Bola Ahmed Tinubu, otherwise known as BAT or
simply as Asiwaju, has been involved in Nigerian politics for just about 25
years. He was not part of the First Republic when he was still a child; nor was
he part of the political arrangement of the Second Republic. He came into the
picture in the still-born Third Republic. Since then, there has been no looking
back for the man who has now become a phenomenon and rallying point for
progressive politics.
The full essence of the man probably came to
the fore in 2012 when he marked his 60th birthday. There was no one on the
political stage that did not have a word about the man some now prefer to
affectionately describe as the ‘Lion of Bourdillon’. True, Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi
Lagos, his residence, is now a Mecca of sorts for all manner of men. Some are
there during the day to discuss business; others are traditional rulers who
want just a word from the man whose words are now laws for those who trust in
his leadership.
There are politicians from different parts of
the country who desire a wink in their direction in a bid to make success in
their political careers. There are governors who are now dubbed Tinubu’s men;
senators and party officials who merely know the man as the archetypal leader.
So, who is Tinubu? The man has come a long
way. He got prepared for high office with good education at Chicago State
University in the United States of America, followed by a thriving career at
Mobil where he was Treasurer. As an accountant, he knew his onions and was well
respected. Hardworking and dogged, he caught the attention of his bosses who
saw his huge potentials and were willing to do anything to groom and keep him.
However, when the lid imposed on partisan
politics was lifted in the Third Republic, one of those who caught the aroma in
the air was Tinubu. He saw in the late Tafidan Katsina, Major- General Shehu
Musa Yar’Adua, a leader that could turn around the fortunes of Nigeria. He
pitched his tent in the Progressive Front of Nigeria in 1989 despite
protestations from friends and colleagues at Mobil who could not believe that a
man holding such a treasured position would willy-nilly leave such a sure
ground for the slippery political terrain.
But, from that point, Tinubu could not be
persuaded to turn his back on partisan politics and public affairs. His PFN
merged with the Progressive Solidarity Party (PSP) into the military decreed
Social Democratic Party (SDP). The PFN’s tactical superiority was demonstrated
when the political association, regarded as the junior partner, outwitted the
PSP by producing the national chairman and most of the officers of the SDP. It
was the learning curve for Tinubu, who was later elected to the Senate to
represent Lagos West.
The strength of a man’s character is borne
out in times of adversity. A hero is made by his contribution to his society at
defining moments. One of the turning points in Nigerian history was the
democratic struggle to overthrow the yoke of military despotism between 1993
and 1999. Tinubu’s voice was strident as he joined the league of those who
resisted the tyranny of the Abacha regime.
In Nigeria and in exile, he was hounded
around by the goons, but Tinubu was unrelenting and consistent. This might have
accounted for the decision by the more progressive wing of the Alliance for
Democracy (AD) that insisted he deserved to be the governor of Lagos State in
1999.
The return to civil rule in 1999 was another
turning point in the life, struggles and political career of the Asiwaju of
Lagos. Today, following the success he made of his charge from 1999 to 2007,
many do not even remember that he is the Asiwaju of Lagos. He is rather
believed to be the Asiwaju of Nigerian politics. Those who are more cautious
would refer to him as the Asiwaju of Yoruba politics.
In Lagos, he remains the most successful
governor and leader, so far. He re-engineered the finances of the state and
that became the nursery for all the development that the state has witnessed
since the inception of the Fourth Republic. He also produced his successor
despite stiff opposition from entrenched interests in the Action Congress of
Nigeria. The choice of Babatunde Fashola was unpopular and threatened the
dominance of the ruling party. But, as a true leader, Tinubu was blessed with
insight and foresight. He saw in the young Senior Advocate of Nigeria what many
could not. Fashola has since built on the Asiwaju foundation.
The success of ACN in Lagos provided the
springboard for the foray into other states of the region. First, the principled
stance of Tinubu in 2003 when he refused to jump on the train that got derailed
at the polls that year saved the party from extinction and established the man
as a strategist and tactician of note. He held his territory, while his
colleagues in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo fell by the wayside. He,
therefore, became the natural leader of a resurgent progressive movement in the
West.
In 2007, he warded off the threat posed by a
desperate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State. He also provided logistics
support for the bid for power in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States. As a
tactical move, he was instrumental to the adoption of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko as
candidate of the progressives in Ondo. His tactics proved superior in Ekiti,
Osun, Ondo and even Edo State. The ACN won and when the mandates freely given
by the people was snatched by the PDP, Tinubu lent his weight to the retrieval
bid.
The General led his men to battle. State
after state, the PDP cookie crumbled. In Edo, Oshiomhole was installed; in
Ondo, Mimiko assumed power, displacing another Olusegun (Agagu). In Ekiti, John
Kayode Fayemi became the political king and, in Osun, the apple of Tinubu’s
eye, Rauf Aregbesola, laughed last. A year later, it was time for another
general election. So, the political kingdoms of Oyo and Ogun were reclaimed by
men backed by Asiwaju Tinubu.
There is no doubt any more that Bola Ahmed
Tinubu has emerged a modern version of Awo and Abiola. Like Awo, he has a
fanatica support from the people in all the nooks and crannies of the West.
But, like Abiola, he has taken the light to other parts of the country. The
progressive movement that had dwindled so badly to having only one state in
2003, has bounced back with the control of 16 states and a strong bid for power
at the centre.
While it cannot be said that Asiwaju Tinubu
owns the All Progressives Congress (APC), the main opposition party that has
been giving the ruling party the jitters, he is certainly a critical
shareholder. His word may not be law in the new progressive movement, but he
stands out of the crowd; he may not be The Only One, as Mourinho of the Chelsea
Football Club of England once ascribed to himself, but the man whose wife
represents Lagos Central in the Senate is The Critical factor in the party.
At 62, the journey might just have begun.
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Politics
I salute and rejoice wit u sir on ur golden birthday,I pay tribute to an intelligent man specially crave by almighty Allah,u are d voice of d masses in dis part of d world,ur position among d people is more quality than d seat of Nigerian president in which d likes of Olusegun Obasanjo,IBB,Sheu Shagari,Sanni Abacha,Ebele Jonathan has polluted and turn to a mere seats wit their corruption and insensible decisions especially towards d masses,Tinubu u are not only an hero but also a legend in Africa and beyond,u shall always be remembered 4 ur generousity and love 4 mankind and ur insight and ur senses of reasoning which is very rare to found even d head of states of Nigeria bow to ur wisdom and knowledge,d likes of Obasanjo,late Yar adua and Jonathan himself can attest to dis and ur bold and braveness among many good things God has endowed u,I love u and adore u bcause u are good person and leader.Once again I salute u Jagaban of Africa,Asiwaju of Nigeria,Afi oba je of Yoruba land,may ur days be long as igi ope,igba odun;odun kan lo mama je fun yin;happy birthday to a small god endowed by almighty God to rule His people.
ReplyDeleteRaphael an agent of boko haram \tinubu party.we know ur name is nt raphael,keep on disguising.tinubu a failure and d problm of 9ja 2day.we need revolution 2 sack d likes of tinubu ,d cohorts out of nigerian political system 4 a btter 2morrow
ReplyDeleteJagaban
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:29am,I m an honest guy and nobody sponsors me to write all I do write neither did Tinubu or any of those people knows me in person but I write according to my conscience and am not hiding my identity,if u want to send asassin after me my life is in Gods hand do
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