\u201cThe Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, told me to command them to tell their Kings that the Lord had said:\u00a0 \u201cBy my great power and strength I created the world, mankind, and all the animals that live on the earth; and I give it to anyone I choose. I am the one who has placed all these nations under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, and I have made even the wild animals serve him.\u201d Jeremiah 27,4-6.<\/p>\n
There was once an article in This Day newspaper entitled \u201cTinubu\u2019s God Complex\u201d. It was written by one Ijeoma Nwogwugwu. She wrote \u201cClearly, Tinubu is exhibiting signs of someone suffering for a case of the god complex-a state of mind in which a person believes that they have supernatural powers or god-like abilities and generally believes that they are above the rules of society and should be given special consideration.\u201d \u00a0Nwogwugwu wrote this piece to cast aspersion on the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. To tell it like it is, she is right. Asiwaju is supernaturally enabled. The cosmic has given him a task which he must accomplish.<\/p>\n
This man of humble and inauspicious origin is on a mission. \u00a0To dislodge the People\u2019s Democratic Party (PDP) is a task that must be accomplished. \u00a0\u00a0We have had a long run of ill-luck in leadership in this country.\u00a0 God has heard our prayers.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Asiwaju is a perfect match to the PDP behemoth. He is a dogged fighter per excellence. He has the capacity and the financial war chest to dislodge the PDP. Tinubu is like any powerful man of action who is not given to emotional flowery rhetoric. He is indeed a compelling presence.<\/p>\n
The merger with other political parties to form APC has proved that Tinubu is not in love with himself. He is not completely consumed with the pursuit of unchallenged personal power. He is the shining light of sweet reason. I have watched in some quarters as slander and fabrications, like an acid rain of scorn, descend on him. But I believe that he is the vehicle that God is using to chase the PDP scammers out of power. Isaiah 41-2- 4 reads: \u201cWho was it that brought the conqueror from the east, and makes him triumphant wherever he goes? Who gives him victory over kings and nations? His sword strikes them down as if they were dust. His arrows scatter them like straw before the wind. He follows in pursuit and marches safely on, so fast that he hardly touches the ground! Who was it that made this happen? Who has determined the course of history? I, the LORD, was there at the beginning, and I, the LORD will be there at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an era when most politicians lack the pluck to take the plunge, Tinubu has saved our country from being a one party state. He triumphed over every antic spruced up during Obasanjo\u2019s days at the presidency. According to Odoalu Dialoke, Tinubu\u2019s pre-eminence in national politics stem largely from his ability to identify and work with talents. Unlike most Nigerians leaders, he is more accommodating of all shades of opinion but resolute in given practical expression to strategies\u00a0 and tactics formulated from various ideas and suggestions after distillation of the varying stands of thoughts by the members of his gifted team. He has achieved\u00a0 a sort of positive apotheosis as he\u00a0 was vaulted onto the national stage by some benevolent\u00a0 destiny. He is a genius of the party apparatchik. Senator Ganiyu Solomon captured the essence of this man when he wrote that Asiwaju is our long sought after quintessential Nigerian leader whose vision, dreams and aspirations tower above non-progressive sectionalism, myopic tribalism and ethnic jingoism. He said his philosophy and orientation and socialist background have no doubt prepared him for what the future has begun to throw up. Solomon is of the view that Tinubu has his eyes on the future and this is evident in his choice of people for leadership position because he sure wants to look back in his old age and be complacent that posterity has a good place in stock for him.<\/p>\n
His political foes believe that Asiwaju has a capacity for lying, intrigue and secrecy. But he is simply a man who understands power and possesses the capacity to command. Men like him are more fanatical and their imaginations are fired by heroes of all times. Deeply ingrained in his consciousness are the ideas of independence, honour and physical courage. Tinubu\u2019s love of freedom, his ferociousness in battle and his somewhat reckless bravery suits the current Nigerian political space.<\/p>\n
As a governor he operated in pressure cooker atmosphere when he took the fateful decision to challenge Olusegun Obasanjo. A lot of people thought that was a self destructive course. But there was something symbolic about his defiance. With that singular action he has done \u00a0good to the state of our democracy.\u00a0 Multi part democracy would have been a mockery by now. That achievement will live in popular memory for all times. In one of his numerous \u00a0\u00a0interviews, Tinubu disclosed how he challenged Obasanjo over his excesses. \u201cOne day he told me and I am quoting Obasanjo, \u2018you are my representative in that state\u2019 and I said no, you were elected the same day I was elected. Our functions are different; our responsibilities are clear in the constitution. He was angry. Forget your military days where you appoint administrators. Please let it be flushed out of your mind. He said he will throw me out. It was in his office and I told him one on one that this is the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you are a tenant here sir, you can\u2019t throw me out. Without us in the state, you cannot be president. Yes, it got that bad. The truth must be told and that was the first. The second one he said I should not enter the Villa. I said you don\u2019t dear do it, unless I come to your bedroom sir, this is our house. I wanted to have an audience with him, he didn\u2019t give me the audience but I told him the piece of my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
His journey in politics started during the era of Social Democratic party (SDP). He scored the highest number of votes to defeat his opponent, Mrs. Kemi Nelson of the National Republican Convention (NRC). His senatorial district was the most populous in the country. Tinubu made his mark in the senate as the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee.\u00a0 On the floor of the senate he canvassed vigorously for the termination of military rule. He argued that failure to do that could spell doom for the country.<\/p>\n
When the June 12 election was annulled, he stood solidly behind MKO Abiola to the end .With the June 12 struggle, Asiwaju proved that by doing something useful for the society; you strengthen the fabrics of our shared humanity. Martin Luther King once said that everyone can be great because everyone can serve. He fought alongside NADECO members for the actualization of that mandate. Members of the coalition can still attest to his dedication, courage and financial commitment to the cause of that struggle. To prove that he wasn\u2019t in the struggle for monetary gains, Tinubu said he never collected money from Abiola. \u201cI can tell you not to diminish Abiola; I don\u2019t owe him but N25, 000 that he gave me when I was to represent him in Jos. He said he had no money but the rest of the funds were the money that I spent on my own. I was not in custody of his funds. I put in my private funds.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the governor of Lagos state, Tinubu\u2019s cabinet was made up of erudite minds, seasoned politicians, technocrats and professionals, to fuel the fire of development in the state. There were the likes of Towery Coker, Professor Idowu Sobowale, Dele Alake, Raul Aregbesola, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, Lekan Pitan, Tunji Bello and Raji Fashola, who has the continued with the transformation agenda put in place by his government. During his eight years tenure, Asiwaju showed that he is an experienced administrator who laid the foundation for the massive reconstruction going on in the state at the moment. With his single-mindedness of purpose, quick temper and bravery, Tinubu is undoubtedly the greatest politician in Nigeria.<\/p>\n