CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO ASIWAJU, THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.

The Presidential election of Saturday 25th February, 2023 has been concluded and a winner has emerged. Lessons have been learnt, there have been losers and winners and therefore narratives have changed respectively. In the real sense, I don't believe anyone lost. Africans, particularly Nigerians must learn patriotism and greater Nation building beyond personal interests.

In a bid not to offend my OBIdients and ATIKUlate folks, I chose to restain myself of further ventilating my opinion on social media spaces. I almost wanted to evade my responsibility and right to celebrate a BAT victory that I am part of but I was fuelled back into the celebration of this sweet victory with this piece having drawn inspiration from the quote I "stole" from a younger friend- Prince Adebola's- status Notwithstanding, writing this is not my birthright, not my means of livelihood nor an attention seeking voyage. Those close to me are very aware of how much I hate courting attention and detest clout chasing; hence my sporadic and cameo appearances in social media and spaces.

Allow me digress a little, on the election day, I met Adebola through one of my mentee, Joshua Taiwo for the first time and we discussed intensively and extensively on issues concerning our government and democracy. I was moved by his submissions and his passion for a greater Nigeria. Indeed, I am convinced that all hope is not lost and can truly be RENEWED. In fact this is a guy who is not going to vote for BAT but he spoke critically on issue without discountenancing other people's candidate nor their promoters. There and then, I realized that we still have youths like myself that can help Nigeria achieve greatness without revolutions and protests. Process and procedures are the ingredients.

We had to abort our conversation, to enable us perform our primary responsibility on the voting ground- accreditation and voting. The young man was noble enough to ask for my phone number, I gave him without hesitation and our whatsapp communication started therefrom. On his whatsapp status this morning, I saw this quote "those (whose picture is) meant to be hanged will not be drowned. Oh! It appears to me like a befitting summary or theme of the entire journey of the Tinubu Presidency. Having won the just concluded presidential poll, Tinubu's portrait is destined to grace the walls of offices, homes and events. This is a man that was never deterred nor drowned by what the naysayers and prophet of dooms have said.

Back to my track, political permutations and analyzes have been trickling in left, right and center over the last few years especially post 2019 after the return of President Muhammad Buhari for second term. There were invasions, decimation and balkanization of the progressive camp and structure by attention seeking political analysts, political jobbers, media houses and even overzealous government agencies and officials. In this periods, Asiwaju, a sage, a democrat and political war lord like many before him, lost many fights but never lost sight of the bigger battles nor the ultimate victory- The Presidency. He had stoked his firepower and raging ahead to possess the crown. In his quest, he lose several of his lieutenants. Notably, the loss of his closest ally and the biggest beneficiary of his political proficiency, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola seem like a huge blow to his ambition. The rivalry between him and his political protégé and sitting Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo as to who deserve to bear the flag as APC presidential candidate has since set the duo apart. These and many others like former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the APC chieftains of Southeast constituency barring some few who have been proven to be right by the Tinubu candidature and ascension.

Jagaban, a man of many paths and parts, according to H. E Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, in one of his interviews on TVC, he reckoned that while Tinubu's last electoral outing was in 2003 when he seeked reelection for his second term as Governor of (our own) Lagos, hitherto, he neither took appointments nor vied for public office but has been contributing tirelessly and relentlessly to democratic causes within and across his political divides deploying men, mental, materials and monetary resources. Notably, in January 2006, Asiwaju supported H. E Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja- former governor of Oyo state- against the jugular-clip of Obasanjo and his PDP vultures in Oyo. It was a long battle. Ladoja was reinstated in December of the same year after a protracted legal process.

Also, Asiwaju was present and pivotal in the reinstatement of H. E. Olusegun Abdulrahaman Mimiko's mandate. Mimiko had won the keenly contested poll. But, influenced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced Late Olusegun Agagu as the winner. Fuelled by the indefatigable sage, Jagaban, Mimiko challenged the outcome of the election in the courts in what turned out to be a two-year legal tussle that ended in him being declared the true winner of the governorship poll by a unanimous decision of the Tribunal Court, and the Court of Appeal in 2009. Justice Ayo Salami did that magic!

In short, history and politics students like me have lost counts of Asiwaju's political sagacity. If you are still not moved, ask Adams Aliyu Oshiomole, Babatunde Fashola, Yemi Osinbajo even his biggest rival Atiku Abubakar was saved from Obasanjo's bulldozing fist in 2007 during the twilight of their administration. BAT's inexplicable generosity is beyond political affiliations.

In my last piece, I mentioned that Asiwaju is no saint nor spirit, therefore he is not flawless. However, I am convinced that he is head and shoulders above his contemporaries. His doggedness, sagacity, tenacity, eye-for-talents and strategic generosity are gifts that I believe are working in his favour. I have predicted his presidency 10years ago (just like Late Chuba Okadigbo did before his demise)- The reason why I named my son (Akanbi- omo olodo ide) after him.

On this note, I thank God for his life and victory. I join all well meaning Nigerians to congratulate the president-elect, His Exellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Chuba Adekunle Akanbi omo olodo ide Tinubu (Jagaban of BORGU). It is with hope that I pray that his presidency brings the prosperity and better nation that all Nigerians desire and deserve.
I also use this medium to admonish and beseech those on the other side to heal quickly, learn to accept the Tinubu Presidency and how to hang his portraits in their homes and offices.

NIGERIANS and NIGERIA shall be great. Together we shall defeat all enemies of this great Nation and win the "colonization-by-proxy battle"

Congratulations to the Newly elected president and Congratulations to all Nigerians worldover. It is a break away from our milito-democracy as this is the first time a thorough bred democrat free of any military affiliation or background will be our president...... E lo fo Kan bale! ( keep calm)

ADETOYE ADETOYE KAREEM....
is the Convener Concerned Nigerians for Good Governance (CNGG)
Lagos, Nigeria
01/03/2023

See this nonentity o. Who cares what you think? And who do you think has time to read this rambling gibberish?!

This thread is not for the pained. It's for those who are in sync with the reality on ground. BAT is the president-elect and you have to deal with that. Take care of yourself bro.