by Soma Oj.

Let me tell you something. When Nigerians remove every appellation from your name, it means one of two things: a) you, as a man, have asked to be called a #LexyBoy (see ‘Relationship Expert’, Joro Olumofin‘s Instagram for an explanation of who a Lexy Boy is).

Or b) you have pissed them off so bad that your doctorate, chiefancy or even Presidency, as is the case here, no longer counts for much. President Buhari, today, has pissed a lot of Nigerians off. It’s #WorkersDay and even though they have, for the most part, acted like they had not noticed the President’s absence in matters of national concern for over a month now, they will not accept that his doctor’s orders have precluded him from sitting up to record a 5 minute speech to them on #WorkersDay. 

It’s not as if the message will add any extra joy to a three-day long weekend or even extra money inside anyone’s account on Pay day. It’s just “how can President Buhari expect to be called a leader if he won’t show up to work nor address workers on the first of May?” Or as one extremely wise man just tweeted:

In the entire history of our country there has never been a May Day in which our President did not address the workers. Where is @MBuhari?

— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) May 1, 2017

[Read also: The Thread: Nigerians demand to know #WhereIsBuhari]

But has it not been like this for a while now?

[Did the FEC not hold today because of a missing memo or a missing President?]

When President Buhari returned to Nigeria after a 50 day medical vacation, Nigerians were relieved but they were insightful ennough to warn that the President ws sure he could continue with the pace with which President Osinbajo was going in his absence or just continue resting.

The President in turn assured us that he was back and determined to “rededicate himself to serving” Nigerians. It was a very lofty promise to which we are right to hold the Commander-in-Chief.

[The Presidential Blog: Watch the President’s first address to Nigerians since his return]

Now though, it appears that the President has not only reneged on his promise – being conspicuosly absent frm both major and minor activities of governance – but he’s also worsened the situation because now we do not even know where he is.

It’s starting to seem too much like 2010 when the late President Yar’adua’s handlers were determined to keep the ailing Chief’s health status and location from millions of Nigerians.

To be completely honest, it is hard to dismiss the claims of those Nigerians who believe President Buhari has been tied in a room by the “cabal” so that he won’t make good on his reputation of being a man of integrity by simply resigning.

Another thing that makes this round of Presidential absentia worse is the obvious absence of his wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari. Through his January-February vacation in London, the wife of the President was at least traceable. She was even photographed visiting him in his Abuja House hideout. This time however, President Buhari’s wife has been just as absent as he has with her close friend and Presidential aide, Dr Hajo representing her at the recent outing s of her Future Assured programs. This suggests that the situation may even be worse than many think (that the President is anaemic).

We can joke about this circumstance all we want as an escape from being paranoid but the sad reality is that President Buhari and his handlers erroneously maintain that an elected officer’s health status – disturbing as it may be – is a matter that should be private. They think that relating his doctor’s orders – that he hould take things easy – is enough substitute for information we are entitled to.

#WhereIsBuhari may seem like it’s only a hashtag today but it’s more than that. It’s an expression of our frustration with an administration that has increasingl become unable to step up to the task of fulfilling any of its promises. It’s the beginning of a movement that will manifest at the next general election. It’s a disturbing state of being – that the President of a failing government would rather hide than face it’s own realities.

And it should be understood those who have the answer as simply as possible: a final warning by a people who tired of the BS.