By; Engr. MOHAMMAD AWAL IBRAHIM
Throughout ages, the world has witnessed, consistently, the rise of men who have not only brought themselves to greatness despite all odds, but the society that served them from the point of weakness. Such people are accepted within the circle of righteousness as a blessing unto mankind, for they are hands which lift other hands to salvation; they live their lives as a rich source of inspiration for thousands of generations to survive them.
Our modern world cannot fulfill the essence of any decision making process, be it politics, economics, war or peace – without drawing extrapolations from men who have predeceased it. Every political class cannot dispense with the rich philosophies of Aristotle, Pluto or Niccollo Machiavelli just as no military academy can adequately impact skills on its cadets without going back through history to discuss the mind-boggling expeditious of Alexandra the great or Julius Caesar, that their achievements as great military men may be taken and translated into concrete and sustainable reality by the officers-to-be in our today’s world.
God Almighty has been fair to mankind irrespective of time and space such that, out of His magnanimity and benevolence, He has fixed great men in every community and generation such that His mercy can be felt among His creatures.
Nigeria, just as any other African country has had its contact with its heroes – people who gave everything in their possession that we may be free and secure a responsible life and bequeath same unto our children. It is for this reason we always remember men like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa etc. with pride.
In today’s Nigeria, one man stands out as a loyal and successful graduate of that political university established by our founding fathers, more than seven (7) decades ago; *a man who stood by the teachings, principles and ways of those who fought for an independent, prosperous Nigeria; a man who refused to kowtow to the intense pressure requesting him to depart from his people-oriented ideology for sixteen (16) years; a man who provided leadership when there was none. That man is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaban of Borgu.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s journey into politics commenced in the early 90’s when he contested for the Lagos West Senatorial District and won on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). That was the year 1992. However, the Senate could not be inaugurated on the 27th July, 1992 on the ground that it was democratically abnormal to have an existing Senate without an elected President.
Based on this premise the inauguration was postponed. Nonetheless, the then Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida formally inaugurated the Senate House on the 5th December of the same year.
The annulment of the June 12 election which was adjudged the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s political history, paved the way for the strong man in Bola Ahmed Tinubu to manifest in everything he did from that moment until democratic rule was restored in Nigeria in 1999.
With the unfortunate annulment, Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined other eminent Nigerians to work assiduously for the return of Nigeria to Democratic rule. They did that under the banner of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). At the peak of the struggle, Bola Ahmed Tinubu surrendered his freedom as a citizen to bring democracy back to our dear Nation. In the year 1994, the then General Sani Abacha regime went so hard on members of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) with a view to muffling the essence of the agitation.
It was in the throes of that thankless effort by General Abacha that Bola Ahmed Tinubu had his personal residence attacked by armed men. Conditions at home forced him to embark on exile from 1994 to 1998 to the U.S., where he remained faithful to the cause of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
*A true freedom fighter does not abandon the struggle to be free and does not consider his freedom alone as the ultimate objective of his struggle – he fights until everyone is free. In the sustained battle to return Nigeria to democratic rule,* Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not just lose the comfort of his home in Lagos; he had to also bear the trouble of attempts to blackmail him. On the 23rd day of April, 2001, one Mr. Francis Ede, told the Justice Oputa Panel how he was arrested, tortured and asked to implicate Bola Ahmed Tinubu as one of those planning to launch bomb attacks across the length and breadth of Nigeria in the name of NADECO.
This was necessary to justify any harsh action that was to be taken against NADECO’s most influential members. Naturally, if you want to hang a dog, you have to give it a bad name.
As destiny will have it, on the 8th June, 1998, General Sani Abacha died and his death paved way for General Abdus-Salam Abubakar to take over the helms of affairs of the Nigerian state with a view to superintending over a smooth transition from military to civilian rule.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu returned to the country and joined the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He contested and won the gubernatorial election in Lagos State becoming the 2nd Civilian Governor of the State. While in office, he did everything possible to carry with him the spirit of true and transparent leadership which the struggle in NADECO had inculcated in him. He impacted all aspects of human life under his purview.
His immense contribution set Lagos State on the path to modernity – the type that is only found in 1st World Nations. Bola Ahmed’s managerial cum leadership acumen was well hatched with the unforeseen assassination of Bola Ige on the 23rd December, 2001. That bitter development exposed governors of the South-Western States at the time to a political tsunami that swept them off their feet, depriving them of the opportunity to secure re-election. At the end of it, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu was the only South-Western Governor to have defied it (Tsunami) and returned to office for a second term.
