It is easy for someone like Bola Ahmed Tinubu to attract the kind of envy that precipitates hatred. This is a man in absolute control of Africa’s 7th largest economy. After becoming governor of Lagos State, Tinubu started a process that has now made him one of the most powerful men in Africa. I am surprised that he has not made the Time 100 list. Tinubu’s political acumen and dexterity are legendary in Nigerian standards. His grip of all that happens in Lagos would make a great Nollywood movie that will be successful on Netflix. Such is the accomplishment of this man who decides and controls all political and even non-political appointees in Lagos. The is no Nigerian that presently holds his kind of state or regional control. Even the President of Nigeria, Buhari, cannot boast of the kind of loyalty Tinubu enjoys. But who is Bola Tinunbu? Tinubu’s parentage is shrouded in a translucent covering that originated in Osun State. He attended St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, and Children’s Home School in Ibadan. Tinubu went to the United States in 1975, where he studied first at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, and at Chicago State University. He graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s in accounting. Tinubu worked for Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, Haskins, & Sells, and GTE Services Corporation. After returning to Nigeria in 1983, Bola Tinubu was employed by Mobil Oil Nigeria, where he later became an executive of the company.

In April 2007, after the elections but before Babatunde Fashola his successor as Lagos State governor had taken office, the Federal Government brought Tinubu before the Code of Conduct Bureau for trial over the alleged illegal operation of 16 separate foreign accounts. In January 2009, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission cleared Tinubu and governors James Ibori of Delta State and Obong Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State of charges of conspiracy, money laundering, abuse of office, and official corruption in relation to a sale of V-mobile network shares in 2004. It has been alleged severally that Tinubu and Ibori are benevolent beneficiaries of Sani Abacha’s loots that continue to make headlines to date. The African Independent Television (AIT) documentary – The Lion of Bourdillon aired in 2014 showed Tinubu’s sting operations on the revenue of Lagosians. Tinubu’s accounting prowess is put to great utility whereby everyone who has ever stayed in Lagos in the last 20 years has paid some financial tribute to the Asiwaju who is indeed the real Oba of Lagos.

All these “accomplishments” are enough to either solicit reverence, love, or hate. So, its no wonder that there was jubilation in Kano, Benin, and other places in Nigeria when Tinubu’s candidate – Pastor Ize-Iyamu lost the Edo State gubernatorial election. Tinubu and his supporters have alluded to the fact that their loss is a product of a gang up targeting his ambition to become the president of Nigeria via the 2023 election. The question to ask is Tinubu qualified to rule Nigeria with reference to education and experience? The answer is yes. Then why are many Nigerians opposed to him becoming president? I believe Nigerians are opposed because of Tinubu’s antecedents. Many of Tinubu’s supporters cite how he has empowered his mentees like Lai Mohammed, Babatunde Raji Fashola, and Yemi Osinbajo to greater offices. To many, these 3 became infamous and corrupt in their ways after encountering and learning the ways of Tinubu. Also, Tinubu’s usurping of the commonwealth of Lagos State is another reason to worry. Strongmen like Tinubu has always been the greatest undoing of African nations. They hold so much promise like Mugabe did, but end up trying to create a dynasty in the process destroying democratic structures that brought them into power. Lagos could easily become a city-state like Singapore but there are doubts among his haters and even lovers because of the content of his character that has left no reasonable person in doubt in the last decades about his dynastic tendencies.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com