“Oro Ahmed yi nikan na ni o un ba mi leru” (It is only the issue of Ahmed that is giving me worries). That was the fear expressed by the late Alhaji Lam Adesina, a former governor of Oyo State on the chances of the then governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu winning the gubernatorial election in 2003. Out of genuine concern, Alhaji Adesina, a great lover of Tinubu was bothered that the Lagos governor might not get a second term because of his repugnance to Obasanjo’s overtures and frolics.
That was at a time when all the other governors in the South West: Chief Bisi Akande of Osun, Chief Adebayo Adefarati of Ondo, Otunba Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti, Akinrogun Segun Osoba of Ogun and Alhaji Lam Adesina himself were obeying the dictates and dancing to the falsehearted music of the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo had in the most deceitful manner, cajoled the governors and the Pan Yoruba group, Afenifere; in believing that he (Obasanjo) would be “soft” on them and make their victories easy insofar as they supported his election for a second term in office. The five governors fell for Obasanjo’s antics and openly worked for his second term in office. In fact, the promotion of Obasanjo’s second term bid took precedence far above campaigns for our governorship and national assembly candidates in the build-up to the general election of 2003.
Despite the fact that we were in the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the opposition party, we campaigned vigorously for the second term of Olusegun Obasanjo and indirectly his Peoples Democratic Party’s candidates who eventually defeated us. I was a victim as the AD candidate for House of Representatives, Oluyole Federal Constituency.
But, in Lagos, Tinubu in his wisdom refused to follow either his fellow governors or Afenifere in supporting Obasanjo, and instead answered his father’s name. He campaigned only for his party, the Alliance for Democracy. He asked voters to concentrate all their votes at the top, the space for AD on the ballot papers in all the elections.
Tinubu, using all in him: wisdom, knowledge, smartness, boldness, exposure, contacts etcetera turned Lagos around within eight years. Bola Tinubu grew the economy, politics and sociology of Lagos and the stability being enjoyed in Lagos today is as a result of his right leadership. Lagos has become the model for virtually all developmental projects and ideas in Nigeria today.
From Fashola to Ambode to the incumbent Sanw-Olu, Lagos has continued to progress steadily while sadly, other states in the West are grappling to survive. Tinubu has established himself as the best and most dynamic leader and politician of this generation.
With the enormous powers of the Presidency, particularly under the leadership of Olusegun Obasanjo who was touted to have possessed and exercised more powers than the American President at his time, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu crushed Obasanjo in all aspects of governance. He challenged Obasanjo on legislative matters and he won; he contested against Obasanjo’s position on judiciary and made mincemeat of him; and in Obasanjo’s desperate bid to conquer Lagos State along with other Yoruba states, Tinubu triumphed over Obasanjo and still beating him till today.
For decades now, Nigeria’s major problem has been poor leadership. After the departure of the Balewas, Azikiwes and Awolowos of this world, Nigeria has been largely unlucky with the sets of people that have been ruling it. All these past leaders that we are still praising till date did well because they were well equipped for the positions they occupied and while serving they got the best persons for all the assignments.
Tinubu, in his time as governor of Lagos State gathered the best brains in Lagos to improve the lots of Lagos socially, economically and politically. Tinubu, with his team of financial wizards raised the internally generated revenue of Lagos from about a billion naira to over 20b when leaving office in 2007. In the socio-political scene, Tinubu took Lagos far ahead of other states in Nigeria, particularly in the South West when it became the centre of attraction virtually in all spheres. Ibadan that was the cynosure of political activities in the West was taken over by Lagos as major actors and leaders of Oyo State started running to Lagos for political directions and handouts.
I know that the children born during and after the governorship of Tinubu , Lam and co that are now of age to vote would not believe it that before the 1999 elections Ibadan was of greater or of the same socio-political standing with Lagos. That Tinubu used to come to Ibadan for political advice and directions would appear to them as tales by moonlight. But that is the truth. The story of Bola Ahmed Tinubu: The narrative of somebody who is naturally endowed to lead and ceaselessly improving himself and making people that would make leading and leadership functional, with profound results.
That the former governor of Lagos State was able to accomplish all these including standing boldly with the Lagos people on the creation of local councils was as a result of the ability of Governor Tinubu to identify and engage the right people for the jobs. Without knowing the incumbent Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Tinubu head hunted him and made the Ogun State born Osinbajo, the Attorney General of Lagos State. Appointing with precision, Tinubu led Osinbajo to win the legal battle against the all conquering Olusegun Obasanjo sitting as the President of Nigeria.
It is an open secret that the major problems of the country today bother on lack of adequate knowledge, right policies and directions. Thus, to solve the problems, Nigeria needs the person with adequate knowledge about Nigeria, her challenges and prospects. The country needs that person that knows Nigeria inside out and without any pretence or any primordial baggage.
Secondly, Nigeria needs the leader that is educated and versed in all aspects of life to formulate the right policies from economy, education, health, employment to security. The person that can get the best amongst us to engender insightful policies and programs that would generate wealth and reasonable employments for our teeming youth. And thirdly, the person that is bold enough to look IMF and the likes in the face and declare that this is the best for my country and it is what I will do.
Certainly, Tinubu, more than any other Nigerian, is the most suitable for the job. I can do it. What Nigeria deserves now is someone that is ready, more mature, more experienced and obviously more prepared.
Tinubu possesses a rare, uncanny ability to win against all odds as he did contrary to the fears, lovingly expressed by the late Alhaji Lam Adesina on his chances of returning to Lagos Governor’s office for a second term in 2003.
Kehinde Olaosebikan served as the Chief Press Secretary to the late former governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, from 1999 to 2003.
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