Fulani elders advise Buhari to listen to Obasanjo

Fulani leaders under the umbrella of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN) have advised President Muhammadu Buhari to heed the advise of eminent Nigerians like former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to the group, President Buhari as a matter of urgency must listen to well placed Nigerians and seek advise from them on how to restore peace and stability in the country.

Speaking through its national chairman, Alhaji Sale Bayari, who fielded questions from journalists in Jos, Plateau State, on Monday, the group said something must be done urgently to address crucial issues and avert a possible national crisis.

“In moving the nation forward, the government must listen to some elder statesmen, irrespective of what their political views or affiliation is. Obasanjo is one of them. I have found out that if any government in Africa is to tap one-third of what is in the brain of Obasanjo and use it, Africa will be better.

“Similarly, West Africa and Nigeria will be better for it. Obasanjo knows our problem. And then whenever he talks and explodes sometimes, I have found out that it is because he has made efforts to be listened to without success. He will then feel that posterity will judge him harshly if he does not come out to tell Nigerians and the world the truth of things.

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“Undoubtedly, Obasanjo is an embodiment of knowledge, experience and he knows very well the problem of our country, Nigeria. There is nobody, dead or alive, today that thinks the way Obasanjo does or knows what Obasanjo knows. He knows Nigeria, Africa and the entire world like the back of his hand. That is why I am advising this government to tap the brains of people like Obasanjo. He is a person that can lead the government into looking critically at the problem bedeviling the nation and finding a way forward.”

According to the GAGDAN boss, the government should also listen to other statesmen like Yakubu Gowon, Ango Abdullahi, Sultan of Sokoto, Oni of Ife and Obi of Onitsha.

“These people have this nation at heart and would not want it to disintegrate. If they put their machinery in place, I bet you that peace and progress will be achieved. But unfortunately, nobody is mobilising them or seeking their input in solving the national crises. These people know what to do or the right people to call, among other things in solving the problems.”

GAFDAN feared that if the crises across the country were allowed to degenerate, the government would not be able to tackle them.“If the nation has been unable to tackle Boko Haram since 2009, then it is a greater danger if crises burst out in other states or regions in the nation.

“Recently, the Secretary of the Government, Boss Mustapha said if the armed banditry was not carefully handled, it would be worse than the Boko Haram insurgency. I totally agree with him because if you look at the way the thing is building up now, you will know what I am talking about.

“Very soon, some religious and insurgent groups may capitalise on it to recruit people for other nefarious acts. We should not allow this to happen, and we should do everything possible to halt it,” Bayari cautioned.

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