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his idea that Nigeria can go on like this, ignoring those who complain of genuine discrimination and marginalisation, simply because a particular ethnic group or group of powerful people wants it that way and, has determined to keep it that way because it best served their sectarian and selfish interest, is misguided and self deception.

Nigeria is already imploding. It's military has proved unable to contain a sectarian insurgency, talk less of defeating nationalistic insurgency.

Her army is turning on itself by court martial of officers, who could not fight the insurgency because Dasuki shared the money budgeted for arms and on the people by carrying out summary execution of Biafra protesters.

There are soldiers in Nigerian army, whose loyalty to their ethnic group and religion compel them to support the insurgency and the government is using disproportionate force to control legitimate political and democratic agitations.

A society starts to fall apart, when a section takes up arms and another shows willingness to renounce its sovereignty. No one can deny that both conditions now exist in Nigeria. Breaking up only becomes inevitable, when the government fails to offer the right response to the problems, hence this plea.

The continued reaffirmation that the unity of Nigeria is none negotiable is beginning to sound like denial.

Nigeria needs a new strategic security and democratic settlement that restores the faith of all in her and guaranties the safety of lives. This settlement cannot be achieved, if the government is insensitive to the wishes and aspiration of the people and pander to old prejudices and stereotypes.

We cannot continue to have a country, where peaceful protesters are gunned down and hoarded into prisons without trial, while armed Fulani herdsmen roam around, killing miming and kidnapping with impurity. It cannot continue to be one rule for Fulani herdsmen and another for others.

If the government continues to pursue discriminatory policy, many more people will begin to see their future outside Nigeria and the momentum would be unstoppable.

This is a warning to the government to fine tune its plans to reflect the wishes of the people.

I believe that it is the responsibility of all honest Nigerians to help Buhari to succeed where Jonathan failed.

For 8 years, Nigeria had a president who claims his parent were so poor that when he was growing up, he had no shoes. Yet, after two years as Vice President and six as president, he did not propose nor implement a single policy to widen access to education for Nigerians born with natural disadvantage.

He failed to ensure that at least, anybody born in similar circumstance to his, would get the minimum he got. He attended a federal university free and under his government, good and quality education was put beyond the reach of the poor.

The result of the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan is that millions of Nigerian, whose parents could not afford neither shoes nor school fees are roaming the streets as hawkers and being sold as house slaves and may graduate into criminality as kidnappers, armed robbers or terrorists.

Even though, I did not support Buhari,s candidacy during the election, I have seen very little of the change he promised even though I do not doubt his good intentions.

In addition, the budget has not inspired confidence. He budgeted N45 billion for INEC, in a year, when there is no election.If this is not corruption, someone should tell me what corruption means.

To succeed, Buhari must:

1. End budgetary corruption, which is the worst form of corruption in Nigeria.

2. End selective fight against corruption and empower institutions to fight all corrupt politicians.

3. Ensure probity, candour, honesty and sincerity, at all levels of the polity.

4. No one must be above the law. In fact the law cannot be respecter of persons in true democracy.

Last week Ehud Omert, former Isreali prime Minister was convicted and jailed for 18 months for corruption he was involved in, when he way Mayor of Jerusalem.

This should give the Buhari Administration the courage to go after the so called Nigerian sacred cows, whose greed and criminality destroyed the country that was.

I hope that this new year, will bring the change Nigeria needs in the area of the rule of law, empowering institutions, accountability and positioning the war on corruption in the right direction.

Let us fight to save Nigeria, we are better together, only if there is justice as fairness and respect for the rule of law. Happy new year to all.

E O Eke is qualified in medicine. At various times he has been a General medical practitioner, Medical missionary, Medical Director and senior medical officer of health in Nigeria. He specializes in child, Adolescent and adult psychiatry and lives in England with his family. His interest is in health, religion philosophy and politics. He cares for body and mind.