By ALFRED OMOLEWA

ASIWAJU Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergence as a leader of his people and a political powerhouse in Nigeria is not by accident. In Yorubaland, historically, leaders outside the monarchy are not chosen; they emerge.

Bola Tinubu, ACN National Leader

Those who are called ‘Akikanju’ are those who have weathered storms, fought valiantly and emerged victorious. The Yorubas love their folktales and rally round their heroes. They defer to the man who shows wisdom, strength and compassion in the proper measure. In the past 15 years of our democracy, no man has done this more expertly, consistently and with diligence than Bola Tinubu.

It is said that dreams come true. However, one must ask what audacity Tinubu had to dream that one day he would return home and lead his people after the military junta under the vicious and manic Abacha hounded him into exile. No man with his faculties intact would insist that Nigeria would return to democracy given the tyranny in the land at the time. However, Tinubu is no ordinary man.

This man was born with the foresight and restlessness never before seen. His desire for progress consumes him so much; he is ready to sacrifice anything to see a dream come true. Unlike most politicians, his word is his bond. When he says, “I will do it,” his friends and associates know it is as good as done. Such is the character that made him the rallying point of most of the progressives who were exiled in the Abacha era. They knew in Tinubu, they would find succour, wisdom and hope. He never failed them.

Upon his return home, after fate made the possibility of democracy likely, he set out to lead the state he loved so much. Against the run of play and powerful people who seemingly had better political structures and money, he won the ticket to contest the Lagos State Gubernatorial elections in 1999. This was a time when most of those with whom he hurdled with back in London chose to not participate in the democratic process. They were suspicious of the brand of democracy that was on offer.

Loyalty of everyone
However, Tinubu jumped at the chance. He had a plan. He was going to be a different governor. He was determined to teach the other 35 governors and the president how power could be used for good. The sinkholes within the ill-conceived constitution and the fragility of the country at the time were not going to deter him. He had a plan from Day One. And, boy, did he deliver on it!

First, Tinubu understood he couldn’t get anything done on his own; hence he went on to secure the loyalty of everyone around him. A story is told of how he was tempted to ask his friends to let go of their tickets, just so he would be allowed a free run at his own election. Tinubu was said to have told the gathering of elders that that would be the last thing he would do.

He told them, ‘I would rather let go of my ticket than have people who sweated for their ticket go because of me.’ I believe this singular act won him the admiration, respect and loyalty of those we see around him today. They know in Tinubu they have a friend and a General who won’t fail them. They trust him and he trusts them. Very unlike a lot of politicians I know.

Secondly, after winning the elections, Tinubu quickly surrounded himself with the most competence group of men and women he could find. He reached out across the political divide to get the best hands to work with him. He even raided the private sector to get seasoned professionals for the great task of turning around the fortunes of Lagos.

It didn’t matter to him that these guys probably didn’t like him; it only mattered that they could do the job. Their tribes, beliefs or political leanings were on little concern to him; only their competence and ability. He had in his cabinet the most outstanding individuals any political leader in the country had. Even the president would have been envious. That is how you know a man with a plan.

Thirdly, Tinubu took a firsthand assessment of the quandaries that had befallen his beloved city. Lagos was a disaster. It was a city dying from every ailment. Security was a joke, traffic was a monster, justice was for hire and the environment was toxic. The civil service was broken down and thugs ruled the streets. On top of these, the population was ballooning at an alarming rate.

An ordinary man would have given up and simply chosen to enjoy the guaranteed largesse Abuja was legally-bound to send in every month. But, again, Tinubu is no ordinary man. The zest with which he and his team swung into action is legendary.

In less than four years, the judiciary was almost corruption-free (this charge was led by the luminary brilliance that is Yemi Oshibajo), security was vastly improved (even though the law makes this a federal government responsibility), the civil service was computerized and recovering (despite the stiff opposition initially) and traffic congestion was being tackled (using a blend of human resources and modern techniques).

To be concluded