Buhari’s New Year Broadcast; From Excuse Making To Another Set Of Empty Promises; By Favour Amako

I heard that President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, January 1, 2021, at about 7am, addressed the nation (live or pre-recorded, I do not know), as I was too reluctant to tune in, having preempted what Mr. President will say. I know his Speech Writers too well. All they needed to do is simply copy and paste from last year’s speech, and do slight alterations, and they are home and dry.

I have painstakingly gone through the 35 paragraphs speech. It was full of mouth watering promises, too good to be true. I think Mr. President should know that well meaning Nigerians are tired of Presidential broadcasts full of empty headed promises. It is time to walk the talk.

I can vividly recall that by this same time last year, President Muhammadu Buhari delivered his 2020 new year letter (not broadcast). It was also loaded with promises that are yet to be fulfilled. Mr. President had promised to improve power supply in the country (where is the power supply now?), deliver on critical infrastructure across all zones, double down on local production of food, win the war on terror and Boko Haram, and outlined a couple of projects that will be completed, or that will commence in 2020. 365 days have gone, yet we are still expectant.

However, to be honest, President Buhari is making progress. First, he started in 2015, by making excuses. Now from excuse-making to empty headed promises. Today, he has come on air to make another set of promises. Here are some of the promises he made during his 2021 new year message broadcast.

1. Challenges will be faced head-on
   The President restated his pledge to ensure that the ongoing challenges in the country are faced head-on, with renewed determination, and with all the appropriateness and urgency required.
2. Promise to secure the future of the Nigerian youths
   President Buhari, who used the occasion of the New Year to reaffirm his commitment to the people of Nigeria, especially the youths who need collective encouragement and support, stressed the need to secure the future of the youths, in order to secure the nation.
3. President Buhari pledged to reorganise the Armed Forces, Police
   The President said: “Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include: “re-energising and reorganising the Security Apparatus and Personnel of the Armed Forces and the Police, with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back, and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country”.
4. Pledge to eradicate corruption through collaboration
   He said: ”On the anti-corruption drive of our administration, we have recorded substantial gains so far and this year, we are committed to continuing along the path of eradicating corruption, through collaboration with all the arms of government, to effectively prosecute this fight.”
5. Reinforcing hope in 2021

President Buhari said that his administration will use the year 2021, to “work to reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria”.

If President Buhari did not fulfil the promises he made in 2020, how are we sure he will attend to his promises in 2021? Your guess and answer is as good as mine.