- By Halimah Olamide & Safiu Kehinde
On the occasion of the 60th birthday of Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a book, Asiwaju: Leadership in Troubled Times was put together. It was a collection of essays on the then former Governor of Lagos state, edited by direct and indirect aides of Tinubu – Sam Omatseye (the chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation); Mr. Tunji Bello, former Commissioner under Tinubu and currently the Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC); and a former Chief Press Secretary to Tinubu, Mr. Segun Ayobolu.
In one of the chapters in the book, which was contributed by the former Osun state Governor and one time Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, he had the following to write of Tinubu:
“Realists will describe it as happenstance but others, especially from Africa, will say it is destiny, but our paths crossed fortuitously in 1989. That was when he came to our group, the Alimosho Chapter of the Primrose Circle, then under the leadership of Chief Dapo Sarumi, to seek our support for his senatorial ambition and engage us for a mutually beneficial relationship. Twenty-three years down the line, upon deep reflection, I have no doubt that our meeting was divine.”
Precisely five years after that, Tinubu was to, in equal measure, pen a tribute to his then closest, most trusted political ally, Aregbesola, when he clocked 60.
He had written “Many people wonder why Rauf is so dear to my heart. Others don’t just wonder, they think of the two of us as conspirators. Yet others believe he has an unusual hold of me and can easily get me to do anything he wants.
“This tribute is an opportunity to dispel such misconceptions of a relationship of mutual respect developed over many years of struggle.”
Tinubu didn’t stop here. He went ahead in the same tribute to add that “It is significant to note that we joined forces at a time of mutual need. Rauf and his colleagues had mobilized a group of young reformers whose mission was to change the content of politics in Alimosho area. They had identified the elderly men with progressive inclination such as Baba Orelope and turned themselves to their foot soldiers. But their effort to convert their new-found grassroots followership to political power floundered because of material limitations.”
Few days ago, Tinubu’s essay on his estranged ally, who has now emerged the National Secretary of the opposition African Democratic Congress, (ADC), surfaced online.
Amidst viral commentaries over the relationship between the two, Tinubu’s words penned in 2017, in the estimation of many, have watered down the claims that Aregbesola was a refrigerator repairer before Tinubu elevated him through political involvements.
In the same vein, Aregbesola’s words penned in 2012 on his boss, invalidates whatever negative perceptions any of his sympathisers might have circulated on him.
Neutral watchers of the event believe that the ongoing crisis between Tinubu and Aregbesola is the biggest feud between two political gladiators and allies in recent political history of Nigeria.
How a Once Fertile Relationship Became Barren
It is about five years now that the mutual holds of the duo on each other had snapped. What appeared to have surreptitiously crept in-between the two over the emergence of Aregbesola’s Chief of staff who later succeeded him, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, has snowballed into a most frightening political feud in recent Nigerian political history.
When Tinubu’s 8 years old essay on Aregbesola titled Lessons in Loyalty surfaced again and went viral at the weekend, it instantly ignited a new twist to the lingering claims by many who had accused the newly appointed National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of betraying his leader.
Reading what Tinubu wrote eight years ago about his protege, those who had taken Aregbesola for the “refrigerator repairer” that he had been painted began to ask questions over the veracity of such claims.
How the ‘War’ Began
At first, it was alleged that Oyetola, shortly after getting hold of power, began a seemingly rapid reversal of some of the programmes and policies of the administration where he also served as the Chief of Staff played a critical role.
Preceding that was the allegation by the pro-Oyetola elements within the All Progressive Congress in Osun Aregbesola never wanted Oyetola to succeed him.
The pro-Aregbesola elements within the party had countered then that but for Aregbesola’s doggedness and determination to deliver on the task given to him by his political leader, Tinubu, Oyetola would not have been declared the winner of the 2018 governorship poll in Osun.
Knowledgeable party members argue that the difficulties encountered in the failure to secure victory for Oyetola at first ballot was a result of the general discontent that followed the alleged imposition of Oyetola on the party by Tinubu.
Ahead of the 2018 election, there had been agitations for the transfer of power to a governor from the West senatorial district of the state.
It was said that since the creation of Osun, comprising the West, East and Central senatorial districts, only Osun West had produced the first elected governor, late Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke who however governed for barely one year before the military ended the civilian administrations with the other districts, Central, producing Governors Bisi Akande, Oyinlola who had both served for 11 years.
The East senatorial district, was where Aregbesola, who was completing two terms of eight years hailed from.
