President-elect Muhammadu Buhari will disappoint a good number of people if he derails from providing good leadership to Nigerians on account of the fact that the good, the bad and the pure evils have all endorsed his presidency.
A grown man’s voice would grow hoarse to count them all. Buhari’s supporters represent a gamut of characters. They range from policemen dancing and celebrating his victory to 80-year-olds actively participating in the elections and soldiers eager to make Buhari mend their military profession left in tatters by the PDP administration.
However, what about gentlemen of the underworld?
Hashimu Sulaiman’s encounter with armed robbers shows that even the members of the underworld support Buhari’s change movement.
Many public media reported Hashimu’s encounter with armed robbers near Mokwa, Niger state, on his way from Lagos to Abuja to celebrate Muhammadu Buhari’s victory. A version on Naij.com reads: “The Traveler (editor’s note: Hashimu Sulaiman) narrated how they encountered armed robbers close to Mokwa, but fortunately for him, he had already met one of them in Jebba and the would-be robber ended up giving him N200 for “pure” (sachet) water”.
Actually, according to Hashimu’s own account on BBC Hausa service, one of the would-be robbers gave him N2000 when he was accosted. But not before he reminded Hashimu he was the same person who gave him N200 for pure water at a market several kilometers behind.
It is unclear what the robbers would have done to Hashimu if he had been on a different quest. For example, if he had been undertaking a penance for President Jonathan’s loss. However, the way they treated Sulaiman Hashimu was instructive.
It’s a common knowledge that the president-elect Muhammadu Buhari had little patience for drug dealers and armed robbers during his time as a military head of state.
So, why would armed robbers support a man who did not accept their type of activity? It may be because the robbers foresee a more equitable Nigeria under Buhari, where opportunities would be in abundance and the vicissitudes which nudged them towards crime would be eliminated.
Whatever the robbers were thinking, if their violent nature is taken into consideration, they obviously treated Hashimu with a favourable disposition. I think it might extend to him from their love to the president-elect Buhari.
The campaign has run its course. Whether he will allow it or not, Buhari’s support base stretches as far as the south goes and as wide as the north extends.
With no doubt, there are a lot of expectations. However, Buhari has no choice other than to give the development of Nigeria a fine try.
If he refuses, among many, the president-elect will answer to the Association of Ex-Armed Robbers. However, if Nigeria remains as stagnated as it currently is, the robbers will have no reason to abandon their dark world. In this case, the president, and especially Nigerians, will answer to the Association of Active Armed Robbers. I’ve absolutely no doubt of that.
Dr Dooba is a data scientist, a teacher and a columnist.
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of TalkofNaija.com or its editors."
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