Tinubu: A Potentate @ 69 Or 79?

Recently the former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marked his 69th birthday with pomp and pageantry. From Kaduna to Kano Tinubu was celebrated by political friends and well-wishers. Back home in Lagos, his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, a Senator of the Federal Republic, ensured that guests at Bourdillon were taken good care of. Tinubu remains an enigma, a potentate in politics Nigeriana. Given his political ingenuity and godfatherism he has succeeded in becoming a colossus in Lagos politics, one without whom any guber ambition is dashed.

The Asiwaju of Lagos and the Jagaban of Borgu, by dint of hard work, had worked his way to the top of local and national politics earning whatever vilifications or condemnations or commendations that come his way. His political sagacity has paid off handsomely in Lagos and elsewhere where his tentacles are spread across the federation. Like him or loathe him Tinubu knows the game and plays it professionally.

READ ALSO: I canvassed engagement of 50,000 youths not 50 million into Nigerian armed forces – Tinubu

But in his political career spanning decades he has courted controversy as same has come his way involuntarily. When you are in the eye of the storm everything could be thrown at you. Yet your ability or capacity to stay standing (staying power) could be said to be the barometer with which your success or failure is measured in the long run. Tinubu has paid his dues and no one can begrudge him for the publicity, negative or positive, that trails him whenever he intervenes on any issue of national importance.

At the 12th Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Colloquium held in Kano to mark his 69th birthday some sycophants had used the occasion to sing his praise to high heavens. And hisadversaries used same to splash mud on him. While many eminent personalities including the President (presently in London on medical tourism) had commended his forthrightness and leadership qualities others had sought to paint him black adducing minuses in his political trajectory.

By Ozodinukwe Okenwa…

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