Can the president govern with body language?

By Emeka Odikpo

CHIEF Obafemi Awolowo S.A.N. was a man known for meticulous planning and attention to details. It is on record that he was the first man to propose a Federal system of governance for Nigeria and this he did as far back as 1947 in his work Path to Nigerian Freedom. It is remarkable that 68 years down the line, no better model has been proposed for the governance of this country. That seminal proposal had nothing to do with body language. Still on the self same Chief Awolowo. I had the good fortune of watching the same sage on National Television as a pre-teen being interviewed during his campaign for the 1979 general elections. From the dredges of my pre-teen memory I recollect a question and answer session that went somewhat like this: Interviewer: “Chief, why do you believe that you are qualified to lead this Country?”

Chief Awolowo: “Thank you very much for that question. Firstly in 1961 I made economic proposals that ought to be used for the development of this country, ten years after, precisely in 1971 my proposal was more or less adopted as the 2nd National Development plan. My book Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution was published in 1966, detailing an agenda for a bicameral legislative structure at the Federal level and a unicameral structure at the state level. This agenda was adopted more than a decade later as the very basis of Nigerian Constitution.” Then came the real clincher; “When a man is ten years ahead of his compatriots, that man is not just qualified to be their leader, in fact he is already their leader.” The fact that Chief Awolowo was extremely qualified and had immense preparation and capacity to be Nigeria’s leader was never lost to even his biggest critics. This had nothing to do with body language.

Fast forward to Nigeria of 2015. A new and somewhat shocking language has been developed and is being actively promoted by the President’s biggest supporters and that is that the President is governing with body language. Governance world over is based essentially on planning, focus and adroit implementation. Leaders world over, including our last two Presidents usually start by acknowledging this truism; which was why President Yar Adua immediately came up with his seven point agenda immediately he was sworn into office.

President Goodluck Jonathan also came up with his Transformation Agenda once he assumed office. One of President Yar ‘Adua’s seven point agenda was to secure peace in the Niger Delta; it is on record that with the active participation of the then Vice President, this agenda was fulfilled. Detailed planning, detailed proposals were made to the militants and peace was finally achieved. This had nothing to do with body language. President Jonathan had a more detailed transformation agenda. The road map to power that he launched, whilst Professor Bath Nnaji was still his Adviser on power was clearly incisive and had a clear sense of direction. The presence of DISCOS, GENCOS and even that of Manitoba did not happen by accident, they were a resultant effect of detailed planning and adroit implementation. This had nothing to do with body language. The dramatic increase in the production of local rice and the increase in our local milling capacity, which has now enabled the CBN to de-list rice from being entitled to foreign exchange for its import did not happen by accident, the projections were contained in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda. This had nothing to do with body language.

Buhari

Our President must stop listening to sycophants that now dot the entire Nigerian space. So far the President has not rolled out a single plan on any area of our National life or on the multiform areas of governance. Quite amazingly, even on corruption, which has been the constant basis of his public persona from 1984 till date, the President has not made a single proposal or laid out a single plan for tackling this tragedy. Without distinct, brilliant and concise plans, nothing will be achieved by this administration. The simulated press adulation and sycophantic praises of the President can quite easily continue for several years to come, but at the end of the day, this administration will be known for having puffed and huffed and probably nothing else. This has nothing to do with body language.

Already, the absence of a general plan and sense of direction has rendered the National Assembly comatose. Executive bills are the bed rock of any Legislature. The bills indicate the direction, laws and regulations the government requires to function. Under our previous leaders, executive bills came in their numbers to the National Assembly. Consequently, the gentlemen were quite busy debating and modifying the proposals of the executive. That is the core essence of a democracy. This has nothing to do with body language.

The effect of the total absence of a discernible plan or policy is also exacting its toll on the economy. Foreign direct investments are said to have declined by 48% over the last three months. The Central Bank Governor appears to be at his wits end to read the body language of the president on the direction the economy should be headed. Policies are tumbling out from the Central Bank in a half hazard and somewhat confused manner.

The prevailing policies on trade liberalisation are being stifled by the Central Bank, without concomitant directives from the Presidency on the fiscal policies that shall prevail during the tenure of the President. If this confusion continues, our economy will definitely suffer innumerable shocks and will further decline. This has nothing to do with body language.

*Mr. Odikpo,  a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.