Who is to blame? Pt 1...Umaru Yaradua?

I managed to write a short story in the faction genre. I hope you enjoy reading it. I am going to serialize it for your reading convenience.

Umaru Yardua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

As the plane descended into the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja, President Yaradua was lost in thought. He was barely aware of the happenings around him. If only the short ceremony at the Presidential wing of the Airport could be passed over. His aides and his wife had told him to go ahead with it. They told him that would quell rumors that he was sick and that keep his detractors quiet for a while. Any opportunity to be in the public eye should not be passed over, they had said.

How much longer can he continue to govern Nigeria like this, he thought. Even though, majority of Nigerians don’t know what ails me, they surely deserve better than this. I know myself. I could have done better than this if only I am not sick. Should I resign? I’m confused. If I resign, I have to constitutionally hand over power to the Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan. My fellow northerners would brand me a traitor and a sellout. They want power to remain in the North for eight years. If I resign, power would just go to the South south…all those hypocrites…everybody is either a criminal or an accomplice. No, that is not even an option. I have to sit out the next two years and all this criticisms would just blow away. I am already the President; they can do nothing to me.

Should I seek a second term? People even see Turai as more of the President than I am. What if I set her up to run for the second term in my place? At least, that would keep the Presidency in the family and I can even create history by being the ‘first man’ in Nigeria. He chuckles. From being President to being first man. I’ve explored everything I met on the ground to at least provide power supply to the People. From reports reaching me, even the FCT has blackout these days. How would I be remembered? As Nigeria’s worst president or as a sick man who tried to rule Nigeria? Abeg…even if I don’t do much more, I can’t be as worse as Abacha in People’s perception.

I don try now. It is just that all these so-called activists would never see anything good in any of our initiatives and castigate all our moves. The 2011 elections are just around the corner. I will sit tight until like march next year. The Ramadan is here and Christmas is coming up soon afterwards and then the New Year rolls in, that’s enough activity to keep people busy, occupied and not have to worry about the seeming non-performance of this government. There is still enough time to achieve Vision 2020. If we can have our banks strengthened and have relative peace in the Niger Delta plus increase power output to around 6,000MW by the end of this year. Chei! That’s what we promised the people. Not to worry, if we don’t get up to 6,000MW, I never went on National TV to promise the people that. I’m tired of ruling Nigeria. Putting on the same plastic smile everyday and lying to my people. They just cant afford to know the truth.

As the plane touched the tarmac, the President was aroused into consciousness. He sighed…He looked out of the window and saw the tarmac. How much would it cost to make this airport have the feel of the King Abdul Aziz International Airport or the Frankfurt International Airport? Pull it and build another one? Of course, that would serve to rejuvenate the rebranding of the Indefatigable Minister of Information, Dora Akunyili but by then, people would start complaining that there are a lot of people living on less than a USD per day, kai…hypocrites, if only they spend more of that money they spend more on feeding those poor people they claim to be fighting for. Life would surely be better for those class of Nigerians. I have to be proactive on this issue. How can I make life better for those in the rural area but then that would be done at the detriment of those living in the city…kai! The wahala for this country, e too much for me…na superman go fit come solve am for us.

...to be continued