By Osita Okechukwu

Permit me to join millions of Nigerians in saluting Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), GCFR, the man we fondly call GMB, as he clocks 72 years in our clime where the official life expectancy is more than two decades below his age.

And to top the celebration, he is healthy, agile and alert. This was vividly demonstrated penultimate week, when at the middle of the rally of our great party – All Progressives Congress (APC) at Eagle Square, physical strength was tested.

We set out with GMB, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Dr Ogbonniya Onu and host of other party leaders on mass action, a road walk which took us from Eagle Square – Ministry of Justice – Eagle Square – Nigeria Police Headquarters  back to Eagle Square. While some of us were panting, he remained unnerved and when we were rushing for water, he refused to drink, until he got home.

Buhari

GMB caught public attention as Minister of Petroleum Resources, when he commissioned Warri and Kaduna refineries and when it was rumoured that N12 billion was siphoned out in raw cash, a story that turned our a farce.

This means that today he will rather construct new refineries than expend billions of Naira on importation of refined petroleum products. A drain pipe that killed our textile industries and impoverished our economy.

The second time he caught public attention was when as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 3rd Armoured Division based in Jos, he chased away the Matastine an insurgent and extremist sect similar to Boko Haram, beyond Chadian border. That was when incidentally I was serving the National Youths Service Corps, at 2nd Mechanised Division Ibadan.

The news among the officer corps then is how come  the GOC of 3rd Armoired Division moved troops without express approval by the C-in-C. It generated mixed reactions, but the solace was that the insurgents were subdued.

I am one of those who sincerely believe that he has the political will to crush Boko Haram and overhaul our defence architecture.

When eventually the 31st December, 1983 military coup de’tre took place and the masterminds invited GMB to head the government, his signs of being a man of the masses started staring us in the face with the War Against Indiscipline and the Andrew’s advert appeal to stem the mass exodus enveloping the country.

Singular feat

To confirm his inclination to the down trodden and the middle class, news filtered out that he had rejected the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionality.

In another singular feat, he wore Major General in rank, when he became head of state and against all prodding s, refused to promote himself to full General, arguing that he cannot promote himself.

Our cynicism was allayed during the campaign for 2003 general elections, when we arrived at the palace of Obi of Onitsha, Agbogidi, Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Onowu of the palace, Chief Chike Ofodile of blessed memory in introduction, narrated how democratic GMB is. Chief Ofodile was Attorney General in GMB’s twenty month regime. He said he will collate all opinion before any major decision is reached and adheres strictly to any decision taken by the Supreme Military Council and never imposed his will on them.

To further summarize his knowledge of GMB, Chief Ofodile told us a story when some friends went to complain that the late Major General Tunde Idiagbon was taking shine out of the head of state. GMB’s reply was, hope Idiagbon is executing agreed Programme of the regime and the people said yes, but he is taking the glory. He thanked them and said that all he needs from all his lieutenants is action success as he never competes for limelight.

This is the hallmark of GMB, he delegates power and supervises and never competes for limelight. This is one of the misconceptions a lot of people have of him, but in close contact one can concur. He is an introvert and rarely interferes until one fails him.

In one of those relaxed sessions with him, I told him that a point his traducers have against him is that those under him steal, while he looks the other way and he asked for an example.