Asiwaju
The Myth, and Legend.
THE PRIOR
Prior to the 2023 Election, like many, I do not know Asiwaju. The glimpse of memory, I had of him was during the 2015 General election. Asiwaju swept through the hearts and minds of Nigerians, with his clear rhetoric, “Sai Baba. Sai Buhari” – in a couple of weeks later, a man was made king. The incumbent was defeated and a new king was made.
But, how did he came into the light of National politics? A proper understanding of this will take us on a flashback to the story of one man: General Mohammadu Buhari.
General Mohammadu Buhari the devoted INEC customer, who wouldn’t give up on his quest to preside over National politics. This man had earlier contested under the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), and loose to the then ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with 12,710,022 votes in 2003.
In 2007 he contested again, in one of the most controversial election in Nigeria’s modern democratic history, this time, he scored 6,605,299 to closely chase after the winner, Umaru Musa Ya’Adua of PDP.
In
2011, General Mohammadu Buhari contested and loosed yet again, under the
platform of Congress for Progressive Change , a political party he founded by
himself alongside Senator Rufai Hanga.
It was after this third attempt that the worn out General met the ‘Kingmaker’ – Asiwaju, the Jagaban.
The
Jagaban will in February 2013, lead a mega merger of three political parties –
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a
faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Although he was unknown this period, he was the grand-lord behind the scene.
It was this Jagaban that wiped the tears of the defeated General. I could remember, the Jagaban lifting the hands of the General as he said, “Sai Buhari. Vote Buhari” on the screen.
This
General, Mohammadu Buhari would finally win the 2015 General Election,
defeating then incumbent President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Thus, ending the
sixteen (16) year rule of the PDP. The APC therefore clinched power. The PDP
will have only but one option; to reclaim power in 2019.
My cognizance to Asiwaju was not paid, not until mid-last year -2022 – during the APC Primary Election. It was at this period, I got to know well about the man who claimed to have built Lagos, one of the biggest metropolitan city in Africa. The man who restored the image of Lagos. The man who tamed the Atlantic Ocean. The Poseidon[1] of Lagos.
He, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the first post-transition Lagos State governor. He won by a wide margin as a member of the Alliance for Democracy over the Peoples Democratic Party in 1999. As Governor of Lagos state, he designed the institutionalised human resource scheme, by making strategic appointments and positioning.
THE
MYTH
Who is this man, and where is he from. You might be curious to ask. Well, there are two versions to this story. The first as told by the public media, and the second was told by one David Inyene-Obong Oluwaseun Hundeyin, popularly known as ‘David Hundeyin’ an independent journalist with the West Africa Weekly.
The first version tells of a man, born on the 29th day of March, 1952, who moved to the United States in 1975 in his youth, and subsequently in 1979, he graduated with honours from Chicago State University, Illinois, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Accounting and Management). This man would further cut his professional teeth at the American-based Arthur Anderson, Deloitte Haskins and Sells (now called Deloitte Haskins and Touche) and GTE Service Corporation – one of the largest Communication and Utility Company in the United States.
While, at Deloitte Haskins and Sells, this young and professional Asiwaju broadened his experience by participating in the auditing and management consultancy services of General Motors, First National Bank of Chicago, Procter and Gamble, International Harvester, GEC and other Fortune 500 firms.
A couple of years later, he returned to Nigeria and with his international experience in Financial Management, he joined Mobil Producing Nigeria as a Senior Auditor before his retirement as the company’s Treasurer.
All these, he achieved before going full time into politics. His journey to public politic began, with the leading of Primrose Group, a political action organization pushing for fundamental changes in the politics of Lagos State. [2]
The
other version as told by David Hundeyin and published on July 13, 2022,[3]
tells the story of a man who graduated as an Accountant in 1979, got a job at
Mobil Oil Nigeria Ltd in Fairfax, Virginia, got married to Oluremi, and went on
to have 3 kids with her. However from 1988 to 1993, this Chicago trained
accountant served as a bagman
handling and laundering proceeds of heroin trafficking for a Nigerian drug ring
in Chicago, until his indictment in July 1993.
