I was privileged to attend the grand finale of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola’s
second term bid campaigns in 2014 in Oshogbo stadium where I saw a crowd
that frightened me. I have been attending campaign rallies since 1999 but
what I saw in Oshogbo was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. I was
sitting close to a friend and when I sought his opinion on what we are
witnessing he told me that this is no longer rally but a movement.
After the Ondo Guber elections last Saturday November 26 2016 many
commentators began to celebrate the so-called Buhari boys in Abuja who
they said outsmarted Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I saw a calculated attempt
to whittle down the well-deserved honour and glory the man has recorded
even from his days at Mobil Producing Nigeria. Many half a penny
commentators said that this may be the beginning of the end of the Asiwaju
BAT’s phenomenon. Some said that BAT has been bruised.
But I know enough history to conclude that success is not an event. I know
that nobody makes it to the World Series overnight. I know the champions
do not become heroes overnight. Throughout history I have known that
history is not drawn on a straight line. This is the reason why I feel
that those who tried to use the outcome of Ondo elections to get at
Asiwaju BAT miss the point. They know nothing about Asiwaju BAT as a
massive movement. They know nothing about BAT as a friend of the poorest
of the poor.
They know nothing about BAT as a bridge builder. They know nothing about
BAT as a maker of leaders in Nigeria. They knowing about BAT as a friend
of all and sundry. They know nothing about Asiwaju as a strategic
thinker, fighter, and achiever. They know little about his committed,
vast preponderance and deep-rooted friends across Nigeria. They know
nothing about his deep connect with Presidents and leaders in Africa and
the world.They know nothing about the men and women he has brought up
across Nigeria as political leaders, Governors, Deputy Governors,
Speakers, Senators, Reps, Commissioners, Ministers, LGA Chairmen,
business men etc including Akeredolu and Alasoadura.
The low thinkers do not know that in 2012 he brought to the front seat,
the man of history called Rotimi Akeredolu. Ah, Ah, I wish these people
know this saga called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Oh, how I wish they know
what I know? How I wish they had been close to this working history who
showed me the freeways, byways, subways, highways and low ways of power.
How I wish they know ten percent of what I know about this man of history.
When it was difficult for people to understand this man he humbly released
this statement to drive home his points.
Hear ASIWAJU BAT :’I set my goals and objectives in accordance with my
vision. I study them and strategically execute them. My detractors discuss
my successes and failure because they have nothing to execute. I am in the
news more because I’m working, Nigerians discuss active men in the field.
Mentioning any negative news about me will double the wealth of any news
media that published it. My name today is a financial market for
journalist. Not even elected politicians get the publicity I am enjoying.
My comrades , go and work till mentioning your name becomes a source of
increased wealth for someone. Even my weakness create wealth for vendors’.
Andy Andrew tells me that “Everybody wants to reach the top of the
mountain, but there is no growth at the peak. It is in the valley that we
slog through the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what
enables us to summit life’s next peak”.
Niccolo Machiavelli teaches us that “The first method for estimating the
intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him”Take a
look around BAT and see the men and women around him and it is only when
you know this that you will begin to understand this man. Asiwaju is not
without blemish. Asiwaju is not playing God. Asiwaju did not preach to us
that he is the best God ever created. Asiwaju did not tell us that he
knows it all. He never said so. Asiwaju is an ordinary mortal like
everyone of us.
I pray that the East and the North will try to produce one person each
like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This country will be better for it. Let me
say it once again that it is difficult for 20 – 30 people to gather
anywhere in Nigeria without you discovering that one person may have been
touched by Asiwaju magic. This is what makes BAT a massive movement.
Now, let me close with this” celebrate great men and women and you too
will achieve greatness. The one who serve a people is their master. It is
good to be important but it is more important to be good. I am
celebrating Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu today because I want to be a great
man like him. Case rested!
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos.