President Tinubu at 73: A quick reflection 

As I prepare for the special Iftar dinner held Saturday evening in honour of His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, thoughts about the man race are in my mind: What is unique about the president? What do I admire about him? What are the memorable moments with him? 

The story of the rise of Bola Tinubu from humble beginnings to the pinnacle is largely well known. There is no point regurgitating it. However, observing and working with the man up close bring to the fore many attributes that contribute in shaping his worldwide, his character, his leadership acumen and aided his rise to the top.

First, President Tinubu is very human and humane. He is human in the sense that he is humble, authentic and true to himself. No airs, no pride, no cosmetics. He relates well with his old friends, associates and staff in a convivial atmosphere devoid of haughtiness associated with people in power. He shares jokes less than he scorns. He could be stern and soft, making sure that work atmosphere is not bereft of humanity or too jovial to be mistaken as laissez-faire. He is generous with laughter when it is evoked but could be too sober in addressing serious issues that you’d wonder if he would breakdown. That’s the human part. 

President Tinubu is also very humane. As a person, he is generous and compassionate to those he could reach with his hands. He never forgot friends or families of dead associates and colleagues. He kept to that even with his current tedious job. His good heart makes him the last person to hurt. Instead, he ignores. The President certainly bears no evil intentions against anyone or a collective. The story of his large-heartedness is well told that it warrants no repeating here. He accepts prodigal sons back with forgiving smile. 

An important lesson from his life is steadfastness and perseverance. They brought him to where he is. President Tinubu, like the proverbial person who has been there for long, has surely seen a lot. He had seen changing times: real and fake smiles, shifting alliances, broken loyalties, back-stabbing and gang-ups, yet, he remained focused and patient. Like the Rock of Gibraltar he remains unshaken and unperturbed. But God works in mysterious ways. For example, some of the arrowheads of Tinubu’s estrangement from a government he helped form in 2015 are today out in the cold. But while he took the unfortunate happenings of that period with steely resolve and perseverance, they were too weak to persevere, being out of the table. While he was mature and statemanly, they crying hoarse like a kid deprived of precious doll. 

As a leader, the president amazes me with his resolve to take bold even if costly, decisions. He embodies the principle that leadership is not about taking popular decisions but about taking right decisions even if painful and inconvenient. Like a physician on duty, President Tinubu’s administration of some painful reforms was not contemptuous of the feelings of the people, as some analysts alluded. They were, rather, out of courage to take necessary actions to stop the hemorrhage of our country. The hemorrhage may favour those of us now but if not stopped, it would certainly prove fatal for our future. 

The President was conscious that those actions were not popular. In fact, he was not unconscious that they could be costly politically, as was seen in many countries. But the statesman that he is, he chose the country over himself. Alhamdulilah! Mr. President is being proved right with the emerging light from the economic tunnel. 

On the occasion of Mr President’s birthday I pray fervently for better health and greater wisdom as he steers the ship of the nation to the shore of progress, stability and development. 

Happy birthday, sir. 

Abdulaziz is a Senior Special Assistant to the President and member of the Presidential Communication Team.

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