“As President of our country and Commander in Chief of our military, I accept that people are gonna call me awful things every day and I defend their right to do so” – Barack Obama.

“With great power come great responsibilities” – Peter Parker

Zoology 101 teaches us that the most important trait for the survival of an animal is adaptability. Nature does not care if you are the strongest, fastest or smartest: if you are not adaptable, you will go extinct. It is a fact that you are the first president to bear the brunt of social media in this country.

Unfortunately, you have handled it despicably at best. You have lost the information war: both online and to Boko Haram on the ground. Time and again, you have been at the brunt of internet uproar, anger and worldwide outrage based on information asymmetry. Boko Haram is running amok in the North East and you admitted that journalists know more than you about the situation down there.
You’ve lost the confidence of your people. Your media aides have denied the kidnap, cursed and harassed people over the Chibok girls online until international pressures forced you to admit that the girls are indeed missing and you know nothing about what is being done, why?

The answer, I think, is the Cersei Lannister complex. Cersei, a character in the popular “A Game of Thrones” television series is a queen who specializes in seeing traitors where there is none and making enemies of who should be her strongest allies. That, unfortunately, is the position where you have placed yourself in sir. Your friends and allies are your worst enemies. They are not telling you the truth.

You see the hand of the opposition in every legitimate demand of the citizens, hence the lackadaisical attitude towards mounting a rescue for the Chibok girls due to belief that it is just opposition propaganda and your insistence that the 2012 anti-subsidy protests where bankrolled and managed by the opposition. The country was tilted then and if the opposition had any initiative, they could have easily toppled your government. They can topple it now too if you do not seize the initiative because people are truly disenchanted that a Nigerian life means nothing to you.
Just like Cersei, you have bad advisers. Every good thing you do is greeted with cynicism because of the people you surround yourself with. The reason is because your advisers are giving you 20th century ideas for a 21st century country and citizenry. Information-hoarding does not work anymore: you have to lead with the news. No journalist should break news not given out by the government first. Your cabinet’s taint with corruption has made you a corrupt man by extension: more despicable in people’s eyes, because you refuse to investigate those that tell you what you want to hear.

Presidents don’t make new friends. Do you not have friends you grew up with who are blunt and can tell you to your face the truth? A 21st century President cannot always be right but must always be ready to right any perceived or real wrong and not play the “victim of opposition propaganda”. Get your bluntest friends around you sir. Get young men who understand how information works in the 21st century (foreigners if you have to).
Go to Borno and claim it back on behalf of all law-abiding citizens of Nigeria. And for Goodness sake, bring our girls back.
“One cannot be made a hawk and be fearful of preying on chicks”. You cannot be seen to be afraid of Boko Haram. What Nigerians are asking for is a President who will defend the lives of every single law-abiding citizens of this country, even those who hate you.
If you can guarantee that, they will gladly die for you. Mr President, now is the time to give a damn. Respect the Office you want us to respect. Do the needful. Listen and act on what Barack Obama said at the UN (2012) in the first quote in this article. When it comes to running a successful democracy, “America will know”.

Nigeria Shall Overcome.

Credit: opinionriver.com