VOA慢速英语2015 部分尼日利亚人怀疑下届领导人的能力

AS IT IS 2015-04-13 Some Nigerians Wondering About Their Next Leader 部分尼日利亚人怀疑下届领导人的能力

Nigerians have voted a former dictator as their next president.

Muhammadu Buhari, age 72, is a retired¹ general and former military leader. Today, he says he is a born-again democrat². But those who remember his strict military regime wonder if he is really a changed man.

In 1983, Mr. Buhari took power in a military coup³ and ruled Nigeria for 20 months. He ran unsuccessfully for president three times before beating Goodluck Jonathan in the country’s March elections. His victory was the first time in Nigeria that a candidate has defeated a sitting president in an election.

Many questions

Many people are calling Mr. Buhari’s victory a political turning point and a major step forward for democracy in Nigeria. But some people, such as artist Femi Kuti, are asking why the world is celebrating a former military dictator.

“Do I believe he is a changed man? I don’t think so. And if he’s a changed man, is his surroundings, the people in his political party, are they changed? Can he convince them to change? Can he convince them not to be corrupt⁴? I don’t believe so, but then I don’t want to be pessimistic.”

Femi Kuti is the son of singer and Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. Thirty years ago, a military court under then-dictator Muhammadu Buhari sentenced Fela Kuti to five years in prison. Human rights group Amnesty International declared the singer a political detainee and campaigned for his release.

His son remembers the event well. He says his father was falsely charged.

“It was horrific. It was terroristic. It was depressing. Let’s take for instance the story of my father, who was arrested for taking ￡1,600 ($2,200). And he declared it, and he was charged and jailed. I witnessed the beatings, and the trauma⁵ and all what my father went through.”

Mr. Buhari has taken full responsibility for his actions during his time in power. He has apologized to political opponents. In a speech, he called himself a reformed, or changed, democrat.

Political analyst⁶ Cheta Nwanze says he does see a difference between Mr. Buhari now and then.

“Some of the language that has been coming from him this time around is not as firm as it used to be back in the day. In the previous three elections, there was this sort of air of 'it’s my way or the highway.' It’s kind of like the last four years have actually taught him that (in a) democracy you don’t achieve results by giving orders, but by compromise.”

War on indiscipline

During his time in power in the 1980s, Mr. Buhari declared what he called a “war on indiscipline.”

Political opponents and critics of his regime were jailed. He introduced plans to end corruption⁷, fought against drug trafficking and forced citizens to form neat lines at bus stops. His laws restricting press freedom were the worst in the country’s history.

Today, journalist Alkasim Abdulkadir says Mr. Buhari is a reformed leader who is ready to work with other countries, political parties and ethnic⁸ groups.

“Only a democrat will talk about international cooperation within African states, with Western powers, will talk about how to collectively tackle the insurgency⁹, how to collectively tackle corruption because these are yields that can only be tackled in a very cooperative manner.”

Held accountable

Mr. Buhari has promised to improve the situation Nigeria. He says he will deal with corruption and inequality between rich and poor. And, he says, he will improve security in the country’s northeast. There, the Islamist militant¹⁰ group Boko Haram leads an increasingly violent rebellion.

Umar Dala is a retired police officer from the country’s northeast. He says the rise of the Boko Haram militant group is a symbol of the former government’s failure. Mr. Dala strongly believes Mr. Buhari is the best leader for Nigeria.

"He has the experience. He knows the problem(s) of the country more than any other person.’”

The recent election sends a strong message to Mr. Buhari, too. If he fails, the voters will remove him from office.

Words in This Story

pessimistic – adj. having a lack of hope for the future; expecting bad things to happen

compromise – v. to give up something you want in order to reach an agreement

tackle – v. to deal with something difficult

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

4 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

5 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

8 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

9 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

10 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。