Jonathan’s Presidency And Boko Haram’s Challenge

Thirty three days after the inauguration of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on May 29, 2011 as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the avalanche of congratulatory and goodwill messages that followed the epoch-making ceremony, the President from all indications, is now facing the realities of the office of the Number One citizen of the country.

The euphoria that charatrerised Jonathan’s victory after the April, 2011 Presidential Polls, and his subsequent swearing-in, has gradually faded away and the president is now saddled with the onerous responsibility of managing and administering the complexities inherent in the Nigerian state, which comprises over 150 ethnic nationalities.

Besides the myriad of economic and socio-political problems confronting Jonathan’s Presidency, the one that clearly stands out as a clear and present danger is the state of insecurity in the land.

Having battled with the Niger Delta region question and how to handle the militants from the area that virtually paralysed and crumbled the Nigerian economy, Dr. Jonathan is facing another round of militancy, coming not from Niger Delta again, but from up North, where an Islamic group, Boko Haram, is now holding Jonathan’s Presidency, and by extension, the country, to ransom.

Boko Haram, an extremist Islamic organisation wrecked havoc in several parts of Nigeria, especially in Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Maidugiri, and lately Abuja, the seat of power of the Nigerian State,  where Jonathan, all service chiefs, ministers, ambassadors, National Assembly members, and other prominent Nigerians and foreigners reside.

Boko Haram’s threat constitutes one of the greatest challenge stiring Jonathan’s transformational agenda in the face, and except something drastic is done to bring this socio-religious uprising to its knees, yours sincerely guess is as good as yours too.

Our foundation as a nation is threatened and Shaken, our sensibilities and psyche traumatized, our children’s future, particularly young graduates fresh from our universities (Youth Corpers) in jeopardy. And the question all well-meaning Nigerians are asking now is: where do we go from here?

Jonathan, his in-coming cabinet, NASS legislators, service chiefs and Commanders and other security operatives must provide an answer to the nagging question of how best to deal with the Boko Haram’s phenomenon. Until the panacea to the imbroglio is provided  and normalcy returns, I’m afraid, Nigeria will not remain the same.

Jonathan and our parliamentarians must see the mandate given to them as a demand of the Nigerian people to deliver and keep this country as one and indivisible geo-political entity whose strength lies in unity in diversity.

The incursion of extremists into our polity and other problems militating against the progress and development of our society should be a serious concern to our leaders who have sworn to the oath of office to keep Nigeria one as enshrined in the constitution.

Members and leaders of the Islamic sect and their faceless sponsors need a re-think. The supreme Law (the constitution) which all sections of the country drafted and resolved to subscribe to provides for a secular state and if at any time or point, we all agree to re-visit such provision, it must come through a consensus, referendum or amendment to the fundamental law governing the country. Anything contrary is unacceptable!.

The issue of religion is a governance and sensitive matter that requires caution. If not handled with dispatch could affect the stability, unity, peaceful co-existence, and development of the country.

Security apparatus and law enforcement agencies must therefore be decisive and stop treating or handling the Boko Haram issue with kid gloves for the sake of the corporate existence of the Nigerian state. No group or groups, no matter what their grievances might be should be allowed to take the law into their hands.

Nigeria’s corporate interest, by and large, exceeds any person (s) or sectional interest and we must be seen as collectively protecting our collective interest.

I have no slightest doubt, whatsoever, that Jonathan’s Presidency has the capacity to transform Nigeria into a big and viable nation which we all desire, if and only if all hands will be on deck.

Perhaps, that informs the reason why Jonathan is taking his time to carefully select his first eleven team (Cabinet) which will eventually take the country to the promise land.

Jonathan choice of the right caliber of men and woman will go a long way in his transformational agenda for Nigeria. First, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and position Nigeria among 20 strangest economies in the globe before 2020 will largely be determined by the caliber of cabinet the president chooses.

Every moment I reflect on Jonathan’s Presidency, I keep asking myself this question: Can Jonathan deliver the country from the woods and launch the nation on the path of rapid economic and socio-political development.

This question becomes more pertinent now than ever before following the current security concerns, especially from deviant groups such as Boko Haram, which, from all indications, appears to be the greatest challenge facing Jonathan’s Presidency for now.

Goodluck Ukwe