BY CHIEF MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN.
23RD OF OCTOBER, 2020 2:34AM
I just had, most humbly, the misfortune , of reading the 27 paragraph national broadcast by president Muhammadu Buhari. I had guffawed when many Nigerians awaited the speech with great expectations and bated animation, believing erroneously, that, like I had humbly advised president Buhari yesterday, he would roll out drums of empathy for our slain innocent youths and their grieving families. I told them not to expect any calming or blaming speech of reconciliation and empathy. Buhari did not disappoint me. His national address was devoid of sympathy, empathy, fatherly feelings, or even the mere milk of human kindness for a nation on the dangerous precipice and cliff. His speech was unfortunately insensate and insensitivity. It epitomized a sorry and pathetic disconnect between the government and the people Mr president governs , or pretends to govern. The speech was more of a military dicta, a ferocious barracks riot Act, read to some unruly riotous mutineers and insurrectionists , to bring them to book. He simply talked down on Nigerians ,not with Nigerians. I felt quite depressed and saddened. He lost a rare golden, momentous and historic opportunity to unify a profusely hemorrhaging and badly fractured nation. He spoke more like an Emperor addressing cringing servants, nay, slaves in bondage. Buhari reeled out what he considered to be his government’s presumed economic innovations to tackle the travails of a decaying nation. He found time to “pay tribute to officers of the Nigeria Police Force who have tragically lost their lives in the line of duty” ; but found no single word, phrase or sentence , to console or condole with the mourning families of the youths that were mauled down in cold blood by the same trigger – happy officers. He never found a word of empathy ,or even sympathy, for the innocent Nigerian flags – waving peaceful protesters who were hacked down in their hundreds across the nation. Who did this to us as a country?
