Enough of the blame game

• Pls give this to PMB!

By Emeka Oparah

I have just read with utter disappointment a story based on an interaction between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and some media owners, over the weekend, where he, typical of top officials of this government, blamed his predecessors, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (current Emir of Kano) for the ugly turn of things in the economy.

As an unrepentant supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, I am embarrassed, to say the least, by the ceaseless excuses being dished right, left and centre by the government for the horrible state of affairs. While we must put culpability where culpability should be, we must not also lose sight of the fact that we voted in PMB/APC because we believe that GEJ/PDP had failed and that PMB/APC was our alternative. It took us several years, and for PMB four attempts, to unseat PDP. So, we don’t want any further excuses.

Most sensible Nigerians know the truth about our economy, how it was mismanaged and those that mismanaged it. So, stop reminding us; stop annoying us. What we want to hear now is how you plan to dig us out of this slippery hole. People are hungry and, therefore, angry-justifiably. They are asking questions about how the government intends to rescue the economy. This is not just about the promises PMB/APC made during the elections. I can understand that times have changed and some of the promises may be dead on arrival. Now, that doesn’t make them any less a debt, like every promise. It would amount to a breach of trust, if PMB/APC doesn’t go back to re-negotiate these promises in the face of the intervening extenuating circumstances-and give us new timeless to deliver them. It’s called Managing Expectations.

Many have argued rather persuasively, and I am seized of the view, that this may NOT be the A-team to rescue Nigeria from the current dire straits. In my village, we say if the birds fly without perching, the hunters will shoot without aiming. We need such “crazy” hunters right now-“armed”, “dangerous” and dead even on moving targets. Nigeria has a generous list of tested, experienced and respected (and RESPONSIBLE) professionals and subject matter experts, both at home and abroad, who can dedicate the next 6-12months of their lives to getting Nigeria out of the current recession. I’m afraid the team we have now is NOT that team, and the sooner PMB realizes that and assembles ” the” team, the better for his reputation cum legacy, and the better for Nigerians and Nigeria.

As an unrepentant supporter of PMB, the worst thing anybody can say about PMB is that he’s clueless, a tag that has been retired with the rightful owner since May 29, 2015. Hell no, he’s NOT! I have a pack of Harvard Business Reviews, though, for him. Knowing his sadly unpopular capacity to read on a wide variety of subjects, I advise PMB takes some time off his busy schedule while at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to read these important books to refresh his memory on how to turn things around for the better. He can lend the pack to some of his ministers-those who can read, especially those he won’t drop on October 1st as part of the Independence Day anniversary.

On a lighter note, someone please whisper to Mr. President that he should not bring back more hunger from UNGA. LOL.  May Buhari succeed!

• Oparah is a social commentator