TINUBU: THE FULCRUM BETWEEN FAME AND FORTUNE
By Bala Ibrahim
The state of being widely known or recognized is generally accepted as the simple meaning of fame. When that recognition jumps to being talked about by many people, on account of notable actions, good or bad, fame can take the fashionable feature of fortune. People can be famous for desirable reasons, while others can achieve fame for reasons that run in the reverse. In the politics of Nigeria, particularly the politics that have bearings with emancipation,Tinubu has made name long before he became President. And that’s why his name resonates, any time the topic of the talk touches on things like subjugation or domination.
For some times, despite the much talked about Federal character principle of fairness and equity, Nigeria was operating on a system that was set on imbalance, to the advantage of some people only. But because those people and their cronies, were the ones enjoying, no one was ready to fault the arrangement. The beneficiaries were fortunate and those doing it were in fame.
Despite their knowledge, of the fact that the Federal Character Commission was in existence, and established by law, to implement and enforce the Federal Character Principle in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units of the country, the disadvantaged, kept their trust in divine providence only. They were left out partially. Those who were clapping before, are now the ones that are crying. That is the effect of change.
In an address at the Assembly Hall of Paulskirche, in Frankfurt, June 25, 1963, former American President John F. Kennedy said: “Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past and present, are certain to miss the future”.
When the going was good for those that were benefitting from the imbalanced arrangement, that was skewed in their favour, they didn’t see anything wrong with it. They refused to anticipate change. And now, change has come. The present is changing the past, to the advantage of those at present, and the disadvantage of the beneficiaries of the past.
There is a popular quote, I don’t know the author or it’s origin, but it says, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”. When the going was good for those that were benefitting from the imbalanced arrangement that was skewed in their favour, they were not ready to reckon with the coming of change. They were saying things. They were doing things. Most of which were making some people to feel bad. And now with the coming of change, the people that were feeling bad, would never forget how they were made to feel that bad.
An anger is now directed, wrongly directed at the President. Yes, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is being accused, as a clannish leader, that has no time for people outside his tribe. Every time I hear that, I simply submit to the sentiment of the person advancing the argument. But in my mind, I say, who started it? Your people started it. Those who are crying now, were the ones clapping yesterday. Tinubu is making a fortune from the fame of correcting a contortion. He is the fulcrum between fame and fortune. And there is no basis for blaming him.
The practice of giving jobs and appointments to relatives, friends, or associates, by those in power, has long been made a standard in Nigeria. They call it nepotism. Everyone, I repeat everyone, had done it. So why are we crying against President Tinubu, simply because he said, “Emi lokan”, which in his native yoruba means, it’s my turn?. Why?
Prior to the Presidential primaries of his party, the APC, after noticing the body language of the players at the time, Tinubu was intuitively informed, that there was a scheme to edge him out. After helping in strengthening and giving the party a national outlook, as well as assisting the then sitting President, former President Muhammadu Buhari, to clinch the ticket and eventually the seat, it is only natural that Tinubu would eye the position with a serious sense of entitlement. More so, because he had said, times without number, that the Presidency is his life long ambition.
Shortly after he stepped aside, pursuant to the lingering June 12 crisis in 1993, I had the privilege of interviewing IBB in his hilltop residence, Minna. Anyone who knows IBB would be familiar with the word, nepotism. He loves helping his people. I said sir, why did you spend so much time and committed a lot of the country’s resources, in developing Minna, your home town? He said, off the mic and let’s talk. And we spoke at length, where he explained to me his reasons. They all bordered on his long time plan to come back home, after retirement. He said, if you don’t do it for your people, they would reject you when you return. For that, everyone I was posting to Niger state as military governor, or administrator, I gave him a compulsory mandate-to develop Minna with special bias. I gave same to the ministers, especially the ministers of Health and Communication. Today, Minna has the best orthopaedic hospital in Nigeria, and the best telecommunication system, the 066, facing the Atlantic directly. As of today, Minna has the best drainage system, an airport, a depot for the NNPC, etc.
That’s the benefit the people get, when there own is in charge. And that’s the kind of fortune Tinubu wants to reap, from the fame of correcting a contortion. He simply wants to be the fulcrum between fame and fortune. And I see nothing wrong with that. Those who refused to help their people, would have them to contend with, when the journey is over.
TINUBU: THE FULCRUM BETWEEN FAME AND FORTUNE