By Ademola Orunbon
AS a popular saying goes: “Some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them”.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu seems to belong to both categories of the expression culled from the book, Longs Fellow.
As an inspiring leader and manager of men, a loving husband and father, a charming and tactful friend, his unrelenting commitment to good governance and the welfare of all Nigerians have brought him many victories.
During the period when Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was the ruling and biggest party in Africa, Action Congress grew from a tiny settlement to form a national party, All Progressives Congress (APC). Only once was the umbrella of the most powerful party in Africa, PDP, seriously threatened. And that threat was conveyed by the patriotism, courage and genius of the former Lagos State Governor.
He braved the strongest party and outwitted it with his savvy. He prevailed over all who opposed him and APC snatched the mantle of leadership from the PDP government with its mantra of “Change”.
Greatness has often been claimed for this man who is indisputably one of the most progressive leaders the nation has ever 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, Lagos and Children Home School Ibadan. He travelled 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 faced with an unflinching zeal to succeed took on such menial jobs like dish washing, night guard duties 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 American accounting giants, Arthur Anderson, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, where he participated in the auditing, management and consultancy services of General Motors, First National Bank of Chicago, Procter and Gamble, International Harvester and GEC. He also worked at GTE Services Corporation.
On returning to Nigeria in 1983, Bola Tinubu worked as a Senior Auditor at Mobil Producing Nigeria, where he retired as the company treasurer.
In 1993, just before the military take-over in December 1993, he won a Senatorial seat under 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. An irrepressible fighter for democracy and protection of civil liberties, Tinubu endured political persecution, including numerous arrests, detention, harassment, constant threats to his life and some years in political exile.
He was the National Leader of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), then, Nigeria’s leading opposition party. Tinubu’s rare courage and foresight abolished the determined efforts of the erstwhile ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
When the military handed over the reins of power to civilians in 1999, he was elected as Governor of Lagos State, holding that office from May, 1999 to 29th of May 2007. When he assumed office in May 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 tenure as governor remains a reference point in good governance in Nigeria.
Tinubu promised 10, 000 housing units for the poor, during his eight years in office. He made large investments in education in the state. He also initiated new road construction required to meet the needs of the fast-growing population of the state. He won re-election as governor in 2003, while other states in the South-West fell to 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 its large population. The controversy led the Federal Government to withhold funds meant for local councils in the state. He was engaged in continuous clashes with the powers that be in PDP.
Following the victory of 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 2015.
In July 2009, he called for implementation of electoral reforms spelled out in the Justice Uwais Report to ensure that 2011 elections would be free and fair. More than any other person since the return of civilian rule in 1999, Tinubu’s actions in maintaining the opposition helped to salvage multi-party system in Nigeria.
With his contributions, he has helped Nigeria keep on the path of good governance, human rights and prosperity. He is one of the major actors who brokered the merger of various opposition parties the ACN, ANPP, CPC, to form the All Progressives Congress (APC), retaining the ACN logo as the symbol to stand as a much-needed alternative to the ruling party during the 2015 general elections.
Muhammmadu Buhari was picked as the Presidential candidate of APC. On the 29th of May 2015, power changed hands for the first time in 16 years of civilian rule, PDP handed over power to APC.
Tinubu is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He also holds both the chieftaincy titles of the Asiwaju of Lagos and the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom in Niger state, Aare of Ile-Oluji and Agba-Akin Adinni of Ijesha land. He is also a patron of many professional and social organisations.
He is married to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Senator representing Lagos Central. His youngest daughter, Abibat Tinubu, graduated from Music College in Boston, Massachusetts, US in 2013.
Happy Birthday Asiwaju!
•Orunbon writes from Lagos State via [email protected]