• By Omogbolahan Babs

THE MAKING OF PALM TREEISM OF ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU
In crop production, the palm tree is perhaps one of the biggest money-spinning plants. Any agronomist or agriculturist can tell you this. And this is a statement of fact, not fiction. Aside sugarcane that generates over 75% revenue with several derivatives more than others, the palm tree is about the second highest in cash-spinning for its cultivators going by the derivatives that come from it. Among these derivatives include palm wine, palm oil, fuel substance populary called ‘ògùsọ̀’ in Yorùbá parlance. Others include palm kernel, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, weaved baskets, weaved bags. And even in decades past (and till date in some parts of Western Africa), palm branches are used as shade to cover houses built with mud or bamboo trees. All of these are aside the regular brooms we use at our various homes for sweeping. It tells how humanity cannot do without palm tree one way or the other. Such is the personality of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian political engineering. He is the palm tree and aficionado of Nigerian politics.
JAGABAN AS THE PALM TREE
Just same way the palm tree is seen by all as a blessed tree, so it the personality of the All Progressives Congress, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Senator Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is akin to the palm tree, a perennial crop that requires no replant but sprouts automatically year in, year out. At every electioneering, the man Asiwaju gives them surprises that shows he is the master of the game, a political strategist with the magic wand. He was to be cut down in 2003 after the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) went extinct with the then President Olusegun Obasanjo’s deceit. But then, he sprouted and would go on to acquire States like Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Edo with his political wizardry. Same way the palm tree can survive all weathers – hot or cold, Asiwaju Tinubu has proven time and time again that he can manoeuvre through all murky political weathers. Like the palm tree is full of benison with every derivative of it is money-spinning, so it is with Asiwaju Tinubu as his mentees have further confirmed this by proving their worth on our political landscape.
ASIWAJU AND HIS CORTÈGE OF MENTEES
The Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom has to his school of political economics, several graduates who are best described as mentees. Typical of those who learnt from the tutelage of the late sage, the symbol of progressive politics in the Wild Wild West of the 70s through 80s, Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo; Tinubuism unlike Awoism is more digital in implementation, radical in credo and welfarist in its impact on the hoi polloi as well as the socio-political wherewithal of the society. Suffice to say without equivocation that the Lion of Bourdillon as he is fondly called runs an institute that is a coiffeur of political research, a coven of ‘polīticus’ activities which proffer solutions to myriads of economic conundrums and political quagmires. A man better described as the ‘Tutor-General’ on Political Matters has graduated several persons – diplomats, ambassadors, governors, ministers, NASS/State Assembly members, commissioners, board members, council chairmen, bureaucrats among other mentees shepherded from fogginess to notoriety and panjandrum. Several of these mentees would go on to further impact on the people under their ascendancy.
BOLA AS THE ‘TUTOR-GENERAL’
Same way the palm tree does not stop producing useful fruits year in, year out despite cuts from man to its body, stem and fruits; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet not stopped producing more ‘students’ from his school of Advanced Political ‘Alchemy’ and Economic Periapt. These ‘students’ at every level of their various callings – local government, state or at the national level have displayed uncommon prowess in governance deliverables to prove their mastery from the Tutor-General himself. Mr. Babatunde Fowler did at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, HM Babatunde Fashola is doing it at the Works and Housing ministry while our erudite Vice President, Prof. Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo among others is doing it at The Presidency. It does not matter some ‘students’ would later turn reprobates and/or recalcitrant, it is equally the case with the palm tree that some of its fruits will turn sour inedible for human consumption. But for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he has proven himself as a ‘student of politics’ with history, not that of power. It is the very reason many of his mentees have not let the public down in delivering democratic dividends.
THE PALM TREE THE NATION NEEDS
Inarguably, the palm tree serves the global space. It serves humans, it serves animals and it serves birds. It serves human by providing food and means of sustenance (money) for it. It serves animals and birds by providing food substance for them. This analogy qualifies Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as who Nigeria as a country and as a people need come 2023. Asiwaju is the Nigeria’s ‘palm tree’ that anyone could wish is allowed to paddle its national affairs beyond 2023. With several ‘fruits’ that can be plucked from the person of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu by the country, Nigeria stands a chance of re-writing history in terms of financial re-engineering for prosperity, developmental and digital governance and democratic deliverables. Having done so much in infrastructural revamp, the Buhari/Osinbajo administration has a good hand in Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to consolidate on its many legacies of first.

AsiwajuIsComing

Omogbolahan L.A. BABAWALE
Lead Resource Person/Convener
The Think-Tinubu Initiative (3TI)
Member, Research, Strategy & Planning
APC Presidential Campaign Council
riches.babs@gmail.com
Wuse, Abuja