By CHRIS ONUOHA

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been given all sorts of names, but one thing that remains sacrosanct is that he is a man of many colours with fascinating feats credited to his transitory journey from childhood to the current time.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an institution full of intrigues and complexities and that was what inspired this concise x-ray into his life, achievements and political journey by Taiwo Ogundipe, a veteran journalist and author of yet another incisive book, The Hurricane, a biography of Gen. Murtala Muhammed.

Pathfinder is a detailed well researched biography of the early years and education of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his professional career as an accountant, his political activities and two term tenure as Governor of Lagos State. The book which is published by Top Seal communication will be launched this month March to coincide with Asiwaju’s birthday.

According to the author, “He is somebody I found fascinating right from his very early and active period in politics. Interestingly, he is one man noted to have struggled with the Abacha regime during the June 12 saga, coupled with intimate and very insightful information about his efforts and struggles and the affliction he faced during that period.”

Ogundipe said, he wrote the book to highlight the essential Tinubu, document his struggles and accomplishments and show the value of his political wizardry especially in the context of nation building, believing the work will enhance the study of Nigeria democracy by researches who will be interested in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

In the book, the author narrates about Tinubu’s journey to the seat of Governor at Alausa Ikeja, all the intrigues that saw him winning the election and as well as some of his ground breaking records, programmes and policies he instituted during his stay as a governor. It also provides a useful insight into the background that shaped a political figure that has come to represent progressive politics in Nigeria and a particular relevance at this juncture in the country’s political development, such like his supportive role in financing NADECO.

Ogundipe said, “it is a lucid and engaging ideography that talked about, not only his good qualities and achievements alone but his weakness inclusive. It talked about his significant role in the struggle of building a solid democracy in the country and detailing some dramatic aspects of his life; like the move to escape Gen. Abacha’s assassination attempt, the controversies that surround his academic certificate and the sour relationship between him and his former deputy governor and also, the truce about encouraging the street touts known as Area Boys.” He also mentioned that most of the information that is not in the public see is detailed in the book.

The author mentioned that considering that he is still alive, there’s carefulness in details without excessive poetic license in the work.