Underrate President Buhari at your own peril, by Frank Ofili

“And you say such a man is not aware of what goes on around him? Simply because he takes his time to act; not given to showmanship or brinkmanship. The joke is on you. Underrate him at your own peril.”

A man joined the military institution as a young man. He fought a war, came out unscathed; rose through the ranks to become an Army general, was a military administrator, Army secretary, Military governor, Minister of the federal republic and military head of state from which position he was ousted via a palace coup.

He was locked up for years, and after he was released, he retired to his home and kept away from public glare for years until 2003 when he contested the Presidency as a civilian and lost. He went to court and lost again. But despite losing, he polled some heavy numbers and rattled some feathers

In 2007, he contested for president again. Again, he lost, all the way to the Supreme Court. Again, despite losing, his numbers still shot up even more. 2011 came and he contested again, and again, he lost, all the way to the Supreme Court.

But his message had been communicated clear, his character and personae, unmistakable; his brand noted in some quarters. His party, which he built by share force of his personality, did not get unnoticed; its numerical strength not ignored by other players in the playing field. They found him a worthy brand, courted him, and forged an alliance with him.

On the fourth shot at the Presidency, he won; on the fifth shot, he won a re-election. As a soldier, he rose to the top; as a politician, he rose to the highest office in the land. He is one of only two Nigerians, dead or alive, who holds this record.

And you say such a man is not aware of what goes on around him? Simply because he takes his time to act; not given to showmanship or brinkmanship. The joke is on you. Underrate him at your own peril.