By Dr Sani Sa’idu Baba
“He who shouts in the dark must also speak when the light comes.”
Let me begin with this timeless proverb, because it perfectly captures the moral obligation we all share in moments like this. I am not a member of the APC, nor am I a blind critic or an ardent supporter of President Bola Tinubu. But if I raised my voice in criticism when I felt he stumbled yesterday, then honesty demands that I must also acknowledge him today, when he takes a courageous and masses centred step. We do not hate him, we only want a Nigeria that works. And when a leader does what is right especially in a time of deep national insecurity, it would be hypocrisy to stay silent.
Only a few days after the heartbreaking abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi and the kidnapping of worshippers in Niger State, the President directed the Inspector General of Police to withdraw all police officers attached to Nigerian VIPs. More than 11,000 policemen have now been recalled and ready for redeployment to strategic locations to reinforce national security according to many sources. In a country where political privilege often supersedes public good, this is a revolutionary decision.
What fascinates me more is the sudden outcry from some of the very elites who have long ignored the cries of ordinary Nigerians. Where were their voices when villagers in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kaduna, Sokoto and Borno were being slaughtered, abducted, and terrorised? Where were their outrage and press conferences when the common man in the North could no longer travel, farm, or sleep without fear? Why did these defenders of “personal security rights” suddenly find their tongues only now that the president has asked them to share in the same reality the masses live with daily?
For years, VIPs in Nigeria unlike anywhere else in the world continue to enjoy state funded security even after leaving office. In many countries around the world, it is private security firms that protect former public office holders, business magnates, and traditional elites. Why is Nigeria a country where thousands of policemen are tied down guarding individuals while communities remain unprotected? If the private sector can build banks, telecom companies, airlines, oil firms and universities, why can’t they build competent private security companies? Why can’t ex-governors and billionaires invest in elites’s class protection services and allow government security personnel focus on the people?
This is not only a question, it is advice!
President Tinubu’s directive is more than just a policy shift, it is a message to a political class that has grown too accustomed to excess. For once, the president chose the people over the privileged. For once, political convenience bowed to national interest. And for once, Nigerians have seen a leader demonstrate courage where many before him hesitated.
From recent images emerging from Aso Rock, the president’s personal appearance tells a story on its own. He looks like a man not sleeping, a leader working round the clock, pushing himself beyond comfort to restore security, especially in the North where the wounds are deepest. You can read determination in his face, an unspoken admission that Nigeria cannot continue like this.
This is why, the president’s giant stride deserves applause. Leadership is not only about campaigning, it is about taking hard, unpopular decisions for the wellbeing of the nation. Tinubu has shown courage where silence would have been easier.
If we criticise him when we think he is wrong, then fairness demands that we stand up today and say “Mr. President, on this one, you did the right thing.”
Nigeria needs more of this boldness. It needs leaders who fear no backlash when the safety of the masses is at stake. And it needs a citizenry that acknowledges truth even when it comes from those they ordinarily disagree with.
This may just be the turning point the North have been waiting for.
Dr Baba can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com
