By Biodun Adeniyi
The Nigerian political landscape is full of intrigues and brinkmanship. It’s full of the proverbial ‘banana peel’ and ‘pull him down syndrome,’ which has become the trademark of some political jobbers, always seeing their mischief as a political tool of blackmail.
Even long after his retirement from the Army, where he distinguished himself and equitably discharge his ambassadorial assignment, assigned to him by his Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, mischief makers will not allowed General Tukur Buratai rest.
His towering image and support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has become a nightmare of sort for those who were not ready to stick out their neck when it mattered most. It’s therefore, not surprising that he has become a FACTOR and reccuring decimal in Nigerian political landscape.
The recent cowardly attack, through an online portal, to reopen an issue that has nothing to do with his persona is a pointer to how far his traducers will go to create confusion and shout wolf where none exists.
What’s at stake? Who is afraid of General Tukur Buratai? Why has he suddenly become the issue again? Who’s threatened that he may be assigned a higher responsibility in the new government? These posers and many more have become necessary, since those who are afraid of his towering image has become implacable and will do anything to create a false impression about him.
One fact that has continued to stare the group of these political hecklers in the face is that General Buratai is an open book. He has been examined times without number without blemish, either in or out of the military. It’s therefore baffling that those who cannot fault his credentials as a soldiers’ soldier, has latched on to a fail rehash by a serial blackmailer, whose stock in trade is the unnecessary hysteria about the soaring image of Buratai.
It is an open secret that some disgruntled politicians have besieged the media space, looking for hack writers to hoodwink with their old fairy tales. And unfortunately, the whole lies collapsed like a pack of cards, since truth is constant.
Buratai’s adept philosophy – qui sera sera – comes in handy here; it does not really matter how many pebbles are hurled at him as history beckons.
According to the popular saying, it’s only a tree with nourished fruits that had to contend with ferocious attack of those who wants to partake from its richness. General Buratai is adequately prepared for the onerous task ahead; he will not be cowed nor stampeded by those afraid of their own shadows.
•Adeniyi writes from Lagos
