A Prince need trouble little when the people are well deposed, but when they are hostile and hold him in contempt, he must fear every thing and everybody. Nicholo Marchiavelli.
Sometimes, language has to be stretched to convey the implication of what is said or enabled, this is why I called this essay a friendly fire/letter to Jagaban.
Yours sincerely was there when Tinubu started his incredible and remarkable political odyssey with Dapo Sarumi in the Primrose group in 1991,now thirty years later Tinubu is poised to contest the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Having served as Senator, two-term Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria richest and most cosmopolitan State, thereafter coronated and annoited himself as the indisputable emperor of Lagos and now leaping headlong into contesting as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria..My advise is please Jagaban, Don’t, and this is why.
Physically, Tinubu is exhausted and tired and does not seem to have the energy and stamina for the job ,this is a twenty -four hours work schedule and with our current regrettable experience with Buhari Nigeria will not welcome or tolerate another distance, out of touch ,warn out old man like Buhari, but will prefer a young charismatic, vibrant ,intelligent young man ,all the qualities Jagaban lacks. In my view Tinubu does not have the charisma or carriage expected of a Nigeria President. Though Tinubu has altered and audited his age to be 66 years ,but no man can reverse the work of nature, today all the telltale signs of an exhausted old man cannot be hidden. Tinubu cannot blossom and flourish like he did as Governor between 1999-2007, whether he believes or not the luster and glow is gone, he is now a worn out, tired and exhausted old man and Nigeria,s future need urgently to be reinvented and we have to look beyond Tinubu and his ilks who created our problems in the first place with the kind of politics they play.
Moreover, the Nigeria political environment is a large scheming court and the courtiers/politicians lack chivalry, ethics and love for one another, it is like trying to survive in a shark- infested lake of different colors, seizes and discription, this is because politics is the most lucrative business in town. Presently in that lake Tinubu is seriously disadvantage, he has played the game longest in that shark- infested arena and had whethered many battles and storms. Life is a paradox and there is a Yoruba saying that anyone staying too long in a toilet will attract, invite and be visted by all kinds of flies.Tinubu long stretch as a political gladiator had brought out his character and personality flaws in broad strips for all to see, peruse and judge. His leadership qualities, management style is an open book for all to see more than any other Nigeria politician,and the records are not flirting to and prospective Presidential aspirant. This are some background checks on Jagaban.
Tinubu NADECO heroism tales has been debunked, rather he was a mole for Abacha for whom he was lobbying to make him Deputy Governor of Lagos State while dancing skellewu (apologies to Davido) with NADECO as a pro-democracy activist. Tinubu also betrayed AD Governors because he was privy to PDP plans led by Atiku to rig out South West Governors but already by an uncanny and ingenious devious slight of hands he entered into an unholy alliance to run with Atiku as Vice President in 2007 while in AD ,that was why he was spared Atiku,s rigging machine of PDP in 2003 ,and the main reason Obasanjo resisted Atiku from succeeding him.
On Lagos politics the aboriginal Lagosian are at war with Lagos elders like Kafaru Tinubu, Abibatu Mogaji, Femi Okunnu, Musuliu Smith who sold a lie by swearing under Oat that Bola Tinubu is a bonafide Lagosian when they were to pick between him and Funsho Williams a very reputable and illustrious Lagosian. As I am writing this, Lagosian say Tinubu is from Iragbiji in Osun State and are at war with him reasons he and Oba of Lagos were attacked by Lagos hoodlums during the Endsars riots, in addition the Buhari Fulani cabal also accused Tinubu of fuelling and sponsoring the Endsars crisis and promised to deal with him.
Afenifere endorsed Tinubu and sponsor him under AD to a contest which he won, they have now declared their regret for supporting him as the greatest error they ever made.
APC South West Governors have distanced themselves and their party from Tinubu overbearing power show of handpicking people of his choice.
The Northern APC have thrown out his proxy and hand picked chairman Adams Oshiomole and planning to replace him with anti-Tinubu chairman and Party chief. As the Wiseman point to the moon, the imbecile analyze the fingers. (Chinese Anonymous).
With all this negative baggage and universal opposition Tinubu is insisting on contesting ,and even putting structures in place as a distractive vexation to the Villa in 2021 for an election coming up in 2023.
Tinubu lack of caution made me remember a story by the master story teller Chinua Achebe, of a man after filling his stomach with pounded yam, bush meat and topping it up with fresh palmwine challenged his Chi to a wrestling bout. Jagaban the Nigeria political establishment have laid serial minefield for you and daring you to fire the first shot and enter into a hand to hand combact with them and if you do you will never survive it.The Johnathan type of politicians are rare breed, majority of Nigerian politicians are from Buhari school of politics, who will threaten every one with soaking monkeys and bamboons with blood, iron and tears, and it is only the elections they win that is not rigged and opponent must be beaten down to the dust. Prophets are not necessarily people who can read the future, prophets are people who can read the sign of the times My advise to you is emulate your friend Gbenga Daniel who has resigned from partisan politics and now a statesmen. Late last year when Daniel,s daughter got married every body was there including his sworn enemies, and I bet the man is enjoying a peaceful retirement as a state man. In your own case, Jagaban drop your presidential ambition because you know as well as I do your Alleluia chorus supporters are people willing to suspend reason because they are after your bullion trucks of money, they know you have the largest war- chest for politics and they are scheming to have a share of it.You know as well as I do you cannot win and the people promising you votes are deceiving you and telling you all kind of lies in other to have access to your deep pockets. Please do not believe them.
Jagaban, make peace with your political enemies especially in South West and Yorubaland because every politics is local, stop handpicking people for elections, return whatever money you are alledged to have stolen to Lagos State ,the truth is you do not need all that money to the happy. Give this money back to the Sanwo-Olu to spend on the poor people of Lagos instead of wasting it on a mission impossible, the reality of your Presidential ambition is a Sisyphean plague whether you believe or not and can never be consummated.
This steps suggested here are tactical and strategical maneuvering to earn yourself the title of a respected State man that will usher peace to your life and bring you to reality to know your true friends and associate.
On the contrary, if you insist on pressing ahead, it will be a reminder of the story of the tortoise in one of Aesop allegorical fable, the tortoise woke up one morning carrying a jumbo sized briefcase, the wife asked tortoise where are you going this morning with this briefcase and where are you coming back,? The tortoise replied I am traveling but I do not know when I will come back ,but I will not come back until I am put to shame and disgraced.
By Segun Adeoye
