President Bola Tinubu, the 16th and current president of Nigeria, has expressed his gratitude and optimism for the future of the country, despite the challenges he faced during the 2023 presidential election. The President visited two prominent traditional rulers in Ogun State on Thursday to thank them for their support and prayers.
President Tinubu, who was the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and a senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic, is a veteran politician and a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He won the 2023 presidential election as the successor of Muhammadu Buhari, who had completed his second term and faced criticism for his handling of the economy, security and corruption.
One of the major obstacles that President Tinubu had to overcome during the election was the ineffective cashless policy implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The policy, which aimed to reduce the use of physical cash and promote electronic transactions, was widely seen as a ploy to restrict the flow of funds for opposition parties and candidates.
According to President Tinubu, his funds were confiscated by the CBN and he had to rely on his spirit of determination and resilience to win the election.
He said he had visited Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, twice before the election to seek his wisdom and guidance. He also invoked the spirit of “Baba Emilokan”, a legendary figure in Ijebu history who was known for his courage and honesty.
“Our monies were confiscated. The cashless policy didn’t work, it was terrible then. I realised that I came to this palace to invoke the spirit of freedom which we are noted for. I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba Emilokan. That’s Baba. Being blunt, being decisive, that’s him, he will tell you. The second spirit is that money or no money (we will do the election and we will win),” he said.
President Tinubu also visited Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, where he thanked him for his leadership and prayed for his long life. He expressed his commitment to fulfilling his promises to Nigerians and urged them to endure the “baby steps of pain” that may come with his reforms.
“The hope is recharged; the hope is here. That hope will never fail. That hope will recharge your lives in a positive manner. By the grace of Almighty God, we shall reap the fruits of our labour, Nigeria will see positive change, just endure these baby steps of pain. This country is the only one we have. I have been a refugee and I know what it means to be a refugee and my green passport is what I still have now.”
The President also acknowledged the presence of Mike Adenuga, a Nigerian billionaire businessman and philanthropist, who he said had contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, who accompanied President Tinubu on his visit, described him as a man of uncommon grace and a living testimony of resilience. He said President Tinubu had shown visionary leadership and preparedness for office since his inauguration.
Oba Adetona and Oba Gbadebo also commended President Tinubu for his achievements so far and offered prayers for his success and well-being. They urged Nigerians to support his administration and cooperate with him in addressing the challenges facing the country.
Also speaking, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, the Akaraigbo of Remoland, who commended the President for starting his administration exceptionally well, noted that the people need urgent palliatives to mitigate the effects of the current challenges.
He lauded the wise decisions so far taken by the administration, reminding the President of his promise to bring development to Remo.
“I remember when you came to the palace and all we said is our dream is for you to go and win the primaries, and that once you win the primaries, I’m sure that God will take us there. I’m glad that God took us there.
“I want to remind you of what you said when you came to Remo. You said with the proximity of Shagamu to Lagos, you were surprised at the level of development in Remo. This is the time Mr President to walk that talk,” he said
President Tinubu’s visit to Ogun State was part of his thank-you tour across Nigeria after his inauguration on May 29.
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