THE LAST MAN STANDING

THE BEST AFRICAN SITE OF ENGLISH NOVELS AND LATEST STORIES WE ARE STOCKED WITH 100% OF CONTENTS

THE  LAST MAN STANDING

But WAI is not the only policy Buhari is noted for in his 20-month military reign. Other notable policies included the retroactive State Security (Detention of Persons) Decree of 1984, which empowered the government to detain anybody deemed by the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Military Headquarters (military equivalent of Vice President) to have been “concerned in acts prejudicial to state security”, “to have contributed to the economic adversity” of Nigeria, or to have been involved in their perpetuation or instigation.

The Buhari military government also promulgated the Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree, otherwise known as Decree No. 4, which made it an offense to publish any statement which is “false in any material particular”, or “likely to bring the government into ridicule or disrepute.” It meant that if you published a true story which embarrassed or ridiculed the government, you were liable. Two Nigerian journalists, Nduka Irabor and Tunde Thompson went to jail under this law. In the more than 30 years before Buhari’s return to power, Nigeria has had seven leaders, every of them naturally with his own agenda on how to better society, improve the lots of the people and leave his footprints on the sands of time.

In the process, Buhari’s successors abolished, repealed or reviewed some of his policies and decrees. Over the years, some other of his policies was simply rendered ineffective due to non-execution or enforcement. The closest to appreciating the legacies of Buhari’s first government was General Sani Abacha’s 1994 introduction of War against Indiscipline and Corruption (WAI-C), a modification of Buhari’s WAI exactly ten years after.

Abacha’s WAI-C, however, did not generate the same enthusiasm, both in its execution and public perception, as much as that of Buhari’s WAI. And unlike Buhari’s WAI, public perception of Abacha’s WAI-C was apathetic, which worsened with revelations after Abacha’s death, that the self-styled anti-corruption czar had secretly siphoned mind-boggling public funds, establishing for himself a notoriety not in any way associated with Buhari in the 31 years he was out of office.

Interestingly, none of Buhari’s successors tampered with Environmental Sanitation, that section of WAI, which survived every government for 31 years, a clear indication that it is a policy completely appreciated by all, governments and the governed.
Also read: PRESIDENTIAL NOSTALGIA