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Buhari's Style: Any Borrowed Lessons For Ghana?

By Mr. Albert Kobina Mensah
Opinion Buhari's Style: Any Borrowed Lessons For Ghana?
OCT 6, 2015 LISTEN

"It would require prudent house-keeping, and tackling corruption....," President Buhari of Nigeria.

Nigeria celebrated their 55th independence anniversary on 1st October, 2015. H. E. Muhammadu Buhari made an exactly 12 minutes speech at the celebration. The speech was solely on #AttitudinalChange. Attitude is everything! People will judge one by his/her attitude - the way you write, at school, in your speech, our relationship towards others, how you carry yourself, your commitment to see positive change in your society, your behaviour towards work, your love for your country, your ability to help others achieve/climb, your commitment to right the wrongs in societies, among others.

It is attitude that tells an individual that it is wrong to throw litter around on the streets. You do not need an environmental conservationist to tell you that throwing litter and trash around the environment will block water ways and drainage structures and the consequences will be flooding! Attitude is what defines a citizen and his/her sense of patriotism to a state. It is also that defines the diligence with which an individual serves his/her nation. We are all not perfect, but an individual's attitude in the society and in position will be measured around these parameters.

Mr Buhari was a military ruler in 1984 and 1985. During this time, he used to order civil servants who were late for work to do frog jumps as he tried to impose discipline. Aside this, he deployed military men to force Nigerians to form orderly queues while waiting for public transports. This can be likened to Rawlings's time when he used to publicly humiliate those sellers who used to sell above inappropriate price to customers. In his speech on 1st October, he did not speak on the state of the economy, neither on security nor on infrastructural development. He dedicated the occasion to a fad speech on #Behaviour and attitudinal change of the people."To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens...," he said.

He was basically calling on the people of Nigeria to change their attitude in order to see Nigeria go higher heights. On BBC Focus on Africa programme, some political pundits in an interview criticised the president's speech for not talking about the state of the economy, unemployment situation, security issues and the likes. However, I argue that one major provision to dealing with these cankers (unemployment, insecurity, poverty) is #attitudinal change. Mr. Buhari is very much aware of the pivotal significance attitudinal change of citizenry can play in transforming and building a resilient nation.

He indeed knows very well that in order for them to move Nigeria forward together, the take-off point is #AttitudinalChange of all and sundry. In his independence day speech he emphasized and stressed, among other things the need for this. "We must change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices." Such a visionary leader! In a similar speech by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1957, he puts "...in order for this nation (Ghana) to move forward, me and you will have to change our attitude..." Visionary leaders make efforts in stregthening state instutions and hint that a nation can achieve little if the citizenry therein continue with business as usual.

If the citizenry never change their ways and remain adamant to change, no new things can be achieved! A society remains stagnant and achieves no progress if her inhabitants stick to the status quo. Change is indeed needed in order to cause and bring positive change in our societies. By that way, we make our societies better place to call home. Mr. Buhari could not have said it any better than this!

Buhari in his inauguration speech promised to deal with corruption and all those who had misappropriated state's fund in one way or the other will be brought to justice! He had backed his words with action! He recently directed and gave ultimatum to all state's institutions to operate one bank account in the central bank, where all the state's funds will be kept. This will avoid ambiguity/duplication of functions and misappropriation of state's funds by various scattered sectors. It will also ensure effective regulation, supervision and monitoring of state's funds by a centralised system.

Again, a former oil minister who spent 5 years in office and misappropriated $20 billion oil revenues was arrested and locked up in the UK last week. One minister intended to return stolen money was rejected by president Buhari that no, the due legal action will have to be taken against him! He is backing his words with action! That is the real action man! That those state's officials who rob us pay for their sins! During the "Baraka da sala" time, he rejected a gift of ram offered him by one of his ministers. This is because, he does not want to be compromised in any way. In addition, this same Buhari man together with his deputy had declared their assets in office. Last but not least, Mr. Buhari cut nigerian independence anniversary expenditure from 22 billion Naira last year 2014 to 70 million Naira this year 2015. He had further reduced his ministers to around 54!

President Buhari may have his flaws as human, he can not be all perfect. That makes him human. However, these indications are nothing but clear signs of good governance and a leader who walk the talk and setting some baseline for Ghana and other Africa countries to follow. God bless you Mr. president Muhammadu Buhari and may H. E. John Mahama of Ghana borrow some lessons for good people of Ghana.

Mr. Albert Kobina Mensah

M.Sc. Candidate

Kenyatta University

Nairobi, Kenya.

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