The Beginning of a New Era in Nigeria.

Today, inside the largest black nation in the world, something unprecedented took place a few hours earlier in the day. The erstwhile Nigeria’s president (Goodluck Jonathan) voluntarily stepped down from the exalted office after losing the presidential election to his opponent. To this end, Muhammadu Buhari was duly sworn-in as the new president. This great, unsurpassed political development will have a profound effect on the political future of sub-Saharan Africa and the global community. God bless Nigeria!

Nigeria's new President Muhammadu Buhari rides in a motorcade while inspecting the guard of honour at Eagle Square in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2015. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde.

As Nigerians Vote for a New Leadership.

A friend told me the story of an old classmate who, up till early 1999, was struggling to make ends meet. Whenever my friend travelled to Nigeria, the man would be at the airport to welcome him. The ensuing hugs, back-patting and baggage-carrying chores of the guy were always rewarded with some cash.

Then came the 4^th Republic and the man joined one of the major parties. It was on the platform of the party that he won an election as a Councilor. In 2001, my friend travelled to Nigeria and, as usual, the man was at the airport. This time though, instead of a taxi, the two left in a brand new SUV. As they love to brag in Nigeria, the man quickly told my friend, “This is just one of the several cars in my carport…” As at that time, he had also become the owner of a mansion, two gas stations and a cottage industry (pure water production outfit). Yet, he was merely a Councilor!

Now, in that same terribly corrupt nation, there was a man that stands out like a “good thumb”. He was a military governor of the defunct North Eastern State and later, Borno State. With the exception of two other men, everyone that “served” as a state governor or military administrator in Nigeria left office as terribly stinking rich man. Our man also held the most enviable cabinet position in the land rich in Oil (Petroleum Minister). In that position, this man could have easily made himself a billionaire. But he refused to be so tempted. In later years, he went on to serve as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), a body created by the then military government of General Abacha. It was funded from the revenue generated by the increase in the price of petroleum products at that time, to pursue developmental projects around the country. A 1998 report in “New African” praised the PTF under this man for its transparency. His feat was described as a rare "success story". And to top it all, he was once the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Nigerian armed forces. In spite of all these great positions though, it’s difficult to classify him as a rich man by Nigerian standard. He was so incorruptible that he challenged the entire nation that whoever had proof of corruption against him should step out to state so. Up till now, no one has been able to do so. This rare Nigerian is General Muhammed Buhari (rtd) and the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).

In February, 2015, Nigerians will be going to the polling booths to cast their ballots for a president. Our nation has been battered, looted and reduced to a mere tottering, clay-footed giant of Africa due to raging, massive corruption that exists at all levels of governance. Therefore, if there is one most importantly needed factor that will serve as the foundation for the re-invention and regeneration of Nigeria's glory, it’s integrity in leadership. And Buhari has it in abundance.

The Nigerian Tragic President

By the time the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan completes his term in office, he would have become an horrendous genius in the payment of condolences and shedding of tears over disasters. For someone bearing Jonathan as a last name, the tragic DNA of his Biblical namesake must have proved far too superior to whatever positive comes with the first name "Goodluck".

That man has brought so much bad luck to our nation that his successor must definitely find a way to remove every trace of the spirit of the name "Jonathan" from the Aso Rock Villa. Here is a president whose tenure has witnessed and played host to so much carnage of the worst kind as to last Nigeria a lifetime. And if there was a Nobel Prize for a "reign of disaster", Goodluck Jonathan would have won it a dozen times for his calamity-inventive-genius.

Within this year alone, there have been several terrorist attacks by the religious group called Boko Haram. Yet, in reaction to each bomb blast by the terrorists, the clueless president never bothers to promise an end to the carnage except to pay condolences to the victims' families. It has gotten to a point that the president's spokesperson does not really have to prepare a new sad speech but simply recycle the previous one since national disasters are a regular feature of the government.

And talking of Boko Haram, those evil people hiding behind their religion would by now be cursing out the Dana airline for upstaging news of their bomb attack on the same day the plane crashed. On that same Sunday June 3, 2012, a bomb blast, for which Boko Haram claimed credits, destroyed Harvest Field and Living Faith Church in Yelwa in Anwan Ngas, Bauchi State with about 20 innocent people dead. As usual, a recycled condolence message with a prototyped signature of the president have been sent to media houses for onward broadcast to the families of the deceased victims.

In the Dana plane crash alone, a man lost his entire family! Yet, there were some other families who lost a minimum of two or three members in that same flight. They will never forget the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan. Why is that so? Because it's only under the watch of a useless president and his corrupt government that a plane known to be faulty and indeed obsolete such as the ill-fated Dana flight would be "cleared" for operation by some civil servants who cared more about their pockets than public safety.

Just last week, my daughter flew in that same plane and she observed that it was "behaving funny" in the air. Now, since the sad incident of last Sunday, I keep wondering...what if? And the worst part? Definitely, once the declared 3-day official mourning is over, the situation in the seat of power will be, "let's wait and see where the next disaster will take place". To them, it will be business as usual until the fire next time. Then the vicious cycle of a president on a perpetually crying mission without change will begin all over. What a president!