He finally returned back to Nigeria a Hero, after a forfeiture of some of his assets worth $460,000 to the United States Government, and decided to go into full time politic. This will lead him to contest for the governorship position of Lagos State and win in 1999 with a wide margin.
However,
it shall be noted here, that this was not the first time, this version of story
was told. On September 15, 2008, Saharareporters.org published on its blog a
news report titled, How US Federal Agents successfully linked Bola Tinubu to Drug
Trafficking Ring in Chicago. [4]
The extent to which this later version is true or probably false, has not been substantially debunked by Asiwaju himself.
The closet to a response was gotten from the Spokesperson for APC 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Egwarewa Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. A man known to be heavily criticised on Social media in recent times.
These
are the Myths of Asiwaju, not to include the question of his age. What is the true
age of this man? While, he claims to be seventy (70), a lot of Nigerians has
their doubts. Some say, he is above eighty, and some chunk of others speculates
him to be above ninety.
It was this debate in this public space that led, Seye Oladejo, APC Publicity Secretary, Lagos to issue a statement published in vanguardngr.com on January 25th, 2022 wherein he described such speculations as ‘unjustifiable…accusations without substantive facts’[5]
THE
LEGEND
Elections in Nigeria comes with a wave of anxiety, built-up tension and a sense of anticipation. Every bloc of political power readying to clinch power, and once more the sleeping demons bearing their names in pride, ‘religion’, ‘tribe’ and ‘ethnicity’ wakes to gallivant as bouncers in club houses rallying for disciples.
It
was at this time, that Asiwaju resurfaced again. The Builder of Lagos. The
grand-master behind the institutionalised framework of modern Lagos. The
Poseidon who controlled the Atlantic Ocean. The City-boy who also doubles as
the Jagaban of Borgu.
However, this time, his intentions were loud, clear and different. He did not come to make anyone the king, but to become king himself. “Alas! It is my turn”.
His reason was simple, “I made you king. I pushed you. I made you. I put you. I placed you. I sponsored you. I invested in you, now it is my turn to be king. I have done my part all the way to this point, now it is your time to do your own part of the agreement. Crown me king”
That
was simple. Nothing much. Nothing less.
“My mission here is to seek collaboration, support, and encouragement of my party, the APC, for my ambition to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure,”[6]
It
was this period, Prof. Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo SAN, the Nigerian Vice
President declared his intention to be the President. A man widely believed to
be made by this same Asiwaju. A man widely believed to be one of Asiwaju’s
boys.
For the records, the Professor of Law, was appointed the Attorney General of Lagos State by Asiwaju, while he was governor of the state. In addition, Asiwaju was instrumental to him becoming a running mate to the General while he was contesting, and finally becoming the Vice President of the Federation.
Asiwaju in reacting to the declaration of the Professor of Law, had this to say, “I don’t have any son grown up enough to make such declaration”[7]
While
all these was going on, the Nigerian masses was watching. They had no say on
the game, their only strength was in the power of media, whether it be social
media or mass media, media is media and that was the extent to which the
strength of the Nigerian masses lies. So they watch with awe, as events unfold.
At this time, the Nigerian masses were just sighing a relief, “At last, the reign of terror is coming to an end”. They could not wait to get over with anything that sounds, ‘APC’. The last eight years under the reign of the general was hell for Nigerians. For many Nigerians it was the worst regime in the history of a country, they’ve lived all their life.
Not to talk about the increase in crime, as a result of the rise of poverty, or the brain-drain syndrome, nigerianised as ‘JAPA’, or the failed promises of the party, but most critically the level of insecurity and violence across the country.
And
then, in addition to all these, the gory event of October 20th,
2020.
