan with the open-fist or we wished we never crossed the path of the ”change” mantra that brought a myriad of challenges are faced with?

For any photojournalist getting the best shot to illustrates one single story can be challenging and every photographer who knows his onions will strive harder to get the best shots.

Can we now say that the picture latest on the open-fist of President Mohammed Buhari is a beacon of hope and a better Nigeria for all Nigerians devoid of nepotism, corrupt-free, better living standards, where there is no insecurity of fear of being kidnapped, better health care, and steady power supply? Where he has unarguably failed in his three prone areas of security, corruption, and the economy. Or we continue to hope and pray that the Country should not continue in this miserable path in his second term.’Your guess is as good as mine.

Written in 2019

Tife Owolabi
Journalist
Niger Delta
@tifeowolabi
facebook.com/Tife Owolabi
” if it bleeds it leads”…