As electorate in Nigeria go to poll to elect another set of leaders who would drive the destiny of over two hundred million heads for the next four years, I think it is the best thing this time; to review the political trajectory of the country, the angles that different lines are forming, the bearing, and the shapes we want things to take after our long complains and wailings.
As a human inseparable from the Nigerian geographical and political space, all my life, body, soul ( conscious and unconscious ) have always wanted a country that is safe, secured, prosperous, buoyant, lovely environment and filled with a happy people, but the very facts and figures that both the young and the old discuss daily weakens the bones of any thinking cap.
It is not finish for Nigeria though, yes we have very complex challenges and woven grievances, as a result of our inability to melt our diversity in ethnicity, religions, regional, political ideologies among other roots of division into a pot of concoction for the healing of our nation, but thanks to fate and the most high God for building a physician to heal the land at this time, perhaps for the sake of over 140 million citizens under the age 35 who want a happy present and future, and some of us above that age who will never lose hope in the country.
Saturday 25th of February presidential election is really different in that facts are speaking and pointing the truth to all of us. And every patriotic Nigerian would not want trade meritocracy for mediocrity or bow for sentiments, propaganda and spin against the good and the coming happiness.
How do we rescue ourselves from the myriads of problems and confusion bedeviling the marching forward, stepping up and reclaiming the place of pride in the African continent, Nigeria is absolutely ill in all the seven areas identified for peace and security by the United Nation Development Program UNDP. What do we say of our health system; the brain drain, facilities, remuneration, industrial actions, avoidable death and among touching stories. In our politics, can we boast of equitable distribution of resources?
What are our actions and the plans for climate and sustainable environment? What rigor are we putting in our economic plans, what is our narratives concerning education? Is our society now free from heinous crime; the kidnapping and militancy or call it terrorism?
Does Nigeria fair better? One can begin to ask questions non-stop as one continues to think about Nigeria. But we have a renewed hope.
The Renewed Hope for Nigeria is in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who had learnt the rules of the game but differently for all his life, a leader who against all odds, fought and stood for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.
Let me restrict my points to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the Nigeria’s third republic and downward. His two terms as Governor of Lagos state were marked with leadership, entrepreneurship and management skills coupled with the efforts to modernize the city; environment wise, technologically, industrially, infrastructural, economically and politically, as well as showing to the government of the nation how to unite people.
Tinubu was completely detribalized, forming a political team and cabinet comprising of citizens across the 36 states of the country, building them for leadership and sending them back to their native states to replicate development.
Tinubu created a niche with Lagos, had a litmus test with the city, validating and revalidating progressiveness in the southwest part of the country. No doubt as a researcher, he is determined to generalize the development of Nigeria in all sectors.
Most times, I am not comfortable when people equate Asiwaju with a gem. No! More than that! Tinubu is a special breed that has been prepared by God to rescue this nation. What do you need find in any good leader? The answers to be expected would be; Sacrifice Selflessness, Patriotism, Diligence, Attentiveness and Respect for other people’s opinion, forgiveness, team player, intelligence, as well as building others for responsibility among others.
Do you find any of these in Asiwaju? ( your answer) then, the coming election would be a big win for Nigeria. He is a man of an uncommon brain and high cerebra capacity. God himself has assured and Tinubu has reaffirmed, ‘E LO FOKAN BALE’ let us rest our minds in confidence but we must not relax. It is not finish until it is finish. Let every lover of good thing, a true Nigerian who wants a good present and better future for himself and herself as well as his/her generation canvass, vote and protect the vote of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Saturday.
As a people, we have suffered long enough in the hands of leadership problem and I am sure that among other things, BAT would be able to fashion a leadership path for Nigeria as evident in Lagos. We are at the very point where we are to decide our happiness again; we cannot afford to fall into another era of political regrets.
As we do this, let us also not forget that birds of a feather flock together, let us not raise our fence and at the same time mount a ladder on the wall.
Just like the Ekiti state Governor HE Biodun Oyebanji has always implore, Fine Asiwaju understands politics and governance, but he cannot do it all alone, he is a team player and must carry everybody along, the onus lie on us to vote people who would make the administration easy. Let us vote all the candidates of APC in the Governorship and National Assemblies elections to create a progressive path for Nigeria.
We must not fight, because there are many gimmicks employed by some cohorts to ensure that our mandates are truncated. We cannot allow that, we must be strategic and smart in rescuing our lives and our dear country Nigeria, by this we would all I a country we will be proud of and walk the path to actual development.
The writer Dr. Mrs. Mojisola Yaya Kolade, an entrepreneur, grass root politician, former commissioner for Health Ekiti state during the Covid-19, is currently a Federal Commissioner in the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. She is a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Southwest Contact and Mobilization. She is the Director General Tinubu Titans in Nigeria. She writes from Oye-Ekiti Ekiti State Nigeria.
cmkolade@gmail.com.