A posthumous birthday remembrance for President Shehu Shagari

BY ABUBAKAR A. NUHU-KOKO 

Abubakar A. Nuhu-Koko, a researcher in petroleum policy and economics, is founder and pioneer executive director, The Shehu Shagari World Institute for Leadership and Good Governance, Sokoto, Nigeria. He can be reached on +234 706 330 6887 or aanuhukoko4000@gmail.com

The late President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (Turakin Sokoto), GCFR, served his beloved country, Nigeria, in several public positions, long before the country obtained its independence on October 1st, 1960, to the time he left public service as the first executive president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of on December 31st, 1983.

He was forced to stop serving his beloved country through a military coup d’etat led by the present outgoing fourth democratically elected president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria since 1999, Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) and his fellow military junta colleagues; some of them still alive while some have passed on!

The late former president, Shehu Shagari, would have been 98 years old on February 25th, 2023 – the date that the 2023 Nigerian Presidential and National Assembly elections were held. What a coincidence of historical events.

He would have been very pleased to have witnessed the swearing-in of the 5th democratically elected president in his lifetime since when his democratically elected government was toppled by his trusted but, unfortunately, an inordinately ambitious military junta!

That action of the coupists consequently impeded the progressive growth and development of democracy, rule of law and sustainable development in Nigeria for about 16 unbroken and inglorious years.

Another very important notable event that February 25th, 2023 signifies in the annals of Nigeria’s  historical democratic governance growth and development, is a possible peaceful transfer of power to be performed by PMB to the next democratically elected President of Nigeria, on May 29th, 2023. This was one of the things that General Muhammadu Buhari and his fellow military junta colleagues denied late President Shehu Shagari, the democratic right to do, as he was just about to start his second term in office; having only just been democratically re-elected.

So, 40 years ago (1983 – 2023) this year, after his ousting from power, how interesting it would be to examine through some comparative historical analysis, the presumptive and putative reasons advanced by the military coupists at the time they overthrew the democratically elected government of late President Shehu Shagari were right!

Such a comparative historical analysis will be able to establish how, if those presumptive reasons or problems have been radically solved both under the 16 years of military rule and since the return to democratic rule and governance in 1999 to date as PMB prepares to handover the mantle of democratic leadership to his democratically elected successor come May 29th, 2023, In Shaa Allah. It would provide interesting insights, especially where they have not been radically eliminated and with eight years of President Buhari back in power as a civilian but still the commander-in-chief. It would be even more interesting if such an analysis can go further to establish reasons why there has been a failure for 40 years now to solve these problems that the junta claimed made them truncate Nigeria’s fledgling democracy just four years after its restart.

I believe that the search for the correct answer to this challenging review of Nigeria’s leadership and governance issues will serve as a beacon of truth, trust and proper guidance for the path towards building a new Nigerian nation based upon trust, integrity and above all, justice, equity, inclusiveness and patriotism.

Lastly, I would like, for the umpteenth time, to remind His Excellency, the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari of his promise to immortalise late President Shehu Shagari when he died on December 28th, 2018. The promise is yet to be fulfilled five years on and three months left!

May the Almighty Allah forgive late President Shehu Shagari his shortcomings and reward his good deeds abundantly with Aljannat Firdausi. Ameen Thumma Ameen.

May the Almighty Allah grant the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari excellent health and forgive his shortcomings and reward his good deeds abundantly herein and hereafter. Ameen Thumma Ameen.

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