Queen of African literature on President Buhari's happy recession and Nigeria’s failed promises

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is considered one of the great heroes of our time for her work in promoting African literature, indigenous story telling, feminism and human rights.

In an op-ed for New York Times Adichie starts with an interesting story about President Muhammadu Buhari's dictatorial rule in 1984:

"It was 1984 and Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was the military head of state.

Soldiers flogged people on the streets for “indiscipline” — such as littering or not standing in queues at the bus stop. On television, the head of state, stick-straight and authoritative, seemed remote, impassive on his throne amid the fear and uncertainty."

And yet when, 30 years later, in 2015, Mr. Buhari was elected as a democratic president, I welcomed it. Because for the first time, Nigerians had voted out an incumbent in an election that was largely free and fair. Because Mr. Buhari had sold himself as a near-ascetic reformer, as a man so personally aboveboard that he would wipe out Nigeria's decades-long corruption. He represented a form of hope."

Echoing our thoughts on Buhari's governance, she adds:

"Mr. Buhari ascended to the presidency with a rare advantage — not only did he have the good will of a majority of Nigerians, he elicited a peculiar mix of fear and respect. For the first weeks of his presidency, it was said that civil servants who were often absent from work suddenly appeared every day, on time, and that police officers and customs officials stopped demanding bribes.

He had an opportunity to make real reforms early on, to boldly reshape Nigeria’s path. He wasted it.

The unusually long time it took him to appoint his ministers. After an ostensible search for the very best, he presented many recycled figures with whom Nigerians were disenchanted. "

Then she questioned President Muhammadu Buhari‘s economic policies which “are rooted in an outdated economic model and an infantile view of Nigerians”.

"The president seems comfortable with conditions that make an economy uncomfortable — uncertainty and disillusion. Prices for everything have risen: rice, bread, cooking oil. Fruit sellers and car sellers blamed “the price of dollars.” Complaints of hardship cut across class. Some businesses fired employees; others folded.

In a country enamored of dark humor, a common greeting among the middle class now is “Happy recession!”

She tells the president to stop the relentless blaming of previous administrations and a refusal to acknowledge mistakes. But perhaps most timeless and timely of all is her call to action:

"There are no easy answers to Nigeria’s malaise, but the government’s intervention could be more salutary — by prioritizing infrastructure, creating a business-friendly environment and communicating to a populace mired in disappointment."

Compliment this with : andDora Akunyili on patriotism, Nigeria's unity, and the future of this beautiful country

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