I frequently engage in the imaginative task of composing the kind of speeches I wish to hear from the leaders of my country. I love oratory, and I believe it is one of the very important endowments a true leader should possess – otherwise, how would such an individual be able to get the citizens to rally around and buy into the vision he or she has articulated for the country? In the final chapter of my book, A Trust to Earn – Reflections on Life and Leadership in Nigeria (2010, Prestige Publishing), I actually include three of such speeches, and one of them is an “Inauguration Speech”. I wish to share it here, given the new government we now have in the land. I present it now, having no idea what Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural address to the nation will be; but I believe this is an occasion to rouse Nigerians to the onerous task that lies ahead of us all. Here is what I imagined in 2010; it is titled:
“A New Day Has Dawned; Work Begins!”
Today, I stand first and foremost before God, and also before this great assembly of people – Nigerians, our neighbours, brothers and sisters from all over the African continent, and all our friends and well-wishers from around the world. I stand in awe and in humility. I am awed and humbled by the outpouring of support and good will that have been shown to the people of Nigeria over the past few months. I am convinced that we are a people dearly loved, even though we have long suffered from a bad reputation. There is a clear testimony today that many around the world are truly committed to seeing Nigeria prosper, for in Nigeria’s prosperity is Africa’s prosperity.
Our heart goes out to the wonderful people of this great nation. Thank you for daring to believe. Thank you for making change happen. Thank you for standing up and taking a bold step for the future of Nigeria and for generations yet unborn. I appreciate, in a way I can never fully express, every single person who worked with dedication and purposefulness to make this victory a reality – the army of electoral officers who oversaw every stage of the elections and ensured their smooth conduct, as well as the millions of Nigerians who came out to vote and insisted that this time their vote must count. Thank you all for the seriousness with which you performed your civic responsibilities.
Tonight, I feel exhilarated as we stand at the threshold of a new Nigeria. We are about to start rebuilding a nation, and while that is doubtless a daunting task, given the extent of the decay we are confronted with, it is also an immense opportunity that we are presented with. Nigerians must set to work immediately, and this work demands focus and total concentration. For the next four years, putting Nigeria back on its feet and transforming it into a country we can all be proud to own again is our one and only priority.
Indeed, I would like to recommend that for the next two years there be no travels to foreign countries by any government official, except where the interest of the nation is at stake in a crucial manner. We will need to put every single naira that comes into our coffers into the provision of the infrastructure that is so critical for our development. There will be no money available for luxuries, only for necessities. I therefore envision the entire country in the next couple of years as one huge construction site. Our roads, railroads, schools and hospitals must be rebuilt. There are services waiting to be provided for the citizens of this nation. We have a great deal of catching up to do with the more technologically advanced nations of the world, and we do not have forever to do it. Therefore, let us be prepared to work like our lives depended on it – and they do. The pace of work we have known so far is unacceptably slow. In rebuilding our roads and other necessary infrastructure, we will work twenty-four hours, in shifts. We can no longer tolerate a situation where it takes several months to fix the potholes on a one-kilometre road.
We look to the leadership of the nation to set the tone for this new work ethic. Our legislators used to be about the highest paid in the world, doing the least work. This is no longer acceptable to the Nigerian people. There must be justice in the land, with all Nigerians receiving payment that is commensurate with work done. Indeed salaries must be reviewed, such that we narrow the gulf that separates the highest and the lowest paid workers in the public sector. We encourage those in the private sector to do the same.
There is much that needs to be done in terms of legislation, for example, regarding the transportation of people and goods. We cannot continue to have the hard-working women of this nation travel from Kano to Lagos sitting on tubers of yam and sacks of onions, with babies nursing at their breasts. It is no longer acceptable to heap logs of wood onto ramshackle lorries and have logs roll off and crush other road users. The menace of trailers on our roads is one we can no longer live with – they topple over, bursting into flames, burning other vehicles along with them and holding up traffic for hours. They cannot continue to take over our expressways and turn them into parks. We must all agree that it is in our collective interest to build an orderly society, where everyone is protected from unnecessary harm, and where we all are conscious of both our rights and our responsibilities.
To the rest of the world, we say that we will gladly accept help – sincere, transparent help. We will conduct honest business with those whose business is equally honest and who will respect our people and our values, for we too intend to treat others with respect and dignity. Our nation will no longer be a dumping ground for substandard products or for the world’s garbage. We hold our land and its resources dear, and we shall be good stewards of our inheritance. Those who will join with us and complement our efforts in the spirit of true friendship and genuine partnership will enjoy the best of Nigerian hospitality, for we are a warm and hospitable people.
Fellow Nigerians, let us start rebuilding, and let it happen everywhere – in our homes and neighborhoods, in our offices and on the streets. Let us build for ourselves and for posterity a clean, healthy, orderly and functional society. Let us start to use our time wisely, investing in activities that will contribute to the advancement of our nation. Tomorrow, please get to your places of work on time. I will. And make sure you do quality work. I most certainly will.
Thank you very much. God bless Nigeria. God bless us all.
