Baba, now that you have finally settled in Aso Rock

9. Follow Through On Your Promise About Corruption

I let corruption be the last option because that is the biggest problem you addressed in your campaign. Now, I do not know how you plan to punish corrupt public officers but I want you to consider the option Late Lee Kuan Yew took to get his nation in line. Read up on his book ‘From Third World to First: the Singapore Story ’, that is if you haven’t read it yet. Keep in mind that if you do follow through on some of the principles he used, you might completely damage the new image you have and remain, in the eyes of most, a dictator. Now, you have to weigh which is a better image for you; a dictator who reduces corruption to the barest minimum or a ‘people-pleaser’ who fails in his promise to curb corruption. Sometimes, the necessary has to be done to get the desired. I am leaving this particular one a secret because many people will not read the book because of the sheer size of it. This is the only secret I have in my advice to you. Even if people try to read summaries on the internet, they still wouldn’t get the full information that the book gives. I ask that you read it yourself and digest some of his principles.

As your governance proceeds, I will bring up other issues as they come up. I do not believe that you can do this alone; far from it. I believe that you need patriotic advisers, ministers and cabinet members to translate your promises to a reality that will ensure the APC remains in power and should you lose, set a new pedestal for the next political party that assumes power and governance. I was weary that you had not chosen your ministers but I hope that when you do chose them, it will be after great consideration and forensic review of their abilities and integrity.

I have great hope in Nigeria; this is my home and my destination of choice. I believe in Nigeria and I pray you do to. If you get this right, you will set your name in stone. If you get it wrong, you will also set your name in stone. In the first instance, you will be remembered for taking Nigeria out of the quicksand that was pulling us in and unto the solid grown of development and national advancement. In the second instance, you will go down in history for making promises you couldn’t keep, vilifying a president who you weren’t better than and reducing Nigeria to less than the power it ought to be. I want you to choose the former. The next four years will determine how Nigerians perceive your ideals and policies. Use them judiciously.

Ramatu Ada Ochekliye is a Radio/Television presenter at Gotel Communications, Yola-Adamawa. She runs a blog called ‘SHADES OF BROWN‘ where she writes about issues affecting Africans and people of African descent.

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.