Some ten years ago, in January 2006, I wrote, in one of my newspaper columns,‘A Season’s Toast to ‘that average-sized man with the heart of a lion and the deeds of Samson called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who (was) playing the yeoman’s job of selling modernity to good old Lagos and setting it firmly on the path of global glory and esteem.
Bola Tinubu
Up to 1999, Lagos was considered an ‘undevelopable’ city, its chaotic population and obscure growth pattern scaring even addicted optimists. The world’s record books depicted Lagos as a dirty, unplanned and bizarre city progressing into being one of the most populated cities of the 21st century. However, by the middle of Bola Tinubu’s second term as Governor of the state, Lagos was wearing a distinctive modern look and bringing home ‘the edifying fact that someone somewhere is working earnestly to make Lagos have a feel of modernity. It became unmistakable that someone is almost defying the laws of nature by bringing sanity and decorum to good old Lagos.’
That toast was concluded thus:
From what Tinubu is doing with Lagos, it is certain that he is a good manager, user, protector and projector of power. He exemplifies the generation of politicians that realizes that Nigeria has a lot of catching up to do. He is himself a political dividend impacting the polity with a dynamic and revolutionary vision. Tinubu (I am told) believes in and works with experts who are themselves anxious to secure a space in tomorrow’s politics. I am also told that he empowers these young women and men adequately and that it is the combined output of his team that is making the wonders in Lagos. If the Tinubu metaphor survives 2007 and stays around with us for a handful of years, Lagos and indeed hardworking Lagosians would board the global train of sustained development and growth. It is because of this that I wish Tinubu and his team of technocrats a prosperous and revitalized 2006.
Publishing that eulogy at that time took more than courage and bravery. The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which had overrun the other states in the Southwest and diminished the hope of ascendancy of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the region, was breathing over Lagos. To many, it was only a matter of time for Lagos to fall and surrender to the federal might. To worsen matters for Tinubu, he was executing policies that jolted the elite and the middle class in the state. He was embarking on an aggressive internal revenue generation drive involving multiple forms of taxation. Many of my friends believed that that article was too brazen and against the grain and groundswell of emotions and opinions at the time and would hurt me one way or the other.
However, I foresaw in Tinubu a functional hero with a better tomorrow. To me, anybody that lived or had visited Lagos before Tinubu’s tenure would realize that the progressive modernization of Lagos was‘a result of hard and well-reasoned work. It (was) an indication that all is not lost and that very soon the privileged young men adorning the political cloaks of the nation would realize that the destiny of the most populous black nation in the world is in their hands and, therefore, must brace up to face history with pride and dignity.’
You cannot, therefore, imagine how proud and gratified I am today. Ten years after that toast, Tinubu stands out as one of the greatest politicians and leaders of his generation. Many have gone to the extent of declaring him the greatest living politician in Nigeria. I am tempted to agree with them. Tinubu is phenomenal. Through deliberate and well thought out policies and sustained hard work, he was able to put Lagos State on the path of sustainable development and growth. His choice of lieutenants and aides defines him as developmental-minded and merit-driven. He works with men and women of quality capable of adding value to his political profile. Unlike his contemporaries who worked with servants and surrounded themselves with praise singers, Tinubu has always been a leader of winning teams. Because of his ability to turn around the lives of young men and women, he can be likened to a lion who leads 1000 sheep to defeat 1000 lions led by a sheep.
For emphasis, the direct beneficiaries of Tinubu’s benevolence include the following men and women (on the list of politicians and technocrats published by Jumi Rhodes in ₦airaland Forum of 24th November, 2015): Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (Nigeria’s Vice-President, was Tinubu’s Commissioner for Justice); Mr. Babatunde Fashola,SAN (Minister of Power, Works & Housing, was Tinubu’s Chief of Staff); Dr. Babatunde Fowler (Former Lagos Tax Chief now Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS); Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos State Governor); Engr.Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State Governor; Ex-Lagos Commissioner for Works); Alhaji Lai Muhammed (Minister of Information, was Chief of Staff – Governor’s Office – during Tinubu’s 1st term); Mr. Dele Alake (One-time Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, for Tinubu); Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN (Ex-Lagos Commissioner, Special Duties); Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Minister of Solid Minerals; Former Ekiti State Governor); Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State Governor); Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; Senator Ganiu Solomon; Senator Solomon Adeola(former House of Representatives member now Senator);Senator Gbenga Ashafa; Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (House of Representatives member); Mrs. Kemi Nelson; Senator Babajide Omoworare; Mr. Ade Ipaye and Mr. Wale Edun.
The galaxy of stars who got their groove from Tinubu is unending, including people like Hon. Bamidele Opeyemi, through whom Fayemi got into the Tinubu kingdom; Mr. Ben Akabueze; Joe Igbokwe; Mr. Sasore; Femi Pedro and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
You may recall that at the time Tinubu was sworn in as Governor of Lagos State in 1999 the following were also sworn in as Governors of their respective states: Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State; Boni Haruna of Adamawa State; Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State; Chinwoke Mbadinuju of Anambra State; Adamu Mu’azu of Bauchi State; Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State; George Akume of Benue State; Mala Kachalla of Borno State; Donald Duke of Cross River State; James Ibori of Delta State; Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State; Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State; Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State; Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State; Abubakar Habu Hashidu of Gombe State; Achike Udenwa of Imo State; Ibrahim Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State; Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State; Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State; Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua of Katsina State; Muhammad Adamu Aliero of Kebbi State; Abubakar Audu of Kogi State; Mohammed Lawal of Kwara State; Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa; Abdul Kadir Kure of Niger State; Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State; Adebayo Adefarati of Ondo State; Adebisi Akande of Osun State; Lam Adesina of Oyo State; Joshua Dariye of Plateau State; Peter Odili of Rivers State; Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State; Jolly Nyame of Taraba State; Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe State; and Ahmad Sani Yerima of Zamfara State.
