Asiwaju Tinubu: A colossus at 65

A man of great character and deep convictions, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has evolved, over the years, as a shining phenomenon and a towering figure in the nation’s socio-political landscape.

This is indeed a most critical time in our nation, Nigeria when burning issues of leadership are gaining more recognition given the various problems that we have had to contend with. In the light of the prevailing recession, excruciating poverty, mass unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure and poor social service delivery as thrown up by decades of bad leadership and chronic character deficit, Nigerian people are clearly in dire need of true and time-tested leaders with deep intellectual clarity, strong ideological conviction, consuming organizational acumen as well as a knack for national and international solidarity.

At 65, what has continued to endear Asiwaju Tinubu to his teeming political associates, business partners and grassroots admirers is his formidable strength of character, which obviously flows from his clarity of purpose and Spartan determination to bequeath the world around him with enduring legacies of noble exploits. Convictions are deep-held beliefs based on a commitment to one’s purpose. It gives a person a sense of direction as well as a commensurate influence on people and events around him. The whole essence of having highly influential and inspirational leaders like Asiwaju Tinubu in a Country like ours is to enable them inspire, motivate and empower other people to take action and effect change.

In the last three decades that I have had the privilege to relate with him personally as a co-traveller in the murky waters of Nigerian politics, Asiwaju has never stopped to amaze me with his charismatic energy and his profound conviction on the need to positively transform our dear nation before things are allowed to go beyond remedy. And indeed, he has always demonstrated the excellent capacity to translate this lofty dream to reality.

As a Distinguished Senator in the short-lived Third Republic, Tinubu was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Banking, Appropriation and Currency. In the twilight of the unlawful annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, where the Nigerian people gave their mandate, in a free and fair atmosphere, to Chief M.K.O Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the election, Asiwaju Tinubu emerged in the Senate as the most articulate voice against the military junta and a rallying point for pro-democracy activists within and outside of Nigeria..

In the protracted struggle for the enthronement of democracy and demilitarization of the nation’s political space, Tinubu, a founding member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), played a most profound role as a financier and strategic bridge among notable local and international pro-democracy formations as the demand for greater networking and campaigns emerged.

As governor of Lagos State on the platform of the Alliance of Democracy (AD), Tinubu made large investments in education, health care delivery, housing schemes, massive road construction, integrated rural development, agricultural production, construction of novel digital centres, the beautification of open spaces and loops across the State, the development of the State work force for greater productivity as well as the promotion of progressive taxation, which steadily augmented the State’s internally generated revenue from its initial N600 million in 1999 to N10 Billion in 2007 when he left office as the chief executive of the state.

During his administration in Lagos State, Tinubu did not only reposition the organized private sector as the dynamo of the commanding heights of the Lagos economy, he created an enabling regulatory environment for huge local and foreign investment, with a view to ensuring that Lagosians were not at the mercy of the market forces as the private sector thrived to the delight of all.

The most outstanding in the array of his heroic exploits so far is the prominent roles he played in galvanizing the opposition forces in the country together, which eventually culminated in the formation of the All Progressives Congress, preparatory to the 2015 Presidential election. For the first time in the nation’s chequered political history, an opposition party (APC) deposed the ruling party (PDP) at the centre in a democratic election and to the chagrin and admiration of the world. With due recognition of the noble efforts of other prominent figures who contributed to APC’s electoral victory in the 2015 presidential election, this feat would not have been attained if not for the undying conviction, selflessness, clear vision, political sagacity as well as the resolute leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

At a time when many political gladiators were not too certain that the ‘almighty’ PDP could be dislodged at the centre given the latter’s several years of romance with federal powers and control assess to Government apparatus which it had consistently used to manipulate the electoral process over the years in defiance of the popular wish of Nigerians, Asiwaju, more than anyone, was damn sure that the employment of the right strategies in an atmosphere of unity and clarity of purpose would ultimately lead to a resounding victory. Today, this has turned out to be a reality and the rest of course is history.

The Tinubu’s example had brought home the self-evident truth that leadership is all about strong, noble and honourable character and conviction. If you don’t have solid convictions, you don’t deserve to have followers. If you keep vacillating in order to please people, if you keep sacrificing your belief system in order to be accepted, you are not a leader-you are a compromiser.On this occasion of his 65th birthday anniversary, I and my political associates delightfully join the rest of the world to celebrate Asiwaju; our mentor, our benefactor, our teacher, our leader and, above all, our father of many years, to wish him more rewarding, victorious, fruitful and prosperous years on earth.

Hon. Bamidele, member of the 7th House of Representatives, served the Lagos State government between 2000 and 2007 as Special Adviser to the Governor; Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development; and Commissioner for Information and Strategy.