Oyetola, who was then eyeing the position, was also from the Central district, creating a massive hoopla within the party structure across the state.
It was learnt that many people left the APC while those some who did not quit outrightly indeed worked against the party from within since Aregbesola could not convince his leader to accede to the desires of party supporters to allow the West produce a candidate.
That was what allegedly set the stage for what would divide the party along the pro-Aregbesola and pro-Oyetola lines immediately after the exit of the two-termed Governor.
Rather than abate, the crisis continued to worsen. Each time Aregbesola visited Osun as the then serving Minister of Interior, his convoy came under attacks.
Once, his Oranmiyan House, the campaign office used for his election in 2007 and 2014 and partly for Oyetola in the 2018 elections came under gun attacks in February 2022.
With a litany of intra-party squabbles, fierce battles for the control of the APC structures in Osun, the party became a mere shadow of its old self. Observers believe the downfall of the party at the poll was more than assured. Oyetola lost re-election.
While these lasted, the crisis was still seen in many quarters as one between Aregbesola and his successor, Oyetola except that some believed that Tinubu ought to have stepped in and nip it.
However, on February 14, 2022, events took another turn when Aregbesola spoke at Ijebu-Jesa, in Oriade LGA of Osun, in what was considered an outburst against Tinubu.
According to him, Tinubu had almost been so respected, elevated and exalted to the level some people believe he (Aregbesola) had turned him to a god.
In many quarters, that was taken as a direct declaration of ‘war’ against a leader he had in 30 years considered to be infallible.
Things have since gone further south between the two with their backers fanning the embers that have made the dispute to defy all forms of resolutions.
As has been attested to by Tinubu and Aregbesola in their respective confessions over their relationship, the world witnessed three decades of undiluted togetherness, in many cases, behaving as “conspirators.”
Twice, Aregbesola had led the electoral battles for Tinubu in 1999 and then 2003. In those tasks, he was recorded to have done well. His tenure as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure was also adjudged to have been most striking under Tinubu with the construction of major roads when Tinubu’s administration was just beginning the rebirth of Lagos after long years of military rule. This explains perhaps why Tinubu added in his message to Aregbesola in 2017 that “Once we disagree to agree, one thing is certain. You can be sure Rauf will execute with precision.”
And just like that, Tinubu was believed to have shown no limit to how he could get Aregbesola’s back in all his endeavours.
His foray into politics in Osun was, according to his revelations at many fora, at the behest of his boss.
“I have never done anything politically except with the nudge of Asiwaju,” Aregbesola was quoted to have said to many people.
Endlessly, Aregbesola would say that he had the backing of Tinubu while he battled to unseat the then incumbent Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
After the alleged electoral fraud that saw Oyinlola being declared winner in 2007, Tinubu stopped at nothing to give full support for the more than three years of legal battle that eventually ousted the Okuku-born retired General and ushered in Aregbesola on November 27, 2010.
And so, for every major goal he scored in Osun while serving as Governor, Aregbesola was noted to have given the credit to his boss.
In June 2013, Aregbesola’s stand-alone educational digital device, Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge) was launched at a grand ceremony in Ilesa.
An elated Tinubu, joined by other then party chieftains such as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had showered encomia on his protege; saying what was being introduced was a novel idea that would change the way Osun pupils learnt.
Tinubu had said then, “Let the bookmakers take note, let the so-called experts learn from the ordinary people and let the historians write that history is being made in Osun this very day. The power of e-learning and its resultant benefits now wait at the fingertips of our children.
“This was not the result of a gift from a stranger or from an accident. This fine development is the harvest of innovation, hard work and the commitment to public education and enlightenment of our children by the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his excellent team. On behalf of the children and their parents, I thank the governor for opening this important portal of knowledge to our youngest ones.”
Many observers believed that Aregbesola’s style of governance, innovative ideas and ‘stubborn’ adherence to whatever was considered to be in the overall interest of the people were a replica of Tinubus.
It is one of the reasons that the intractable nature of their lingering feud has defied logic in the explanation of many watchers.
In March 2022, two most prominent traditional rulers in Yorubaland, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, met at a private residence of the late Alaafin in Ibadan in what was expected to be a reconciliation of Aregbesola with his leader, Tinubu.
The then presidential candidate of the APC at the time was said to have informed the monarchs that he was held up in Ondo where he had gone for his electioneering, making it impossible for the two to sit together and end their rift on that day.
