Metro

Buhari’s first semester report card by Etcetera

Published

11 years ago

5th September 2015

In this new article, Etcetera grades president Buhari mostly F9 for his 100 days in office. Read below

We often use benchmarks as measures of progress. ‘How is your favourite football team doing at the beginning of this season?’ ‘How many words does your one-year-old son say in a minute?’ And, of course, there’s the time-honoured measure of how well a new president is doing after 100 days in office. In case you hadn’t heard, that benchmark is here for President Buhari.

You may feel it’s a little impertinent for me to issue a report card for President Buhari on his performance during his first 100 days in office. Yes, I’m not his teacher, and he’s not my student.

But what the heck? It’s a free country and everyone else is doing it. So here it goes:

Confidence:- Buhari has brought back confidence in governance. Especially in tough times, the confident presence of a leader begets confidence in those that he or she leads. With his steady demeanour, optimistic outlook and command, Buhari embodies confidence. The number of incompetent heads of parastatals he has sacked so far reflects that sentiment. The percentage of Nigerians who think the country is on the right track is up. Grade: A1

Pace of Governance:– When the pressure is high, leaders need perspective. They need swift action. Buhari is working on so many things all by himself that it’s sometimes hard to keep track of all of them. He has too much on his plate. He should get into perspective and allow others do the job where he can’t. It won’t be a surprise to discover that the president is in charge of his travel itinerary, meeting schedule and other range of issues on his plate. He runs the risk of edging toward a burn out. Well, some argue that the president is keeping a pace that works for him. Grade: F9

Communications:– Effective leadership communication is outcome oriented and audience specific. President Buhari is clearly not an articulate communicator and he doesn’t do enough to shape his message to the audience. Hearing Mr. President pronounce APC leaves you lost and wondering if you heard him correctly. Maybe his media aides should have used this as an excuse to exonerate him from the hundred things he promised to have achieved before his first 100 days in office that has now capped him as a liar. Buhari’s tone of voice usually stays within a fairly narrow range. He could do better here. Grade: F9

Team Player: – There are two major factors on this distinction. The first is to get a great team in place. The second is to get your ego out of the way and allow the team to do their job. Buhari has stumbled here and most people will agree that his failure to appoint ministers in his first 100 days in office has been a setback to governance. Whether you agree with me or not, Buhari can’t be president and ministers all by himself. We need competent hands to man the various ministries. You cannot achieve a lot in three and half months without the support of a team. Good leaders are the keepers of the what, not the masters of the how. Assembling a strong team also helps in establishing an agenda. Buhari needs to realise that he’ll likely never have more momentum than he has now if he doesn’t put a team on the ground. Grade: F9

Accountability and Responsibility: President Buhari has done fairly well with the campaign for government officials to be held accountable for their actions or inactions. He has brought a sense of transparency and has taken some interesting first steps in promoting government accountability. I think this is an area where there is a lot more to do however. For instant, there hasn’t really been a clear explanation yet as to how he is going to tackle corruption and how the country will avoid being ripped apart by government officials in the years to come. Grade: C

Economy: – This has so far been one of the president’s worst subjects. He may be making a grave mistake focusing all his attention on recouping looted funds instead of providing the basic needs of the people. Never in history has this approach successfully led a country out of recession. This might lead to an unhappy ending, and more inflation. The continuous drop of the nation’s currency is stark reminder that we are still in the worst slump in 50 years. Grade: F9

National Security:- Nigerians are still not experiencing any sense of security. People are dying and getting maimed everyday on the streets by hoodlums and touts. Boko Haram insurgents are still using the yet to be found Chibok girls for their bombings. Armed robbers are having a field day carting away properties. The country is still not safe. Grade: F9

Metro

Bauchi man, 27, allegedly k!lls 13-year-old pregnant girlfriend

Published

4 years ago

14th August 2022

Usman Oladuntoye

A 27-year-old man, Munkaila Ado, has been arrested for the alleged m*rder of one Safiya Danladi, a 13-year-old girl, in Pali community of Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi State.

Until her death, Safiya was carrying a four-month-old pregnancy for Munkaila, who was her boyfriend, Leadership reported.

Munkaila was hellbent on getting the pregnancy aborted afterwhich Safiya was secretly taken to Gombe State for abortion, it was reported.

Munkaila later opted to k!ll his lover after an unsuccessful arrangement to abort the four-month-old pregnancy in the neighbouring Gombe State.

However, a statement by the Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, said: “The suspect (Munkaila) confessed that the missing girl was his girlfriend who was four-month pregnant to the knowledge of her mother but unknown to the father Alhaji Danladi Mohammed.”

The Police spokesperson added that Munkaila conspired with the mother of the 13-year-old girl and another accomplice by name Mu’azu and they “took the victim to Gombe to procure an abortion, thereafter on reaching Gombe the victim was led to one Hajiya Amina Abubakar ‘f’ 50-yr-old house in Jekada Fari behind Specialist Hospital Gombe where the victim was administered with some substances to cause the abortion.”

He said while returning home in Bauchi State, Munkaila and Muazu strangulated Safiya to death. They thereafter burnt the corpse and bury her in a shallow grave.

SP Wakil stated that the duo will be charged to court on two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide as well as violation of human right and dignity of the girl-child.

Metro

Photos: Terrorists Release More Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack Victims

Published

4 years ago

10th August 2022

Usman Oladuntoye

The terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers on March 28, 2022, have released another seven hostages, including a family of six and an older woman.

The Publisher of Kaduna-based Desert Herald and Media Consultant to Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, said the seven were released following the intervention of his principal.

Metro

Nigerian Military arrests Owo Church attackers

Published

4 years ago

9th August 2022

Usman Oladuntoye

The Defence Headquarters said it has arrested the terrorists behind the attack on the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, who made the disclosure during a parley with media executives at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, said the criminals were arrested in collaboration with other security agencies.

Terrorists attacked the Catholic Church during a Sunday Mass and opened fire on the worshippers, resulting in the death of over 30 persons.

The incident happened on June 5.