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Last Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu observed his second Independence Day anniversary as Nigeria’s leader. But unlike those before him, he appears to be sticking with low-key ceremonies that have turned the Villa’s forecourt into the new Eagle Square.
Despite the smaller, more controlled crowd, the programme is almost the same. Upon arrival, the president takes the national salute, sings the national anthem and inspects the Guard of Honour.
He then sits back to watch the parade and intermittently stands to honour the colours. Afterwards, he signs the anniversary register, cuts the cake without taking a bite or feeding some to his wife and frees the white pigeons from their cage.
While the cake and anniversary register have no will, the white pigeons, often released to signify peace and harmony, can decide whether or not to fly.
And they displayed this to Tinubu’s immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2021. That morning on January 15, Buhari and other dignitaries were at the national arcade for the wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
However, when Buhari opened the white cage, the pigeons stayed put. You could almost hear their platoon leader telling the rest, “Remember, guys, nobody flies! We stick together! We didn’t get paid enough for this.”
One pigeon that appeared to fly only fluttered above the cage and perched right back, staying true to the code. They couldn’t care less about the contrasting commentary by the moderator, who said, “Our great nation Nigeria is in absolute harmony. The nation is closely integrated and living in peace. You’ll see the pigeons fly high. There they go…flying high! Put your hands together, if you will, please.”
You see, this was not an isolated event. Seven years earlier, in 2014, their avian brothers, or would I say predecessors, challenged former President Goodluck Jonathan when they refused to fly.
No one is immune when the angry birds decide to stick it up to you. The Vatican reportedly stopped the bird ritual in 2014 when Pope Francis released two birds that would not fly out of the window of the papal apartment and required several attempts to get them to fly over a crowd of spectators. However, the holy birds may have a different reason for their protest.
Trust Nigerians to weave meaning into Buhari’s faceoff with the birds. One social media influence wrote, “I guarantee you…If possible, the DSS would arrest the pigeons for such an affront to the President. But really, is there peace, harmony and security in the land?” Another wrote, “The MC kept shouting ‘The pigeons fly high symbolising peace and harmony’.” But the pigeons said, ‘Y’all didn’t feed us enough for this lie.’
Back to the forecourt of the Aso Rock Villa, I watched closely to see if the pigeons would fly as President Tinubu opened the cage. They did! Some fluttered to the nearest tree branch, while others flew as far as the President’s office complex. I am not sure if they did so in fear or excitement. In any case, the cage was empty in a few seconds.
The symbolism is not lost at all. To some, it hints at prosperity, peace and progress. To others who are honest enough with themselves, it only hints at the potential for these. Amid economic hardship and growing frustrations among Nigerians, can we say that the flying pigeons reflect the actual state of the nation or merely the aspiration of what could be?
For instance, Premium Motor Spirit prices have surged from about N190 per litre to over N1,000 in months. This price leap has made transportation and energy costs unbearable for many, holding many businesses and households to ransom.
Food prices have also spiralled out of control, with many Nigerians now spending over 60 per cent of their income on food, leading to sacrifices in other areas such as healthcare and education. Those who can afford the exorbitant rents only have space to starve as rent prices in cities like Lagos have doubled in the past year.
At the same time, electricity tariffs have risen by over 400 per cent despite inconsistent supply in some regions. Many Nigerians are forced to rely on expensive alternatives like diesel and LPG, whose prices have also increased significantly.
While the government is developing alternatives to manage the cost-of-living crisis induced by its reforms, the pace of the results is like that of a snail racing a peregrine falcon.
While the pigeons are still flying for him, the President must take up the challenge to ensure that the nation follows the upward path, soaring towards real prosperity. If he rests on the symbolic gesture of the birds, assuming their flight represents the current state of Nigeria, he is missing the message.
Their flight is a call to action, not a sign that all is well. The potential for progress exists, but it is far from realised. There are many grounds to cover. He must cover some of those grounds before his next encounter with the pigeons at the 55th Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15, 2025.
Welcoming Shettima, swearing in Kekere-Ekun and escaping to London
A day before October 1, the President swore in the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. After the ceremony, a colleague asked me, ‘Why is he swearing her into office for the second time?’ Well, I only answered that the first time, on August 23, was in an acting capacity.
This time, she is being sworn in as the substantive CJN after her confirmation by the Senate. Then he asked, “Will he also swear her out of office when she retires?” We both burst out laughing.
Before the ceremony, the President turned to his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, saying, “Mr Vice President, you are welcome from UNGA; we are hungry.” The hall erupted with laughter! The rhythm was meant to be between the acronym for the United Nations General Assembly and hunger.
A day after the Independence Day ceremony, Tinubu felt he needed a break. So, he packed his bags and jetted to the United Kingdom for a two-week working leave. The only challenge? He leaves without doing the much-talked-about cabinet reshuffle. In the end, it’s his cabinet. Let him reshuffle it whenever he wants.
