Bola Ahmed Tinubu: How Nigeria’s Machiavelli Plans to Celebrate His 70th Birthday

These are the days of legend in Nigeria’s political arena. It is also the day of one of the leading political figures of our time, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, nicknamed the Lion of Bourdillon, the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom, Machiavelli, and many other flattering titles. As he prepares to celebrate his 70th birthday in grand style, one is reminded of a lion that is cleaning its paws with its tongue, ready to roar and shake the jungle and scare off every other entity nearby.

There are men and there are men. This is one way to describe the position of Tinubu in the hearts of many. Even before he declared his presidential ambition, observers knew that he would have a say in the 2023 presidential elections. But it was during last year’s colloquium, a yearly event organised to celebrate Tinubu’s birthday, that his ambition was first made public.

During that event in Kano which happened to be the 12th Colloquium, Tinubu played host to the most notable personalities in the country. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was there, and so were Senate President Ahmed Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, state governors, federal ministers, and even the President of Liberia, George Weah.

At the birthday parties of other people, glasses clink and feet dance. At Tinubu’s birthday parties, legacies are passed. Lectures and seminars dominate the day to the extent that some guests forget that they are at a birthday party not a symposium on sustainable growth and development. But that is Tinubu in brief: someone who is always looking forward, looking for ways to make things easier and better.

As things currently are, insiders have reported that Tinubu’s 70th birthday celebration will not pale in comparison with the former ones. Instead, the gathering of dignitaries will possibly exceed what the assigned event centre can carry. Yet, that is just a bit of the weight of the man whose existence is a powerful reminder of the inequality of people and ambitions.