Voice from the grave: Buhari, only justice can make Nigeria great — Maitama Sule …Why Osinbajo and Saraki must take heed Whereas Alhaji Maitama Sule, politician, statesman and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, died last week and has since been buried, his counsel to then President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, when he led members of the Northern Leaders’ Forum, NLF, to congratulate the then newly elected President. The transcript of that meeting rings loud at a time when Nigeria’s political leadership appears to be going adrift. To stem the tide, leaders in the executive and legislature would do well to hearken to the eternally useful counsel of the late Maitama Sule. Maitama Sule Senate President Bukola Saraki was one of the very first callers at the residence of Sule and was there when he was buried. Acting President Osibajo, while condoling, at the Sule’s, reminded his audience of how he met the statesmen when he was just 15years old. To think both men are at the head of the two arms of government spoiling for a showdown is not only embarrassing but comes with potentially inimical possibilities, the consequence of which would be too grave for the polity. Sule, while addressing Buhari, admonished the latter to seek the enthronement of justice. By this publication, leaders in the executive and legislature are here admonished to employ wisdom. Excerpts: It is the same Buhari that gave this country a sense of direction when he was a military leader. This time, I’m sure, Allah has brought him, to correct the ills of the past, to reform. But sir, it is easy – and you know it was easy while you were there as a military leader – and with justice, you can rule Nigeria well. Justice, is the key. If you do justice to all and sundry – and I say all and sundry – because Allah says if you are going to judge between people, do justice, irrespective of their tribe, religion or even political inclination; justice must be done to whosoever deserves it. Power can remain in the hands of an infidel if he is just and fair. But power will not remain in the hands of a believer if he is unfair and unjust. Behind every crisis anywhere in the world is injustice and the solution to that crisis is justice. The world itself can never be governed by force, never by fear, even never by power. In the end, what governs is the mind. What conquers is the spirit. And the weapons of governing the mind and conquering the spirit are justice and fair play. Justice! I have always known you to be a man of justice. I ask you, please, to continue. Don’t change, don’t compromise justice with any thing. May Allah help you! Mr. President sir, you know what we have gone through. I am not asking you – and I know you will not – to discriminate against any part of Nigeria. But I am asking you to do justice to all parts of Nigeria. Justice will bring about peace. Peace and stability are the pre-requisites of development. Development will bring employment. With employment, you will not have idle people. An idle mind, is the devil’s workshop. An idle mind thinks nothing but evil, it plans nothing but evil, wants to do nothing but evil. Justice, justice, will do away with all these. I know you can do it. Do justice to us, do justice to them, do justice to everybody. Allah will reward you for that. There are certain things that people may say, perhaps, political consideration. Well Mr. President, it is God that you should always have at the back of your mind. For you believe that one day you will stand before God to account for all that you have done. I would rather that you will disappoint people than disappoint your great creator. And may God grant that you will do that which will please God. Sir we have come to congratulate you and congratulate ourselves because this is what we have been looking for. We have been looking for a Nigerian – and whatever anybody may say, you are a Nigerian – but a Nigerian with a sense of justice and fair play and by past records, you have that sense of justice and fair play. We are looking for a Nigerian that would be committed, dedicated and you are such a person. We are, therefore, expecting much from you. We are expecting much from you. We, on our side, are prepared to give you whatever support, in form of advise or anything, that will enable you to succeed in your task. Insha Allah, you will succeed. Insha Allah, nobody will laugh at us. Insha Allah, we will… my goodness, my goodness (waxes emotional). By the grace of God, this is a potentially, greatest Nigerian leader that we have ever had. This interview was first aired on TV Continental’s News Now The post Voice from the grave: Buhari, only justice can make Nigeria great — Maitama Sule appeared first on Vanguard News. from Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2tC9oys via Naijapounds