It is true that the Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua became President of Nigeria between 29th May 2007 and 5th May 2010, when he died in office. It is also true that the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha’s then Deputy Governor, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan succeeded Yar’Adua and was president for six years. But have those singular cases diminished who Tinubu is among his contemporaries and Nigerians as a whole? Who among his contemporaries and living politicians has empowered as many Nigerians as he has done?
Not wishing to talk about the dead, I pray that Jonathan will soon publish the list of Nigerians that he made and how he has made them. For Tinubu, his list of beneficiaries is verifiable. From entertainment to the media, from the hospitality business to real estate, from retail business to oil and gas, from socialites to professionals, from the streets to the entire corporate Nigeria, from culture to politics, from Nigeria to the larger world, the name Tinubu looms large. There is hardly any president or head of state in Africa who is not happy having Tinubu’s direct contact. Diplomats boast of having Tinubu’s telephone numbers or being one-on-one with him. If Tinubu is involved in any case today, the best of lawyers in the country will fight over themselves to represent him, even for free. The reason is not that he is the richest man out there, but because he is proactive and strategic. He invests in institutions as much as he invests in humans. He builds goodwill by the hour and waits for tomorrow to call on it.
What also stands him out, and for which I admire him the more, is the fact that his catalogue of beneficiaries does not only include all classes of people but also cuts across all tribes and regions of Nigeria. When the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, attributed his emergence as Secretary of the Government of the Federation to Tinubu, many skeptics believe he was merely playing politics. For those who know Tinubu, there is no reason to doubt a thankful Lawal.
Tinubu is deliberate and painstaking in the aggregation of his political clout. He understands the ability of business to cement relationships. He does not restrict his business ventures to his relations and cronies. He transacts his business along strict business and corporate lines. Because of his ability to spot and hone talents, he benefits from the aggregate of outstanding talents around him. He is a professional’s delight. With his pool of extraordinary talents and professionals, Tinubu is easily able to transverse the corporate and political climes with equal zest and dexterity. If Tinubu were to be an institution, he would have been an investment and development bank. He buys and invests in ideas. Most of his contemporaries have frittered their wealth and opportunities because of lack of inventiveness and unwillingness to invest in people outside their thin and unprofessional families. To my mind, any person who has held such a high office as that of Governor and still needs money to make money is a failure. Tinubu is making money by the day not so much with money as it is with his image and extensive influence.
Tinubu is feared by irredentists who consider his image to be too large for their comfort. They are fearful that if not pushed back he is capable of vanquishing their influence over the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. Others, however, are cashing in on the belief that Tinubu has invested too much in APC to be tempted to work against it. In the wake of the rift within the ranks of the party concerning the coup staged last year (2015) against the party by some National Assembly members, I interrogated a Senator – a former Governor – whom I know to be close to Tinubu and should be on the side of the party. He immediately confessed to me that Tinubu is justifiably angry with him but that the collateral damage of disappointing Tinubu was less than allowing the younger and inexperienced senators to take over the entire leadership of the Senate. Besides being modifiers, he and his friends must be in a position to mediate and reunite the two factions in the Senate. Senate President Bukola Saraki is a friend of his who knows him to his bedroom and village, and the relationship between Kwara and his state is one that foists on him a duty to act even in spite of himself. Besides, Saraki may not be exposed to the intricacies of politics enough to forgive him if he fails to identify with him at times like this. On the other hand, Tinubu is equipped enough to transcend temporary setbacks. The Tinubu he knows will conduct his private investigation and discover that he and his friends, who may now look like traitors, are indeed sacrificing their personalities for the sake of the party. With such a narrow majority in the Senate, the chances of losing the leadership of the Senate to the People’s Democratic Party are real. They who are on the ground and are interacting with both sides can see the fine lines. While promising to meet Tinubu at the right time, when his anger would have subsided and when he would be in a position to listen to him, he concluded with a confident smile that Tinubu has worked and invested in APC to a point of no return. As godfather, Tinubu has no choice but to accept all and sundry at the crunch time.
I have accompanied him to Tinubu several times and have an idea of how much he respects Tinubu, who calls him a brother from another mother. Many may be bragging out there about the ability of APC to come back to power in 2019, but not many are confident that APC can do so without Tinubu, which is why I feel happy for the party when I saw everybody congregating including Mr. President around him to cheer him on his 64th birthday. On my part, I am proud to declare that before Tinubu became the Lion – Emperor or Jagaban – of Bourdillon, the Svengali of Nigeria, I had seen the lion in him, and I was the very first to identify him as a lion. That was one decade ago.
