MY ENCOUNTER WITH ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU. IN September1990, I returned back to school for my HND after completing my one year Attachment with NNPC. I met a friend Femi Alabi, Olakunle Nathaniel Olamiju, Kunle Alabi, Kunle Oyetola (Bola Tinubus cousin) and we were all looking for accommodation within the campus. Femi Alabi secured one and shared it with me as his chosen friend. However, Kunle could not secure one, hence squatted with his other friends Kunle Alabi. In 1991, I was offered my accommodation and Kunle Oyetola and Femi Alabi later came and joined me in a more prestigious quarters named COMPLEX. Kunle Oyetola then informed us to support the Senatorial ambition of his uncle, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was his benefactor. We did respond positively by galvanising the whole campus through our popularity and connections within the Yabatech campus. In short, Asiwaju Tinubu won the election as a Senator. Kunle Oyetola then became very loyal to us and invited us to Asiwajus mansion at Balarabe Musa Crescent in Victoria Island where I met Jide, Asiwajus son. Although the circumstances around that time was that Asiwaju was on exile together with Chief Wole Soyinka due to Ex- Head of State, Gen Abachas intent to kill many Afenifere Yoruba group later called NADECO. We were on a one-night stay at Asiwajus place and Kunles girlfriend, Dele, cooked nice dinner for us while we were at the Boys quarters and later, we went and met Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, Asiwajus beautiful and very humble wife. Aunty Remi as we fondly called her, also cooked very nice meal for us in 1993/94 graduation ceremony of Kunle as she came with her black Golf car to dazzle us. Staying even for a night in that compound was very uncomfortable as the Abacha killer squad could strike at anytime. In 1999, Asiwaju returned from exile and he vied for Lagos Governorship slot for AD and I went to his Alausa resident where he used as his campaign location, on invitation by my friend and cousin to Kunle Oyetola (although Kunle was planning to travel out). Eventually, I campaigned for Asiwaju and he won the election as a civilian Governor of Lagos State. Then, I did not have interest in politics because I enjoyed my business status but only got involved in politics by proxy. I did not enjoy the incumbency of Asiwaju because I travelled to Ghana on business trip. I later sojourned to England in controversial circumstances. In 2007, I returned to Nigeria and there was a changeover of Government with a campaign to relinquish power of Lagos to Fashola as a continuation of Asiwaju Bola Tinubus legacy and success of governance. In 2008, I met Asiwaju again during his birthday of which I was invited by one of his aides to his Alausa residence. He was so much loved by many. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a very nice, soft-spoken, generous and accomodating person who values the development of others through educational empowerment of many. He is very caring and loves people to his heart. He is surely Peoples choice of leadership. I continued to enjoy his leadership through his successor Governor Raji Fashola whom I did not meet personally but supported his government behind the scene by setting up a public outcry publications in Lagos in 2008- The Whistleblower which I used tremendously to galvanise the people to governance and bring accountability of government to the foray of leadership. Governor Fashola has truly lived to expectations and will be remembered by many. I hope any government coming next year to take over from Fashola, will continue the developmental process that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has started.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 13:53:25 +0000
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