WHY NIGERIA NEEDS ASIWAJU
Bola Tinubu has what it takes to fix the country’s problems, contends Opeyemi Oguntoye
Undoubtedly, some of the slang expressions that were popular in the ’80s and ’90s were as a result of the atrocities committed by various evil agents in Lagos State. Most of us heard about them from our relatives who reside in the state or from popular musical record. Examples of such are phrases like “Eko o gba gbere, Ma lo nagere, etc.,” which invariably means that you must be smart to live in Lagos as various agents are ready to swindle, rob and physically assault you. The acts of unknown agents writing to residents in order to inform them of their intention to rob, and such being carried out without any resistance by security agencies was so rampant at a time as well. It was so bad that children were not allowed to leave the house without any helper.
However, immediately Asiwaju took the oath of office in 1999, one of his assignments was to deal with the issue of insecurity in the state. In July 1999, he addressed the state and announced the formation of the new security outfit called Rapid Response Squad (RRS). If we are to be sincere, that has been the best security unit created out of the Nigeria Police Force. Asiwaju knew that the police are the best bet to handle all sorts of insecurity in the state but they are poorly funded, so he decided to hold the bull by the horns and step into action. Lest we forget, the demands of the Pro EndSARS, were centered on these same issues which were already addressed by a man who could see the dangers inherent in the failure to tackle those issues. Wouldn’t it be fair and better to have a man like Asiwaju, blessed with the right mindset and understanding of the practical issues facing the security apparatus in the nation to handle the security issues in the country? We had testimonies of how RRS politely addressed citizens, fixed people’s vehicles, protected lives and properties, etc. If we want to believe in our security agencies again, we should rally our support behind the aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed.
In 2016, American Abbey D’Agostino and New Zealander Nikki Hamblin won a special Olympic commendation for their sportsmanship at the 2016 Rio Games. Hamblin tripped in a 5,000-metre heat and brought D’Agostino down with her, the American helped her competitor to her feet. Later on in the race, D’Agostino fell again as a result of her twisted leg, but Hamblin stayed by her side until the finish line. There were so many athletes on the track that day but the world focused on only the two of them because of the act displayed to the world, kindness and true sportsmanship. Hamblin could have continued her race that day and left D’Agostino behind, she stayed and helped her. Not once but twice till they finished the race.
Former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko will always remember the battle to help the people of his state. His quest to ensure that the true democracy we have today wasn’t lost, that the education sector, health sector be fixed and that there is a reduction in the rate of unemployment wouldn’t have been successful without the help of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed. Without a doubt, he won the election held in 2007, but as a result of corruption and some forms of electoral manipulation, his opponent, Olusegun Agagu was declared the Governor. With the assistance of Asiwaju however, he was able to retrieve his mandate through the judiciary just like Adams Oshiomole and Rauf Aregbesola. This was corroborated by one of the speeches delivered by the Vice President Yemi Osibanjo at Asiwaju’s colloquium. Asiwaju Tinubu is someone who believes in true justice (this school of thought has made millions to continue to follow him to date).
In one of the twitter spaces organized by Asiwaju’s support groups, a Nigerian living in Canada narrated how he was saved from going blind by the initiative (JIGIBOLA) of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed. He was a young boy who had an issue with one of his eyes, and his parent took him to the state hospital. According to him, from the registration till the operation was carried out, he didn’t pay a dime. Even in the second year, when he was preparing for his examination (WAEC) and his second eye went bad as well. Surprisingly, we called him a tripled favored man because he also enjoyed the free WAEC that was equally initiated and paid for by the Asiwaju-led government and finally, got a job with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) which was also established during Asiwaju’s first tenure.
In a country like ours, we need people who have good foresight, who would naturally create opportunities for Nigerians, in the health sector, education, security, and economy. Most of the initiatives that were initiated in Lagos are being replicated in other states today and this is what makes Lagos the capital city of Nigeria in terms of economy and physical transformation. So, if we don’t want to be known only as the giant of Africa but seen through our progressive development, we need to adopt the vision of a man like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed. By so doing, not only will other African countries copy our developmental template, the rest of the world will envy our giant transformation.
Reuben Abati in an interview with Mr. Chude Jideonwo, made mention of how people who would ordinarily queue to see former President Jonathan, abandoned and snubbed him on the day he lost the election. This has made it more obvious that the funfair of power should never be used to judge the true love for an individual. In the real sense of it, Asiwaju is the only leader in this country who still has numerous well-wishers trooping into his house despite not holding any political position in the last 15 years. It shows that beyond being in power, there are unique attributes that make millions continue to admire Asiwaju Tinubu. Tinubu’s sense of wisdom is among the many attributes that people admire, coupled with his prowess in dealing with political solutions and leadership tussle.
