Buhari's trip to America for an international summit has come under heavy criticisms by political pundits as they feel the constant act is draining the country's treasury amidst the economic quagmire.
Muhammadu Buhari
Today, President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja for Washington to attend the 4th Nuclear Summit. It's the president's third visit to the US in less than a year and 35th foreign trip since he assumed office.
According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, the agenda of the summit borders on non-proliferation of nuclear weapon.
Now the questions: is "nuclear summit" so important to Nigeria that our president finds it necessary to attend? Is the summit more important to attend than sitting at home to attend to biting fuel scarcity, excruciating power problem and FOREX imbroglio?
In justifying the president's morbid aviphilia, Adesina told us his principal would make a case for using nuclear for "development" purposes such as generation of electricity.
But how feasible and safe is developing nuclear energy in Nigeria in the near future when we cannot optimally harness our abundant hydro and solar energy potentials?
If Nigeria cannot convert 10 percent of its dams for hydroelectricity generation, if it cannot protect its gas pipelines against vandalism for the thermal plants to operate at full capacity, I wonder how we can handle nuclear reactors with care.
I remember, in December 2014, how Boko Haram insurgents stormed Ashaka Cement plant in Gombe and carted away a huge cache of dynamites meant for blasting rocks. It is the same components used in improvising explosives.
Allowing us to develop nuclear now is like making Boko Haram the first nuclear power terrorists. A nuclear bomb of the average size Boko Haram uses to bomb markets, public places or sanctuaries can phase out a whole city.
What then is the president's motive for attending the summit?
'ALULA' continua!
Original Writer: Jaafar Jaafar