The Very New Private Lifestyle of Tunde Fowler

The life and times of a man are never up for debate or discussion until there is some stagnation. For Babatunde Fowler, the former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), discussions continue to blossom regarding his present status. But nothing has changed about him for a while as he maintains his new lease of private existence.

Fowler is indeed an exceptional individual. Since December 2019 when he was unceremoniously booted out of office, he has kept a low profile, striving to be unbothered by anything and everything happening around him. It has worked, for the most part, except that media houses continue to circulate his name.

For those who remember the days of his peak, Fowler was a very warm figure, entertaining his high-ranking friends and being very generous. At that time, he was believed to have the backing of the former vice president of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, as well as the current president of Nigeria, Bola  Tinubu. Thus, nobody thought he would leave the juicy position of FIRS Big Man.

But Muhammadu Buhari, the immediate past president of Nigeria, requested that he vacate the FIRS number one seat, giving way to the emergence of Muhammad Nami. Since that time, Fowler’s name disappeared from the public scene, only appearing in 2021 when it was reported that he had been appointed to the eight-member board of the Pan-African Oversight Committee, a branch of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) of the African Union (AU).

The last time his name appeared in the federal limelight, it was rumoured that Fowler would collaborate with his FIRS’ successor, Nami, to present a book on taxation, “Understanding Nigerian Taxation” to the general public. Nothing has been heard from the man since that time, leading many to believe that he is resting from the public eye and would prefer to be forgotten.

 Nevertheless, it is apparent to all that the taxman has mastered the art of living a private life.