Tribute To Baba!

By Dr jarlat Uche opara

Your body arrived in the early hours of today from the land of medical tourism to a place of graves, where souls rest either in peace or in pieces.

Only a person with the mind of Christ would be sorrow striken over the death of one whose lifestyle, actions and inactions caused so much pains than joy.

The world is transient, nothing lasts for forever here. Today, sirens blare at their instance, making way for their heroic passage, pushing off innocent road users, for the kings of the universe to pass in motorcade.

Tommorow, they lay in state, immovable, breath gone, bare and empty, their bodies lowered into the grave where darkness and loneliness hit and termites feast on bodies nutured with the wealth, ill gotten.

Our flag, our pride and honor is flown at half mast to honor you at death. Gone! The curtain falls and a new chapter of your life begins either in blissful presence of God or in the horror, dark and tormenting furnance of the devil, only God knowswhere your next destination would be.

This is our story, the story of all mortals. Today our General has gone. Today his days on earth are remembered. His deeds in office chronicled and his name etched for some in the hall of shame and for others in the hall of fame.

He is gone, everything of our curses, praises, disappointment and pains about him, on his dead ears they fall. Before the God of the universe he stands, answering how he ruled Nigeria for 8 years. How he made Cows more valued than humans. What he knows about Boko Haram, his fairness in dealing with all the regions and his sincerity in defending the constitution which he swore to uphold.

What a day today would have become , a day when all eyes would have been welled up with tears for a hero was gone. A day when all would have querried God for taking our hero too soon,, our patriot, the builder of bridges, the tolerant of religious differences, who ruled and saved Nigerians from the pains and challenges of corruption. A day when tears of love from the masses for a leader who imparted positively, would have be an unspoken and unwritten eulogies, generations unborn would hear and say, indeed he was a great leader with a heart of gold and a mind of compassion.

Such a day, from the feelers would never come, for the pains, sorrows, disaffection and bad memories of him remain a nightmare for an average Nigeria.

I speak to you, who hold unto a privileged position and make it an empire to intimidate, to frustrate and to enrich. Life is transient, no condition is permanent. The life and death of Baba should be a lesson for all, a moment to pause, think and chart a better way less selfish, less partisan, more selfless and dispassionate, driving and pushing more for the good of the masses.

Rest well Baba as your body is lowered to the grave and may God judge you according your stewardship. If only our leaders had been more patriotic, UK wouldn’t be our destination for medical tourism and our country Nigeria a graveyard.

Sirens may blare fort for you, lines of motorcade for your honor may be intimidating, your office posh, your remuneration mouth watering, the paraphernalia of office amazing, making one feel like a demi god. How one uses these opportunities to affect and impact would either be a legacy to be relished or one that would hurt and hunt.

Rest In Peace General Buhari. Loved and hated. May God judge you kindly.

Jarlathuche@gmail.com