– Re: Let’s Make This Man Nigerian Next President -By Abdulkadir Salaudeen
Abdulkadir Salaudeen wrote on February 17, 2022 as published by Opinion Nigeria, which I had read with keen interest and I quote, “The upcoming general elections in Nigeria deserve our participation—all of us. I know we must be tired of the present leadership through which is many calamities were (and are being) let loose on us. “Haven’t we observed that Nigeria is always leading from the behind in every index of development? We ought to have also observed that we are always leading from the extreme top when it comes to poverty, corruption, insecurity, and joblessness. If there is any global survey on countries with wasted talents and certificates, it will be shocking if Nigeria does not come first. courtesy of joblessness.”
In reaction, my candid opinion, advice and recommendation is that we, ‘Make A Woman the Next President of Nigeria!’ This is the time! Which woman? Who is she? Where is she from? And how can we know her?
May I just go ahead to reveal and mention the name for the first female president in Nigeria; because I personally know her? I have worked and been acquainted with her and I can recommend her to Nigerians as the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) did in 2018, by endorsing her for presidency and presenting to her a plaque: “In recognition of her consistency, steadfastness, developmental strides, motherly disposition and mentorship towards the students community and society at large.”
She has many characteristics of which seven are very major and essential as she is quite able, capable, consistent and steadfast. First, we can count on her developmental strides across board. Second, is her motherly disposition and third is her spirit of dynamic mentorship towards the students’ community and the national and international society at large. Fourth, as Salaudeen has rightly recommended, is her strength and firmness.
Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies is very trustworthy in all her dealings with fear of God. Fifth, we can trust her because she is very humane and human blood is flowing inside her, most especially as a woman. She is neither nepotistic nor a religious fanatic, fundamentalist or bigot. She will be able to see every Nigerian, first as human then as Nigerian. She will be less concerned about the language a Nigerian speaks or the religion they profess. She would be able to frontally address bribery and corruption without asking which technology was used to detect bribery because the beneficiary comes from her primordial constituency (tribe, region or religion).
She is very knowledgeable. Sixth, her mental alertness is not a topic of debate, as she is not senile. She is an adept who will be able to answer tough questions on insecurity and the economy and the polity. Not only that, she would be able to proffer workable solutions to myriads of challenges which make living in Nigeria a living death for Nigerians. She is an avid reader who regularly updates her knowledge on current happenings. She reads newspapers by herself; and would not have to rely on what personal assistants, who are often bootlickers, would tell her or read to her. Ideally, she knows that the current PVC means Permanent Voters Card and that it does not expire (as it is now). She will not tell Nigerians that she is shocked or surprised that ASUU declared a long overdue strike. I just hope our leaders are not sleeping 24/7. Their utterances at times make one conclude that they are hardly awake. They daze us!
Seventh and lastly, she would be a good guard, a guard who will keep eyes on our resources to make sure they are used judiciously. She would not be extravagant. She would be a guard against corruption. She is incorruptible and transparent to a fault. She would be feared as an uncompromising guard who does not wink at criminal acts. She would be a guard who will not allow such terrible fuel find its way into our dear country. The fuel in circulation is not only cringe inducing to human sight but also to our car engines. Anyway, it is good for our mechanics who will end up working on our car engines when they knock—courtesy of bad governance. So sad!
In conclusion, our presidential hopeful and awaiting president, come 2023, would be a strong and healthy woman, trustworthy, knowledgeable, alert and watchful (not sleeping) as we pray for a better Nigeria.
May I present again to you the WOMAN in the academia, Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, a linguist and educationist, who has served as a university lecturer and administrator for the past 36 years. She is also a consultant, researcher, writer, poet and activist. A frontline politician, presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 general election, she is currently an aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP aspiring to be the next president of Nigeria.
She has stated,“I have a dream, that one day, a woman will emerge as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the dream is now! This is because, if Nigerians elect a female president, it will be a turning point in the nation’s history. It will also be an honour to have Nigeria’s first female president. If Nigeria can give women a chance to rule, I am sure we will never regret it.”