The unfortunate passing of Bola Ige created a power vacuum in the politics of South-Western Nigeria. It was this moment that beckoned on Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rise to the occasion; and he did. He was able to draw resourceful personalities from within and outside Lagos State, to occupy key positions in the government that he headed. People like Alhaji Lai Mohammed (Kwara State), Professor Yemi Osinbajo (Ogun State), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State) etc. were drawn to get the best grooming from the master strategist – Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These men were to take up greater task in the days ahead, as our present day reality can attest to.
While in office, as Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu created more Local Councils to bring the structure of governance closer to the ordinary man. This was in 2003. This decision did not go well with the government at the centre and a fortiori in 2005, the Obasanjo-led federal government imposed sanctions on Lagos State Local Council funds.
This was after Bola Ahmed Tinubu had defied high-handed demands by President Obasanjo to reverse his government’s decision to create more Local Councils. In response Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed his then Attorney-General, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to institute an action against the Federal Government. On the other hand, he improvised means through which the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Lagos State was heightened – a thing which made it possible for him to sustain the newly created Local Councils despite the sanctions. This lasted for more than 2 years.
At the end of his 8 years in office, he presented his Chief of Staff, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) to the good electorates of Lagos State, and because of the confidence the people reposed in him (Tinubu), Fashola won a landslide victory. And for more than two (2) decades now, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not betrayed that covenant that exists between the good people of Lagos State and him, as evidenced by the enduring support his political camp receives throughout this period.
And when in the year 2006, the late Emir of Borgu, Halliru Dantoro decided to confer the title of “JAGABAN” on Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he had to go through every page of the man’s political struggle where he saw unmatched tenacity, dedication, sacrifice and stoicism before going ahead to confer the said title on him. Indeed, there is nothing most befitting of the Jagaban than the Jagaban.
For a man who has withstood sixteen (16) years of intense opposition from the fountain of dictatorship and threat; who has raised the Internally Generated Revenue of Lagos State from N600 million to N7 billion per month to make up for the vacuum created by an unjust sanction; who has tamed the fury of the Atlantic ocean from sweeping Lagos away; who has built an empire of dedicated, loyal, reputable and refined men and women who are ever-willing to deep-six the pursuit of personal gains for a higher national aggrandizement; for such a man, there is nothing more befitting than to handover the affairs of the largest democracy in Africa to him.
*In this regard, Nigerians should keep believing in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.* Going by his track record, he has demonstrated genuine commitment to the nation’s progress. Supporting his vision and leadership will be instrumental in propelling Nigeria to the global stage and achieving collective prosperity. Trust in his dedication to our country’s interests can foster positive change and elevate Nigeria to new heights.
Conclusively, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a true democrat who has shown a deep passion for nigeria’s growth since his early days in politics, he possesses the zeal and zest to make our country’s democracy more vibrant and ensure a robust economy. recognizing the need for reforms, the decades-long bastardized economy cannot be revived automatically, it must pass through reforms. while some of these policies may be harsh, they are all aimed at the betterment of our nation. he is a compassionate and empathetic leader who has no intention of harming nigerians in anyway. he is committed to working hard to accelerate the realization of prosperous nation,
HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE DEFENDING AND RESTORING NIGERIA’S MODERN DEMOCRACY.WOULD HE DESTROY WHAT HE NURTURED FOR DECADES? NO!As citizens, we must be patient and understanding as the government is working to reform the system for the benefit of all Nigerians and future generations.
It is important for Nigerians to rise up against those who have no good intentions for the country. Constructive criticism is necessary to hold our leaders accountable, but it must be done with patriotism and a genuine desire for progress.
In my previous articles, I have emphasized the need for patience, as no destruction can be fixed overnight. President Tinubu is our nation’s father, and he is devoted to doing whatever it takes to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria and the democracy he fought and struggled for.His love for this country is unmatched.
Keep believing in PBAT GCFR.
May the good Lord bless the efforts of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and give him the strength, direction and guidance to catapult Nigeria to greater heights,Amen.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Engr. MOHAMMAD AWAL IBRAHIM can be reached via;
iawal@rocketmail.com
