A Broadcast that evokes memories of coups d’état
President Buhari’s broadcast was applauded in many quarters as about the best, in many respects.
For some, it was his most articulate and coherent delivery in his five years in power. For others, it was the only broadcast in which Buhari was able to effortlessly inspire courage in his citizens and bring them to almost unanimously agree on a few available options of confronting a fierce enemy seen in Coronavirus infection.
On a number of social media platforms, radio and television talk shows, people expressed the feeling that Buhari appeared flourishingly well, contrary to fake news that he was in an in-house isolation centre in the Villa or even abroad receiving treatment having tested positive for Coronavirus.
Many more others claimed that he was for the first time manifesting that he was in control of the government even though they pointed out that the broadcast was pre-recorded and relayed.
Yet, there were many others who said he was coming out so late, that it was only the threat of voluble complaints from across the country about his absentee leadership in a great time of pestilence that he was forced to pre-record the broadcast.
Notwithstanding these diverse emotions, there was nothing extra-ordinary or new in President Buhari’s broadcast, which lasted approximately 19 minutes that, as global citizens in the wake of the Coronavirus plague, had not been seen or heard being implemented in other countries.
Firstly, one of the drastic steps which stood out was his order of a total lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states as a stiff means to contain further spread of the infection. This has been done, and more effectively too in the Chinese city of Wuhan where the plague originated, in Italy, Spain, UK, US, South Africa and Ghana, to mention just a few. In any case, there had been partial lockdown before then as all schools – from primary to university – had been temporarily closed, and offices of government and private concerns were marginally operating.
Secondly, Buhari told Nigerians that the best and most effective preventive measure from getting infected is through a rigid observance of regular hygienic and sanitary practices as well as social distancing. At that point, even primary schools kids had become familiar with that instruction. In any case, the various media platforms, traditional and social, had by then been saturated with that counsel from the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC.
Thirdly, Buhari’s declaration that the federal government had introduced healthcare measures, border security; fiscal and monetary policies in the fight against the viral disease, and that some of these measures will surely cause major inconveniences to many citizens; he was literally admitting that he slammed the door after the horse had bolted or in this case, after the snake had sneaked into the room.
In addition, Buhari’s admission that the federal government was just then releasing “an initial intervention fund of N15 billion to support the national response to contain and control the spread of COVID-19” ought to incense every Nigeria. In other words, he was confirming to Nigerians that the government had up to that point not taken serious the danger that Covid-19 portends as to fund and implement a stiff regime of preventive measures by setting up a multi-partisan, socially and professionally inclusive ad hoc body and not a taskforce of his political aids.
Fourthly, Buhari’s statement that he had requested all state governments to nominate doctors and nurses who will be trained by the NCDC and Lagos State government on tactical and operational response to the Coronavirus perfectly illustrates the character of our government as one that is perpetually on emergency or fire brigade mode. While this is of course the well-known pattern of our governance, the ruling class is being told via this dangerous metaphor of the Coronavirus not to wait until confronted with danger before building the capacity of our manpower, either in the public or private sector.
Finally, a number of people hailed the President for some of the palliative measures he announced as a response to the pandemic.
These palliatives include a three-month repayment moratorium for all beneficiaries of TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni loans as well as all federal government-funded loans issued by the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the Nigeria Export Import Bank. In addition to this, the President also directed that the conditional cash transfers for the next two months be paid immediately to beneficiaries while two months’ food rations be given to internally displaced persons in the country.
The president also promised “residents of satellite and commuter towns and communities around Lagos and Abuja whose livelihoods will surely be affected by some of these restrictive measures…relief materials to ease their pains in the coming weeks.” He said he had also instructed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to work with state governments in developing a strategy on how to sustain the school feeding program during this period.
These are of course commendable decisions. However, unsaid up to now remains the questions surrounding the job security and sustenance for a huge chunk of the working population in the private sector, including those in the informal economy, residing or working in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states as well as their counterparts in almost every part of the country that are likely to be affected by equally stiff lockdown measures that state governments are already enforcing. The President only remembered the welfare of public sector workers five days after the broadcast when he ordered payment of their salaries.
These groups of workers, particularly hotel, restaurant, food chains, retail, transport and a range of self-employed people, artisans and other daily paid workers, require very clear remedial policy pronouncements on their means of survival in moments like this.
It is equally not reassuring and unsustainable that the President asked “all Nigerians to take personal responsibility to support those who are vulnerable within their communities, helping them with whatever they may need.”
Essentially, what the broadcast lacked in substance, it gained in the President’s downright martial or military rhetoric. This element was alive right from the first paragraph, and with a rigid and unblinking demeanour, Buhari’s voice, reminiscent of coup broadcasts, held the attention of many Nigerians for the 19 minutes that the broadcast lasted drawing him accolades that he really may not have deserved.