NPO Reports that a former Local Government Chairman in Ogun state, Wale Adedayo, still believes there is still much that could be achieved in bringing the two together if leaders of opinion in Yorubaland are serious about it.
Specifically, he called on the Ooni of Ife and the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo to rise up to end the feud.
Adedayo, a former spokesman to former Governor Gbenga Daniel, had written in his latest intervention over the matter which was shared on his facebook page on Sunday.
Adedayo wrote:
“Your Majesties, Sirs!!! It’s not too late to reconcile, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
& Rauf Aregbesola. This can be done by calling a meeting, as well as reaching out to all Yoruba Obas, prominent Yoruba sons and daughters among others.
This calls for an Action!
Not many look at the spiritual side of the war between former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is just enough to take sides, because they lack discernment. To gain a foothold, the enemy must create division within the leadership of those they are fighting with.”
Read Below Full Text of Tinubu’s Birthday Tribute to Aregbesola in 2017:
A Lesson in Loyalty
By Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Many people wonder why Rauf is so dear to my heart. Others don’t just wonder, they think of the two of us as conspirators. Yet others believe he has an unusual hold of me and can easily get me to do anything he wants.
This tribute is an opportunity to dispel such misconception of a relationship of mutual respect developed over many years of struggle. This struggle takes place simultaneously at two levels. First is the never-ending struggle of myself and Rauf over ideas, the significance and purpose of mankind and the best strategy to use political power to bring out the humanity rather than the bestiality in men. Sometimes I win the battle by drawing arguments and examples from the liberal- democratic values that my training and orientation in the matured democracies of the United States gave me. Sometimes, he wins by his advocacy of dialectics and socialist principles.
The fortune of agreeing at some point despite approaching issues from opposite direction excites Rauf because it is his own way of demonstrating the synthesis that his Marxist ideology teaches. To me, liberalism encourages the blooming of ideas in the sure conviction that the best ideas will ultimately win.
Once we disagree to agree, one thing is certain. You can be sure Rauf will execute with precision. This is what happens in the second theatre of our struggle when we come together with other allies to deploy our human and material resources to engage our political opponents within and without. Political formations are so dynamic and interesting that alliances and interests change, allies become opponents and opponents can become confidants. Without rock solid confidants to constantly review the changing terrain and the ups and downs they feature, any politician would be out of the race in a short time. In our struggles, Rauf and myself emphasize that we woo opponents to our arguments, not out of weakness but a deliberate strategy to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
It is significant to note that we joined forces at a time of mutual need. Rauf and his colleagues had mobilized a group of young reformers whose mission was to change the content of politics in Alimosho area. They had identified the elderly men with progressive inclination such as Baba Orelope and turned themselves to their foot soldiers. But their effort to convert their new-found grassroots followership to political power floundered because of material limitations. On my part, my initial interest in political activity was by supporting progressive groups. The decision that converted me from political philanthropist to aspirant encouraged me to search for groups which were on ground in the Lagos West Senatorial district where I was to run as senator on the platform of the Social Democratic Party. Rauf’s team proved their mettle by ensuring that Alimosho country voted en –mass in the primaries and general elections.
There is no doubt that when you have such a long relationship, things get to a point when you don’t even need to argue over some matters because there have been precedents. We would have taken decisions based on certain principles. In such instances, adhering to the rules of our game makes it easier to move to action. This meeting of minds is perceived by some as the control of Bola by Rauf and vice versa.
Sacrifice is the currency of loyalty. When you are faced with two tempting options, economists tell us that each choice makes opportunity cost of the others. Opportunity cost is what you sacrifice to be able to afford or take that choice. To start counting the number of sacrifices Rauf has made in defence of our political movement and myself in particular will amount to a tome of books. They are too, too numerous. Each time he gives up his comfort and takes risks, he adds value to our organizational cohesion, advancement and maturity.
As he turns 60, we are grateful to God that he has made his life available for mankind to use. He has used his life to add value to mankind. Since this is what he set out to do quite early in his life, it can be said that he has conquered. It is a befitting pedestal to build on by serving the masses he loves so much and making dreams considered unattainable the reality of life in the state of Osun and Nigeria in general. Happy birthday.
