“There are many things I don’t have a hand in that I receive blames for, that’s why I’m trying to have my hand in everything so that all the blames on me will be taken in good faith. I don’t have any magical power. People are my greatest source of strength. When I promise I don’t fail, I don’t care how I keep my promise. I must keep it first before I live. Once it is made, it must be kept” —— Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
They want to be like ASIWAJU, they want to command respect, they want the world to accept them the way they have accepted ASIWAJU , they want to get great followers like ASIWAJU BAT, they want to be admired the way people admire ASIWAJU, they want the people to love them the way they love ASIWAJU, they want to stand tall anywhere they go like ASIWAJU, they want to attract attention like ASIWAJU, they want to be celebrated and honored like ASIWAJU, they want to be worshiped the way ASIWAJU’s great followers worship him, they want be lifted up the way God has lifted ASIWAJU up, they want to be noticed like ASIWAJU, they want to stand out like ASIWAJU and they want to influence decisions at all levels like ASIWAJU, etc.
But in actions and deeds they are not like ASIWAJU. In character and in tolerance they are not like ASIWAJU. In commitment and hard work they are not like BAT. In grace and empathy they are not like BAT. In temperament and love for humanity they are not like ASIWAJU. They cannot surrender their home to the people the way BAT has been doing. They cannot fight for others the way BAT does. They cannot deny themselves freedom for the sake of others the way BAT does. They cannot stand for the ordinary people the way ASIWAJU does. They cannot be trusted the way we trust BAT. They cannot give the way BAT does. They cannot sacrifice what BAT has sacrificed for humanity for close to 40 years. They cannot live for others the way the way ASIWAJU has done for years. I can go on and on but he who must lead others must first lead himself.
We follow our leader ASIWAJU because he works for us even when we are sleeping. We follow and honour our leader BAT because he breaks his back for us. We follow him because he cares for all of us . We follow him because he knows where he is going. We follow BAT because he has earned our trust for decades now We follow him because he has never disappointed us. We follow ASIWAJU because he is focused and dynamic. We follow ASIWAJU because he has not failed us . We follow ASIWAJU because he is dependable. We follow him because he fights for us. We follow him because the man is deep thinker. We follow ASIWAJU because he values us without measure. We follow BAT because he knows where he is going.
Now if you want to be like His Excellency ASIWAJU Bola Ahmed Tinubu go out and slave for the people, go out and think in terms of other people, go out and build the bridges, go out and sow the seed, go out and deny yourself comfort, freedom and sleep, go out and jettison bigotry, morbid hatred, primordial sentiments and ethnic preoccupation, go out and nurture and bring up millions of leaders the way ASIWAJU has done for decades, go out and love people who are different from yourself, go out and join others to build a nation. This the way to greatness, this is the way to acceptability and this is the way to garner respect of the ordinary people.
You cannot make an Omelette without breaking eggs. You cannot be a hero overnight. You cannot raise the level of the Mediterranean Sea by making it possible for all the planetary rains to fall on it and even when you succeed in doing this water will always find its own level. Reputation, greatness, and being famous are not achieved overnight. It is impossible to jump from California to Catalina Island in America,a distance of 25 kilometers. No smoke without fire. Yo can be what you want to be. You can choose how to grow up but growing old is mandatory. Make haste while the sun shines. Success is not an event please!!!
“I am celebrating a man I love on his new age. Iam celebrating my hero, my icon, our icon, the ASIWAJU of the Universe, the Apamaku, the leader of leaders, the pacesetter, the pathfinder, the pride of the nation, and one of the builders of modern Nigeria. The great man deserves all the accolades, all the tributes, all the praises and all the honour coming from all those who love him. We know that success breeds envy, hate and petty jealousy. It is allowed in pluralistic society like ours. There is nothing anybody can do about it . Such is life. Happy Birthday to our own ASIWAJU of Africa and the ASIWAJU of the Universe. ”
Mr. Joe Igbokwe is a public commentator, a native Igbo race live in Lagos, Nigeria.