Nigerians want just one thing, “No APC”
APC
had but one opportunity to salvage their party. That opportunity lies with
the Law Professor. The Law Professor was a bespoke gentlemen, cultured with
words, and extensively learned. He was the only one that could possibly turn
the hearts, of the educated average Nigeria, but his ambition…It clashes with “the Emilokan”
Asiwaju became the black horse in the 2023 General Election. Majority of Nigerian did not like him. In short, he was the rejected ticket. This evidences why his rather out of the blues win, was welcomed with National sadness. It was as though Oizys[8] havered in the skies.
But
there are something worthy to note, about the Asiwaju, and probably learn. He
is a strategic visioner. It is an undeniable fact, that he mastermind the
course for the victory of - ‘the General’- APC in 2019. His intents was simple,
to make him king, to become king. This strategy was what he basked on, when he
counts how the number of persons, he made kings at various times in the past,
and thus, it is his time to be rewarded with kingship.
Some might argue that, he was able to achieve this, because he is wealthy. Well, having wealth and being strategic are different things. One can have wealth, but is not strategic. One can be strategic, but not wealthy. Yet, he has both. Wealth and Strategy. The wealth supplements the strategy.
Second to this is, he has a track record of making loyalist out of men. He sorts for the intelligent people around him, empower them, push them and sponsor them to the top, even as he rise himself. These men will in-turn become loyal to him. He is a strategic leader, who knows how to maximise the power, in the use of men. This is because, he had lifted men in the past, who returns to be loyal to him.
Finally, one more thing is salient about the Asiwaju, I will not fail to point out.
That is the “Emi Lokan” mandate.
The Asiwaju believed it is his turn to be crown king, and on this mandate he stood. There was nothing anyone on earth could have said, that could stop him from achieving ‘emi lokan’.
That
he is too old, his answer was ‘emi lokan’. That he is not mentally fit, his
answer was ‘emi lokan’. That he is not physically fit, his answer was ‘emi
lokan’. That he will lose, his answer was ‘emi lokan’. That he has not
credibility before the Nigerian masses, his answer remains, ‘emi lokan’
‘Emi lokan’ It is my turn. I have paid my dues. I have played my part, now it is my turn. This alone was his push. He so believed in taking his turn that whatever anyone says, does not matter. He was unapologetic in taking his turn. He didn’t back. This is Legendary.
When
he says, ‘Emi lokan’. It is his right. It is his turn. He has programed the
present, right from the past. However, just however, the ‘Emi Lokan’ came at
the wrong time in history. It came at a time, when Nigerians are tired.
Sadly for him, Nigeria is too big to be a person’s personal ambition. Nigerians had curved out a new messiah, thus questioning the validity of the Asiwaju’s turn.
The End.
Comment your thoughts below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prince Ezeabata Chibuzor is a writer. He is currently a student of Law, at the University of Abuja.
Connect
with him on twitter, Instagram via @prince_ezeabata and facebook.
[1] A Greek god of sea (water)
[2] Ref: Source : https://bolatinubuelibrary.com/about/
[3] Bola Ahmed Tinubu: From Drug Lord To Presidential Candidate: From Gary, Indiana to Abuja, Nigeria via a stopover in Chicago. Here is how the bagman for a 1990's Chicago drug ring has become a frontrunner for Nigeria's most powerful office. And then some.https://westafricaweekly.substack.com/p/bola-ahmed-tinubu-from-drug-lord
[4] https://saharareporters.com/2008/09/15/how-us-federal-agents-succesfully-linked-bola-tinubu-drug-trafficking-ring-chicago
[5] https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/2023-tinubus-false-age-educational-qualification-accusations-unjustifiable-lagos-apc-chieftains/
[6] Statement made in a meeting with twelve All Progressives Congress (APC) governors at the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja on April 11, 2022.
[7] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/523220-tinubu-speaks-on-osinbajos-declaration-says-vp-not-his-son.html?tztc=1
[8] A Greek goddess of grief, sadness and depression.
3 Comments
I enjoyed reading through this. I didn't know this much about the man called Asiwaju.
ReplyDeleteMore ink to your own.
This is a nice piece .
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting! I like it when writers research deeply before doing their job as done here. This came in handy.
ReplyDelete