NIGERIA, Dec. 4 -- At this moment in Nigeria's history, General Christopher Gwabin Musa does not need anyone to remind him of the weight resting on his shoulders. The nation is tired, brutally worn down by banditry, terrorism, mass abductions, and the unending fear consuming communities across northern Nigeria. People are angry, frustrated, anxious, and desperate for a way out. And in their desperation, they have chosen to place their hope, loudly and unanimously, on one man.

It is rare, almost unprecedented, for Nigerians from all walks of life to speak with one voice about a national appointment. Yet today, that is exactly what has happened. Across the streets, in communities, in security circles, and especially across the north, the m...