A Special Tribute To Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu At 65 By Adeboye Adebayo

After listening to the speech read by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the 9TH Bola Tinubu Colloquium to commemorate his 65th birthday celebration, I read the soft copy, over and over again and I discovered that Tinubu is an uncommon gem.

He offered candid advice to the government at all levels on the need to be radical in our approach if truly we want to get things right as a country.

Baba sighted the examples of England, United States and China who took different radical decisions at one point or the other of their lives, though the decisions were painful at the time they were taken but many generations behind have enjoyed the fruits of that decisions and many generations ahead will continue to enjoy it.

It is left for the people in power to take such advice and act on it accordingly for posterity. The best Baba can do is to offer an advice which he has done, he is not in government for implementation but he has said “Government needs thinkers and doers” Baba has thought deeply for the government, he offered his advice and the ball is in their court; people in government to be doers of the noble thoughts, may God help us all.

However I ruminated throughout the night on how best to describe this great mind called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu but I couldn’t garner enough thoughts to come out with the exact words to describe him.

All I know is that Tinubu is an enigma of no class, a rare breed of an uncommon gem. Baba has touched more than many lives, he has fought and won many battles of life, he has conquered in all fronts. He is a source of inspiration and happiness to numerous people.

Out of his selfless leadership trait, he has discovered numerous talents, he has trained too many people, and he has indeed assisted a lot of men and women to fulfill their destinies in life. He became Lagos State Governor in 1999, those who served in his government then are now Acting President, Governors, Ministers, Senators, Reps, Special Advisers and Assistants at the Presidency and at other various levels.

Many who came in contact with him are now head of great businesses, Chairman of many companies, CEO of many enterprises, private business owners home and abroad, Baba has helped and encourages too many people to conquer poverty.

Despite the political quagmire that ravaged the inception of the current republic, Baba was able to take solid and patriotic stand and that solid stand made him to refuse vehemently to sell the franchise of AD,AC,ACN to the former ruling party PDP, when other political parties were struggling for crumbles of bread beneath the table of the PDP then, Baba refused bluntly all alone with God’s help to sell the progressive fold then.

That refusal today paved way for the formation of All Progressives Congress; APC which is now in government at the centre, a dream of many decades. Baba’s personal commitments & sacrifice in all of these cannot be over emphasized; Baba is indeed a great man.

In my rumination, I discovered that Baba’s actions create inspiring legacies for others, his leadership style is not about himself but about followers and generations ahead. Rather than creating an Island around himself, Baba made himself a rallying point. Baba demonstrates an uncommon trait that it is more honourable to be respected than to be feared.

I pray Almighty God to please in his great mercy to continue to be with you, guide you, protect you, gives you more wisdom and strength, bless you with good health and sound mind so that you will continue to do more of good deeds on earth.

On behalf of my humble self, my family, my well-wishers, my campaign organisation, my party; APC leaders in Orile Agege LCDA, the community leaders, the traditional council and the entire good people of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, I say Happy Birthday Sir.

Please Baba, accept my sincere & humble but hearty best wishes sir today and always.

Adeboye Adebayo

Adeboye Adebayo is a Chairmanship aspirant for Orile Agege Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.