Fareed’s gps challenge

Though incessantly tempted and seduced, I have somehow managed to resist the dire urge of joining millions of Nigerians in asking about the whereabouts of this country’s number one citizen. I have always thought that it was a gargantuan slap across the brilliant Nigerian face to have an away president but since I do not sit in any of the chambers in Nigeria’s bicameral legislature, the National Assembly, my opinion is as good as smoke, diffusing into the atmosphere without a trace.

However, not so remote events have brought about a revamp in my position of no comments and posterity would judge if I fail to make a remark at this point. Over the years, my TV ritual has been given a myriad of tags by the various people who happen to share a  roof with me for a significant period of time, but the most consistent of all these tags has been boring. Every morning, I navigate from our local news channels to international news platforms to catch the headlines, reviews and then back to international news platforms for some programmes I call ‘my shows’. One of such ‘my shows’ happens to be The Global Public Square (GPS), a weekly public affairs show hosted by journalist and author Fareed Zakaria on CNN and broadcast around the world by CNN International. This show focuses on international issues and foreign affairs and airs Sundays at 10:00 am ET to 11:00 am ET, with a replay at 1:00 pm ET to 2:00 pm ET.

About two weeks ago, I was catching a replay of my show, the 32nd episode of the 10th season, aired on 30 July and was having an amazing solo TV time until a bomb exploded. Well, I didn’t consider it as a bomb, contrary to the opinion of many Nigerians that was conveyed via traditional and social media platforms after that episode. As a matter of fact, I found it somewhat intriguing that the self-acclaimed giant of Africa, had been reduced to a subject of trivia on a show. Why were Nigerians angry? Did Fareed do any wrong in stating the obvious? If key Nigerians are bound by a disgusting silent vow and choose to look the other way when salient questions should be asked, feigning ignorance, Fareed doesn’t have to. If lawmakers are too afraid of EFCC raids and hunts to voice out the discrepancies in our democracy, Fareed has no allegiance to Aso Rock!

I was mortified when I saw headlines after the show, raving, ranting and screaming insult. What insult are we talking about? How is it an insult to state categorically the situation on ground? If Nigerian’s felt insulted, the aggression must be channeled to the right quarters not towards CNN or Fareed.

This is a country that has a constitution and a national assembly but in this same democracy, the president has been away for almost two months.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been away, receiving medical attention in the United Kingdom since May 7 but the administration preaches to Nigerians to embrace made-in-Nigeria; how about this serial back and forth of medical tourism on taxpayer’s money? Well science claims that every rule has an exception and may be the first citizens are following that aspect of science. When Forex policies were crippling in Nigeria and the masses could not go about international transactions, not only one of first children was studying abroad, their father, our president, on an international news platform, was recorded to have said that he could afford paying their fees. This same person claimed to have borrowed money to purchase the form with which he contested for presidency years ago.

I am so nauseated by the sanctimonious behaviour of some countrymen. Look at Nigerians calling out Fareed for simply telling the truth. No, he didn’t even tell. He simply asked because whether we come to terms with it or not, this nation is skidding down the part of becoming a sick joke to the international community. In reality, we mustn’t be upset because it is a well deserved position. We brought it upon ourselves and we must learn to gallantly wear the disdain like medals. First, it was Fareed, the longer our president is away, the more subjects of trivia we would be worldwide. Let the warm up begin!

The coming of President Buhari can be likened to the second coming of Jesus Christ as vice-president Yemi Osinbajo, after visiting him on July 11 had said the President would return to the country “sooner than you expect”. No specific date in sight!

Just some weeks ago, two separate batches of governors visited him in the UK as well, but all of them expressed divergent opinions of how soon the President is likely to be back in the country. So why do Nigerians rage that we were put on the negative spotlight by Fareed? If we do not and we cannot get succinct responses from the key players, we should be ready to be on children’s history books. It would be only a matter of time.