As Buhari visits Plateau on 8^th March 2018, one cannot help but ponder how “little”, “unimportant” and “inconsequential” Plateau has become in the National equation.

Buhari’s visit to Plateau is 3 years belated –in other words 3 years too late. Not since his election rally at the Rwang Pam Township stadium on 20^th January 2015, has he visited Plateau.

Even at the height of monumental killings when Plateau citizens were desperately looking-on to their president for soothing/pacifying words. President Buhari remained “mum” –showing little interest in the massacres by herdsmen. Essentially, Plateau was considered too small, too inconsequential to warrant a visit by the President –instead the lesser Osinbajo was sent along.

This chilling snobbery is even more unfortunate, given the unalloyed loyalty and fidelity that our Governor gives the president. Few Governors in Nigeria have been as compliant and cooperative to President Buhari’s policies as have our Governor –yet, that loyalty didn’t move him.

Abuja to Jos is a mere 30 minutes flight away. Yet the president was too lethargic, too disinterested to repay our Governor’s compliance/support/friendship. Well, if he didn’t consider that goodwill as reason to visit our state, then perhaps sympathy for the desolate and desperate victims of the perpetual attacks and killings on the Plateau? But No……….

To the chagrin of Plateau, Buhari has since becoming president visited many other states –some more than 5 times, see below:

Kano (at least 5 times, with the latest visits on 3^rd March 2018 for the wedding of Gov. Ganduje’s daughter and 8^th Dec 2017), Kaduna (5 times, with latest visits on 15^th Feb 2018 and 5^th Jan 2018 ), Katsina (multiple times), Borno (3 times with latest visit on 1^stOct 2017), Adamawa (2 times with latest visit on 20^th February 2018, Lagos (multiple times), Ogun state ( 2 times, once on 1^st Feb 2016), Ebonyi State (Nov 2017), Anambra State (Nov 2017), Osun (1^st Sept 2016), Sokoto (5^th Nov 2016),Oyo (2 times, including 28^th Nov 2017) –including many other states, which I haven’t mentioned.

Only Plateau and a few states, including Ekiti have yet to be blessed with the presence of the President. Ekiti is understandable given Fayose’s belligerent attitude towards the president. However, Plateau’s snobbery remains a mystery.

And so, as President Buhari touches down at the Yakubu Gowon airport, many Plateau citizens will excitedly welcome him with chants of “Sai Baba”, “Sai Baba”  –but between those chants will be the chilling reminders of his complicit silence when the Fulani massacres of 2017 were in full swing. Many who have lost relatives, or know-someone-who-knows-someone-who has lost a relative –will ultimately chant “Sai Baba” as he alights from his airplane, but will in their hearts, be reminded that they were let down by someone they trusted.

By Dr Chinnan Mclean

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As Buhari arrives Jos to chants of “Sai Baba”, many will be reminded of his silence – Dr Chinnan Mclean