10 Leaders who ruined Nigeria (With Pictures)

The private sector is shrinking at an alarming rate; the self-employed and small-scale industrialists are going into extinction. There is all-round destitution and the days of the apocalypse may not be far away. Yet, Buhari is working. I for one can see him working; I see him running from pillar to post, which some have uncharitably described as junketing. I also see Vice President Yemi Osinbajo becoming all grey hairs within so short a time. But are they working with the right calibre of people and are they directing their energies in the right direction? Are they getting the level of support required from those around them and from the system?

It bears repeating that the economy should be the focus for now – the Central Bank of Nigeria and the commercial banks especially. Without a stable Naira, the best of efforts will not amount to much. This administration needs a powerful think-thank on the economy; non-partisanship should be the name of the game right now. It bears repeating also that Buhari is fighting too many battles on too many fronts at one and same time. Boko Haram, MASSOBIPOB, Niger Delta militants, judgeslawyers, corruption; within his own party there are disgruntled elements working to sabotage him as fifth columnists. Ruminating on the country’s parlous state, I came to the conclusion that 10 past leaders should be held responsible for the rain that is beating us right now.

Number one is Yakubu Gowon. His regime started the sensationalizing of corruption. Remember the Aper Aku versus Joseph Tarka bribe scandal. Gowon also laid the foundation of wastage of national resources: Read about his extravagant State wedding in Prof. Wole Soyinka’s “The Man Died”. He is also credited with the statement “money is not our problem but how to spent it”. Had he spent wisely, we would have started the elusive diversification of our mono-cultural economy during his time. Today, Gowon gallivants all over the place purporting to pray for Nigeria. He should instead pray for himself! Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo is the Number two. Corruption was still tolerable during Obasanjo’s first coming, although there were innuendoes surrounding his Operation Feed the NationOperation Fool the Nation.