Tinubu: Power Not Served a La Carte

Ndubuisi Francis and Flourish Arinzechi in Abuja

A former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that power is not given on a platter of gold, arguing that since it is not served a la carte (without struggle), it requires serious hard work to come by.

Tinubu, who is also a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of a book titled ‘Revolution of Accountancy Profession in Nigeria: History of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN)’.

His assertion was an allusion to the uncommon struggle and personal sacrifices made by the author of the book, Olumuyiwa Sosanya in his quest to break the monopoly of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in the regulation of the accountancy profession in Nigeria.

Tinubu noted that Sosanya’s doggedness culminated in the emergence of ANAN in the face of a formidable opposition.

Represented at the book presentation by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi, the former governor congratulated the author for a job well done in documenting the events that culminated in the formation of ANAN.

“Power is not served a la carte. You have to struggle for power,” Tinubu said.

Making reference to the book reviewer, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, he stated that although the emergence of ANAN might be seen as a rivalry, such rivalry was not intended to work against ICAN but to help the accountancy profession develop the much-needed skills for the country.

He noted that by writing the book, the author had laid to rest, any controversy about the origin of ANAN.

In his testimony, one of the members of the House of Representatives, who passed the ANAN Bill, Hon. Sidi Ali, said when the private member bill was presented to the House, what he described as a formidable ‘cabal’ was in place to ensure that it did not see the light of day, and that no other professional body on the accountancy profession was registered to break the ICAN monopoly.

According to him, the existence of ICAN as the only body to regulate the profession then was inhibiting skills development as only a fews accountants were qualified to practise due to the very stringent procedure for qualification.

He disclosed that the national appeal expected of a professional body was lacking in ICAN at that time, pointing out that the first eight presidents of the body were from the same state.

Ali noted that in spite of efforts to forestall the emergence of ANAN, then members of the House were determined to ensure the passage of the bill during the time of a former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.).

In his address, the Managing Director of CSS Bookshops, publishers of the book, Mr. Dare Oluwatoyin, described it as a unique publication, being the first of its kind on accountancy to have been written by a practising accountant.