Your Excellences,
I Nnanna Ikpo, male,
adult, friend, Nigerian of this place congratulate Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
GCFR, and General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) for boldly participating in the
interesting events that have been playing out in the Nigerian Political scene.
For the first time, in a long time, I have seen us debate seriously on who the
caps fits better. No matter what has, is or will happen, I am thankful that
you- and those who stood behind you- gave us this chance to think, to learn and
to decide.
Fortunately for us,
Nigeria has not yet been torn apart as so many of my friends had predicted.
Also you both are taking it in good strides. The transition process is running
smoothly. All is substantially well. Alhamdullilah.
I am writing to shed
further light on the relevance of our working together. I mean both of you and
the rest of Nigeria. Even as we consider this, I would like us to be reminded
that we are not perfect. In other words, we may miss the mark some times. Also
there is this disturbing truth that no matter what happens, Nigeria will never
stop complaining. This is a fact.
I cannot give you a
‘Leadership for Dummies ’course because you both will always be kilometres
ahead of anything my budding mind can think up as regards leadership. But there
is this one thing that I ask of you both: I need you both to understand that
Nigeria has a past, a present and a future which look nothing like each other.
Can you deal with this?
A few decades ago we
could comfortably say that Igbos were igbos and hausas were hausas. But today
making such statements will be misleading because amongst us are hybrids.
Amongst us are individuals who are both hausas and ikwerres, yorubas and igbos,
fulanis and opobos, tivs and itsekiris. We are hybrids, all of us. So that
theory that Nigeria was a British stunt is now not only shallow but blind and
is mocked by neutral and yet diverse names, faces, lives and dreams. All
uniquely Nigerian, and as such whatever affects one of us, affects all of us,
whether we admit this or not.
I also want to add that
in as much as our lives have embraced this diversity, our laws and policies
should. I say this because diversity is only natural and unstoppable.
I look forward to a
reasonably productive tenure, your excellences. I do not expect that you change
Nigeria, I only expect you neither leave it worse nor the same. God bless us.
Long Live President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR.
Long Live General
Mohamadu Buhari (Rtd) GCFR
Long Live The Federal
Republic Of Nigeria.
Dated this 22nd
day of April, 2015.
Nnanna Ikpo
It is a year already and you are still an inspiration to me. I still believe in friendship and secrets. I still believe in the world beyond this one. I still believe that the best things are unspeakable and the greatest people and yet to be reached. I still believe in destinations. Above all I still believe that our meeting was the most magical moment of Okija. I am still grateful for all that you represent and for all that you taught me. I still celebrate you. Forever and always.
