Greatness has often been claimed for victorious leaders, and though disputed by some political leaders, there is a general consensus that he is one of the greatest progressive leaders Nigeria has seen. In the truest sense he is the “Lion King of the country”.
As popular saying goes, “Some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them”. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu seems to belong to both categories of that aphorism.
An inspiring leader and handler of men, a loving husband and father, a charming and tactful friend, if his contribution to the welfare of his followers brought him the reward of victories in the political sphere, his courtesy towards the opposition was the gratuitous expression of a man of character.
During the period of Nigeria’s history when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the strongest and biggest party in Africa, the Action Congress came to grow from a tiny group to later form the core of the mighty political party – the All Progressives Congress (APC). When what was then considered as the most powerful party in Africa, PDP, became seriously threatened, that came about through the patriotism, courage and genius of the former governor of Lagos State.
He largely confronted the party, matched and outwitted them, snatching the mantle of leadership from the PDP government, with the watchword, “Change”.
Greatness has often been claimed for victorious leaders, and though disputed by some political leaders, there is a general consensus that he is one of the greatest progressive leaders Nigeria has seen. In the truest sense he is the “Lion King of the country”.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was born in Lagos on March 29, 1952 to the illustrious Tinubu family of Lagos State. He attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos and Children’s Home School, Ibadan, before travelling to the United States of America in 1975 in search of the proverbial Golden Fleece, with a heart brimming with unrelenting determination to achieve his vision.
Getting to United States and with the support of an ever-adoring mother, this courageous youth with an unflinching zeal to succeed took on such menial jobs as dish washing, night guard work and cab driving to see himself through the initial difficulties of school at the Richard Daley College, Chicago, Illinois. He subsequently transferred to Chicago State University, Illinois, graduating with Honours in 1979 and earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Accounting Management).
Tinubu worked for America companies including Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, where he participated in the auditing, management and consultancy services for massive corporations such as General Motors, First National Bank of Chicago, Procter and Gamble, International Harvester and GEC. He also worked at GTE Service Corporation.
After returning to Nigeria in 1983, Bola Tinubu worked as a Senior Auditor at Mobile Producing Nigeria, where he retired as the company Treasurer.
In the year 1993, just before the military take-over in December, he won a senatorial seat of the Lagos West constituency. He was a founding member of the famous pro-democracy group, the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which fought for Nigeria’s return to democratic rule during the years of the locust. An irrepressible fighter for democracy and the protection of civil liberties, Bola Tinubu endured political persecution, including numerous arrests, detentions, harassment, constant threats to his life and years in political exile.
When he assumed office in 1999, the virtues of courage, determination, commitment, vision, focus and a strong sense of purpose characterised Tinubu’s politics, and drove his emergence as one of the country’s most successful governors. His years in office remain a reference for good governance in Nigeria and across the region.
He was the National Leader of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nigeria’s erstwhile leading opposition party. Tinubu’s rare courage and foresight abolished the determined efforts of the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to turn Nigeria into a one-party State.
When the military handed over power to civilians in 1999, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was elected as governor of Lagos State, holding that office from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007. When he assumed office in 1999, the virtues of courage, determination, commitment, vision, focus and a strong sense of purpose characterised Tinubu’s politics, and drove his emergence as one of the country’s most successful governors. His years in office remain a reference for good governance in Nigeria and across the region.
Bola Tinubu promised and largely delivered 10,000 housing units for the poor during his eight years in office, while making huge investments in education in the State. He also initiated the construction of new roads required to meet the needs of the fast-growing population of the State. He won re-election to office of governor in April 2003, while other states in the South-West fell to the onslaught of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He was involved in a struggle with the Federal Government over whether Lagos State had the right to create additional Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to meet the needs of governance needs of the huge and increasing population of Lagos State. The controversy led to the Federal Government’s seizure of the federal allocations due to local councils in the State for years. He was engaged in continuous clashes with PDP powers that be like a minister of Works and the South-West national vice chairman of the PDP during his tenure.
Following the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 2011 elections, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was active in negotiations to bring together the fragmented opposition parties into a “Mega Party” capable of challenging the PDP in 2011.
In July 2009, he called for the implementation of the electoral reforms spelled out in the Uwais Report to ensure that the 2011 elections are as free and fair as the election of 1993 had been. More than any other person since the return of civilian rule in 1999, Bola Tinubu’s actions in maintaining his political party as the consistent opposition then helped in entrenching multi-party democracy in Nigeria.
With his contributions, he has helped Nigeria move to the path of good governance, human rights and prosperity for all. He is one of the major actors who brokered the merger of various opposition parties – the ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA, nPDP – to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), largely retaining the ACN logo as the symbol of a much needed alternative to the ruling party during the 2015 general elections.
General Muhammmadu Buhari was also picked as the presidential candidate of APC. On May 29, 2015, power changed hands at the federal level for the first time in 16 years of civilian rule, with PDP handing over the presidency to APC, as General Buhari (Rtd.) won a landslide victory that took out PDP’s government of tyranny and cabals.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an influential member of the All Progressives Congress; he also holds the Chieftaincies of the Asiwaju of Lagos, the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom in the Northern Niger State of Nigeria, the Aare of Ile-Oluji and Agba-Akin Adinni of Ijesha land. He is also a patron of many professional and social organisations.
Married to Oluremi , the senator currently representing the Central Senatorial district of Lagos State, his youngest daughter, Abibat Tinubu, graduated from Music College in Boston, Massachusetts, US in the year 2013.
Happy Birthday Asiwaju!
Ademola Orunbon, wrote from Epe, Lagos.