Read Full Text of Aregbesola’s Tribute to Tinubu on His 60th Birthday:
Realists will describe it as happenstance but others, especially from Africa, will say it is destiny, but our paths crossed fortuitously in
1989. That was when he came to our group, the Alimoso Chapter of the Primrose Circle, then under the leadership of Chief Dapo Sarumi, to seek our support for his senatorial ambition and engage us for a mutually beneficial relationship. Twenty-three years down the line, upon deep reflection, I have no doubt that our meeting was divine.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an enigma, a leader of leaders who bestrides the Nigerian political firmament like a colossus. Indeed, he is a colossus. Asiwaju came to us as a successful professional with Mobil Oil Nigeria Unlimited. His charm provided the elixir and charging current that galvanized the Primrose Circle to record unimaginable political exploits. Of all the political groups that dissolved into political parties in Lagos State, it is beyond dispute that the Primrose Circle was the most successful and that success was largely due to the influence, sagacity, perspicacity and political leadership of Asiwaju.
My own antecedent was unique. I was a revolutionary adventurer in liberal politics. My background and training was in the dialectics. I was an orthodox Marxist that believed that for justice to subsist for all, the foundation of the government, politics, the economy and society must be changed by all means and popularized. This had been the basis of my engagement with the Nigerian state and its politics. Asiwaju in contrast came as a well heeled, right wing political philanthropist.
The fusion of the two of us produced a political hybrid that would remain a model of success in politics. What I learnt from this is that there are no absolutes in life. Indeed, a balance is found in life in the struggle and unity of opposites.
Asiwaju went ahead to dexterously mobilize the Lagos West Senatorial District to have the largest electoral mandate in the National Assembly of the aborted Third Republic. He was a shining light in that National Assembly which the pretentious military regime inaugurated to prolong military rule and deepen dictatorship.
This hypocrisy was to be exposed in what Prof Wole Soyinka described as transparent subterfuge’ as the military went ahead to annul the June 12,1993 presidential election won by Chief Moshood Abiola. This was the moment of iconic casting for Asiwaju. Indisputably, he was a hero of the struggle to reclaim the mandate of Chief Abiola and disengage the military from government in the six years that followed.
The politics of his emergence as the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Lagos State is still fresh and like all histories, many are bound to have different accounts.
However, even his harshest critics would agree that the overwhelming consideration in giving him the ticket is not unrelated to his pivotal role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) whose main objective was the revalidation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election given to Basorun Abiola.
Asiwaju literally threw himself into the struggle, giving himself, his time, his energy, money and other resources liberally to the cause. His homes abroad were refuge camps for political exiles and those persecuted by the military junta of the era. His leadership at the time was so impressive and overwhelming that many of us became convinced that he was a leader we could follow to battle with our eyes closed.
His style of leadership as governor of Lagos State was unique.
His most distinguishing characteristic was that he had a knack for spotting talents. He specifically chose his cabinet members on merit. I for instance did not lobby him for appointment. Indeed, I never considered that he was going to appoint me into his cabinet.
If at all, it could not have been a high profile one as Commissioner for Works, being not a Lagos indigene. However, my appointment was a choice, with the benefit of hindsight, that none of us regretted.
While in the cabinet, Asiwaju simply provided leadership by allowing all of us full expression of our capacity and capability without hold. Where you might go wrong he would provide leadership to correct you without hurting your feeling. He never at any time influenced me in any form in the performance of my duty throughout my eight years with him. I had absolute liberty to discharge my duty to the state, although he would never allow you to jeopardize the main thrust and objective of his administration. That is leadership. He led us through guided leadership which would not in any way diminish your personality.
He would correct you without any form of arrogance or insensitivity.
One other trait that sets him apart is how he handles crises.
He never panics or buckles under. He is always calm, cool and collected. Crisis is tonic for Asiwaju. He is a natural crisis and disaster manager. Either physical, natural, or spiritual, crisis for Asiwaju is tonic. It is when the situation gets abnormal that Asiwaju is at his best. If a developing crisis has not attained a graver dimension, Asiwaju will not involve himself. But just when it appears that there is no solution again, that is when he will show forth his acumen for taming catastrophe. If any man could be said to have super human capacity for the management of crisis, threat, danger and disturbance, Asiwaju is that person.
Many people have expressed fear that he would have an overbearing influence on those of us who served our apprenticeship under him. This fear is borne of the pervasive practice of elected officials having problems with and eventually falling out with their patrons. This, in our case, is unfounded and grossly mistaken. The latitude I had in his cabinet I don’t even have it as a governor. I enjoyed the anonymity of working under him. He would take responsibility for whatever we did.
When there was high internal resistance to his then Chief of Staff, Babatunde Raji Fashola, succeeding him, what I told our people, those who believe in our leadership, is this: “For eight years this man acceded to all our requests. Now he has come to us for something. We too must accept his choice in this case.” That is the extent of gratitude we owed him. I am not saying this to patronize him.
