President Bola Tinubu

By Yahaya Balogun

“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” – Seneca.

A few days ago, I was trying to write a script about the crafty, strategic master planner and political executor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Fortunately, the internet algorithm visually visited my virtual sense of probity, imagination, and integrity. I am an inquisitor because I am an incurable optimist with a discerning mind; I can see through the machinations of mind intruders and cynics. You must be a moral genius (not an evil genius) to hoodwink or scam potent-minded people with premeditated interests and corrupt intentions.

Discerning minds don’t seek external validation or get swayed by fleeting praise and the hypocritical behavior of netizens and others in the sociopolitical arena and ecosystem. Discerning minds always seek the truth and internal or internalized validation. In other words, the essence of self-validation springs from the deep well of self-fulfillment, where unwavering self-support and self-esteem flourish together.

I read through Alhaji Sule Lamido’s political and moral persuasion and honest exposition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I saw Alhaji Lamido’s imbued mind with intellect and honesty. Stoic humans will understand and identify with Alhaji Sule Lamido’s ‘Say It Plain’ in all its ramifications.

However, President BAT is a political rogue and strategic political fortress with indefatigability and a strong mind. He’s a man who has transformed from seemingly wrong to strong! President Tinubu’s political adversaries can say all they want (though he might appear weak physically), but his progressive vision, mental acuity, and agility are untarnished, untainted, and indestructible.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is entirely a transactional and transformational leader. I have carefully studied PBAT; I see a man poised to make history. It isn’t easy to see both characteristics in today’s leadership ecosystem. The assemblage of PBAT’s performing cabinet ministers, from Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo to Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to Works and Housing Engineer David Umahi, etc., is a testament to a leader who relishes sterling performance, probity, and accountability.

Regarding the next generation, the “Renewed Hope 2023” blueprint envisions a well-organized and comprehensive approach to socially, economically, and politically empower young individuals. This strategy encompasses streamlined credit opportunities, mentorship programs for budding entrepreneurs, establishing a Youth Advisory Council, and overhauling the NYSC initiative.

Nevertheless, I am an impassioned student of stoicism. In fact, stoicism has oiled or lubricated my sense of faith and spirituality. Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of undiluted and ageless wisdom, was the timeless sage ahead of his time. Marcus Aurelius told us that if you are provoked by external behavior or people’s two-faced mischief, you are complicit in this art of provocation. PBAT is also a stoic student of stoicism. We cannot control people’s behaviors, but we can control how we react to them. Additionally, Marcus Aurelius’s lieutenant in the timeless age and realm of wisdom, Seneca, says: “We suffer more from our imagination than from reality.” These timeless and enduring assertions cannot be existentially far from the truth.

Nigerians have psychologically and physiologically suffered, and their lives have been deliberately shortened or decimated by their past leaders. Therefore, it would be challenging for any morally rearmed individual with a vision and mission to guide Nigerians out of the forest of self-made fireworks and firewood. An attempt to remove the bleak imagination of Nigerians about their past inept leaders and sustain the current aspirational leadership in PBAT would be a herculean task.

Meanwhile, I prescribed a well-thought-out political remedy for Buhari in the early stages of his troubled administration. Still, the integrity-personified man refused to adopt my sincere political solutions to our collective woes as a nation! I love Buhari’s incorruptible persona, but I am nauseated by his incompetent and insincere political handlers and ethnicized administration. Like his predecessors, Buhari has profoundly and carelessly muddied our political waters, squandering an excellent opportunity to transform us and MANGAN – Make Nigeria Great Again.

President BAT is at a pivotal moment in history. Understandably, functioning well in a collectively dysfunctional society requires benevolence and a discerning mind in leadership. Still, the true art of leadership is the ability to carry people along with accountability and responsibility in its vision and mission to transform a dystopian country. Nigeria’s medium of information sources and consumption is harmful, hateful, vicious, toxic, and steeped in disinformation and misinformation. It would be very challenging for any envisioned leader to govern Nigeria successfully.

A few days ago, I saw a ridiculous, clownish man who came in a distant third in the 2023 general election results, claiming to have won the highly contested presidential election. This political opportunist is again on a selfish mission and unholy alliance with a pilgrimage to the core North. With political opportunism, he is hypocritically feasting with the young and impoverished people of northern Nigeria. Unfortunately, the political grandstander can only deceive gullible, politically inexperienced, and impoverished Nigerians.

Today, a chunk of readers on social media are either blissfully ignorant or cocooned in sanctuaries of the “Pull Him Down” syndrome. Out of hatred, self-defeat, low self-esteem, and jealousy, the netizens’ village is a homeland for sociocultural nattering anomie and existential vultures waiting to devour and destroy successful people. You have to be careful bringing your family life or matters and success to toxic Zukerville; you will invariably get destroyed by frenemies (hypocritical humans) ‘àwọn tẹ̀mbẹ̀lẹ̀kun àti Kénìmáni èèyàn a bi ìdí yàányàán.’

At his administration’s inauguration, I gave President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—BAT seven published and bulleted points for his administrative guidance. I am cautiously optimistic that President Tinubu would graciously, with methodical discernment, implement those political prescriptions for a potentially great Nigeria. It’s heartwarming to see the PBAT administration’s infrastructural development transforming Nigeria in its quest to re-modernize Nigeria. All BAT needs now are sustained and transactional progressive ideas to transform Nigeria.

I was miffed when I saw President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the contentious book launch of the evil genius IBB. Still, after a meaningful political conversation with political sages, I felt politically and involuntarily disarmed and humbled by their brilliant, vibrant, potent, and patriotic minds. These potent brothers brought me back to political royalties and realities in Nigeria.

Unequivocally, from this piece, whether you love or hate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I see a contentious and challenging path through PBAT’s administration to a prosperous Nigeria. May our nation overcome its sociopaths and selfish politicians and their gullible followers in Nigeria. May we not squander yet another opportunity to reorder Nigeria.

Let’s get back to work in progress!

Yahaya Balogun wrote from Arizona, United States of America.