Asiwaju can never be called a godfather if we are accepting the current derogatory definition of the term. After all Christians will not seek for baptismal Godfather if it is bad. He abhors overbearing attitude on the part of anybody and to that extent he does not qualify as a godfather.
He is an accommodating team builder and leader; a mentor.
He allows you maximum latitude for personal expression. He has that principle of allowing you to learn from your mistake for as long as that mistake will not be permanently injurious and damaging. Asiwaju is the type of leader that encourages experience. He extols experience as the best teacher. He does not command in a dictatorial manner. He abhors all forms of exploitation and oppression and anything that smacks of dehumanization. He is a natural fighter for human dignity. There is nothing too much for him to commit to popular and good causes.
He is unpretentiously a liberal person. This goes beyond political ideology to a life conviction. He is a benevolent capitalist.
You can call him a humanist. He has touched more people’s lives positively, more than any individual that I know. He has empowered people beyond his native Yorubaland, he has lifted up, he has shown the light and has literally lifted many from the dead.
There are people in public office who have large followings because of the office they occupy and we have seen these thinned out after the office. This is not his case. His following is as huge, if not more, out of office, as he was in office.
We respect ourselves – mutual respect. I respect him for his liberalism and he respects me for my own revolutionary convictions. Whenever I need liberal ethics I go to him. And whenever we need to apply revolutionary fervour to whatever is at hand, I supply it. What we have is a symbiotic relationship.
Of his lieutenants, I will want to mention the following who I know played huge roles in his performance and achievements, particularly as the Governor of Lagos State. To me, his frontline able lieutenants are Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Oladele Alake, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Mr Olayemi Cadoso, Mr Olawale Edun, Governor Babatude Raji Fashola, Dr Muiz Banire and my humble self.
Asiwaju can never have an enemy. Is there anybody who fell out with Asiwaju and still remains his enemy till date? It is not possible. He is so committed to friendship that no matter your indiscretion or offence to him, he will persevere and endure until you yourself fight him, or pronounce your antagonism.
Asiwaju told me that it wasn’t in his style to fight with people.
He said no matter your offence, you would even be the one to fight with him. And truly I have not seen him fight with anybody.
He said none of his friends could claim that he fought with them.
They would always be the one to fight with him. This was because if you were the one who fought him, you would never defeat him.
Then he properly defends himself. He is never the aggressor.
In spite of his wonderful persona, however, there are some things I would wish he had handled differently. The first is that Asiwaju gives much of his time to politics such that one cannot rightly and sincerely say he is a complete family man. Much of his time is devoted to public and social interests that it would be dishonest to call him a complete family man. However, with the little time he has for the family he equally completely immerses himself in it such that you can call him a doting father and loving husband.
Asiwaju is also too trusting! He trusts to a fault all shades of people that come to him that one would have wished he is more circumspect in such relationships given how such people turn out to be an albatross. He is too trusting, loyal and generous to all manners of people that come around him. Literarily speaking, Asiwaju can give out his eye.
Lastly, Asiwaju likes life, though not to the point of excess.
He is as natural in Sunny Ade’s and Wasiu Ayinde Marshal’s presence as he is versatile, active and didactic in politics.
With his network of goodwill, certainly the sky is the limit for Asiwaju’s political horizon. Really, no position, from the presidency of the Nigerian nation to the leadership of the entire race of black people, is too much for him considering his remarkable ability to build bridges across different social divides. Asiwaju cannot be limited to any part of Nigeria. He is as functionally useful in his native region as he is adorable in virtually all spheres of politics in Nigeria.
There is no significant political personality in Nigeria that Asiwaju has not had some form of relationship with – usually memorable relationship. Such a person, therefore, cannot be pigeonholed or limited to any office or position. Asiwaju is qualified for the highest political office in Nigeria by virtue of his vision, political sagacity, financial wizardry, extensive network of goodwill, generosity and benevolence.
When it comes to governance, he is very brilliant. Asiwaju is the epitome of brilliance in application of sense and intellect to the act of governance, from economics, finance, employment, identifying talents, the deployment of human resource, to policy formulation and general administration.
He is no doubt a blessing to his Yoruba people, our great party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the black race and humanity in general.
Beyond the almighty God and my parents, he is the next greatest influence on my life. It is my sincere wish that he will enjoy long life and greater happiness as he celebrates his 60th birthday.