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Juju music maestro, Chief Ebenezer Obey sang it. Tinubu acted it. Obey did the song melodiously in the 70’s. President Bola Tinubu acted the script aptly in 2025!
And the song runs in Yoruba: “Ọmọ tó bá ṣiṣẹ́ dẹ́dẹ́, ó yẹ kó láṣikò ìgbàdun eyi tí ó fi ṣeré.” (“A child who works diligently deserves to have time to play.”) Tinubu claimed he did.
Dateline: Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The unusual audience was getting increasingly inpatient. Still, it struggled to endure, waiting with bated breath. Just then the atmosphere changed.
Tinubu sauntered into the hall bubbling with life. It was glaring all over him. With Obey’s song on his slip. He neither pretended nor feigned ignorance. He opted to demonstrate it with dexterity.
It was a friendly gathering: “Stakeholders” of The Buhari Organisation (TBO). Quickly, he made a hurried survey of his listeners. It paid off for him. With that, he gained insight into their psych.
Now, more relaxed, he told them what they wanted to hear: “Today, I can stand here before you to brag. Nigeria is not borrowing. We have met our revenue target for the year and we met it in August.” He wasn’t lying, he truly bragged.
He bullied his captivated audience spellbound. He held his listeners with firm grip. He was so sure there would be no dissenting voice. Not in that gathering that day. He beat his chest that he has met his revenue target.
But you’re still begging for alms left, right and centre. Seeking desperately for bailout. What if you have not met your target? What would have happened?
You would have long yielded to Dino Melaye’s postulation many times over. . By now, knocking at the doors of Opay, Palmpay, Moniepoint, etc. With caps in hands for loans. Ridiculous but candid!
He remains unperturbed. He ignored all murmurings. He thought to himself. Having attained the incredible. He completed his work in the third quarter of the year. Particularly achieving revenue target within eight months of a 12-month calendar. He deserves the best of rest in the best part of the globe.
He was patriotic enough. He only took a 10-day vacation. And it would be a “working” holiday. But his schedule of duty, he refused to let it out. He kept it close to his chest. His spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, grudgingly volunteered: “President Tinubu will spend the period between France and the UK and then return to the country.”
That got some “concerned” governors thinking. They were ahead of their colleagues. They were so impressed with Tinubu’s revenue target feat. That spurred them on the more. And they became obsessed and possessed.
They hurriedly packed their bags and baggage. With utter disregard to pressing state matters. They headed in the way of Abuja. That’s a recurring decimal in this dispensation. It moves nobody to tears any longer.
Some governors have even “japa” to Abuja. Visiting the states they govern on short vacation. And on short notice. That’s the way they elect to rule us. We were naïve.
We attempted to toe their crooked path. We innocently thought they had an urgent matter to trash out with the President. Just before he flew out. All our fragile fingers were kept crossed.
What we saw that Thursday, September 4, 2025, threw us off balance. As if we never saw somebody waving hands before. Theirs were executive ones. So, these governors could be this unserious and demeaning?
Nothing we will not throw up in this our weird clime. Nothing we will not toy with. Nothing we will not experiment with. And the reason we are having all sorts of horrible experiences.
First. We started with hailers and wailers. We have upped the game. And these are at the forefront. It’s obvious. They’re the rave of this perilous moment. They’re proudly the waving governors.
They are unmoved and unrepentantly excited. They’re thrilled by their waving new role. They won’t joke with it. It’s dear to their hearts; germane to their existence. They care less, if it mars or makes them.
They are wrongly dedicated to their newfound awkward assignment. Their statutory roles mean nothing to them. And, gladly, they recruit themselves to wave all the time. Anytime Tinubu chooses to appear or disappear. And he does that frequently, with the speed of light.
We don’t know how long this will last. Or whether their governor-colleagues will soon catch the festering bug. Untroubled! That’s what we notice in them. They take it as a serious business.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State a step higher. He singled himsef out of the pack of the comical waving governors. He made things messier. He couldn’t bear missing Tinubu even for only 10 days.
To kill that depressing boredom. And close up the huge gulf, Sanwo-Olu too opted to sneak out to Milan, Spain. Almost immediately after he waved off Tinubu. So a source claimed. He came back last Monday after six days. The very sneaking way he left. The source confirmed with certainty.
This official rascality certainly did not start today. But it’s getting worse, nauseating. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo invented it. And his military background informed his actions. He ought to have been put in proper check then. But, who would bell the cat? None had the guts.
Obasanjo could summon an elected, sitting governor to Abuja. And the governor would be there in a jiffy. What audacity! Governors are elected like the President. They have clear-cut jurisdictions and roles. It’s all unambiguously spelt out in the Constitution.
Does it happen in the USA? That’s where we pretend to copy our constitution. But we’re dishonourable with ourselves. Our rulers pick which provisions of the Constitution to obey.
They stick strictly to the letters. Those provisions that align with their greed, avarice, whims and caprices. Those they don’t flow with, they detest like a pandemic. And obey them in total disobedience.
Two former Presidents stood tall: the late Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. There was decorum when their tenures lasted. They injected some sanity into the system. They were relatively refined in their approach. Fine gentlemen.
Sycophancy in governance became a state policy when the late Muhammadu Buhari held us by the jugular. Governors, ministers, lawmakers, et al, were deeply involved. They turned it into hero-worship. When Buhari refused to summon them, they summoned themselves. Falling over to gain presidential attention.
Buhari wisely latched on it to his selfish benefit. He enjoyed being worshipped as a tin god. His over 100-day medical tourism was the height of obsequious behaviours. All our rulers almost emptied themselves to Abuja. Just to wave him back home as if he cared.
In this same Nigeria, we once saw true democracy at play. We enjoyed it walking on its legs. With its head high up, almost unadulterated. Displaying its splendour and richness. It was a beauty to behold. Not anymore! Now, we are witnessing the other side. Ugly, detestable and despicable.
This is not fair. Especially to generations that never experienced the pre-Independence era first and second republics. Our rulers are not doing them any good. They know good things to do but they won’t do the needful.
A peep into the Second Republic is necessary. It will make us realise the magnitude of what we have at hand. It will also afford us a proper understanding. And serve a good purpose.
A President Shehu Shagari (NPN) dared not summon a Governor Sam Mbakwe (NPP, old Imo State), or a Governor Bola Ige (UPN, old Oyo State), or a Governor Mohammed Goni (GNPP, old Borno State), or a Governor Balarabe Musa (PRP, old Kaduna State) to the old State House in Lagos. Or anywhere else. To do what? That couldn’t have crossed his mind.
They did operate the same constitution. It’s the same document the present operators and rulers are running aground. See how they are violently throwing away the checks and balances out of the speeding train.
The old runners of democracy had great respect for the constitutions they operated. First, Parliamentary and, later, Presidential. They equally had mutual respect for one another. There was healthy competition. Not cutthroat rivalry.
The reason President Shagari could honour Chief Obafemi Awolowo with the highest award, GCFR. He was a thorn in Shagari’s flesh. His fiercest opponent in the 1979 and 1983 presidential elections.
Yet, Shagari waved all that aside. He saw qualities and merits in Awolowo. And he honoured him accordingly. He didn’t lose his sleep. Or had nightmares. He did it with honesty. It wasn’t make-believe. It was genuine; from his inner heart. And Awolowo heartily appreciated it.
Our past leaders were sincere in their actions and inactions. They did understand the constitution and worked by its tenets. It was the era when values were valued and cherished. Uprightness was the order of the day.
Those are the ingredients that nurture authentic democracy and make it tick, buoyant and flamboyant. Not utter grandstanding, intrigues, manipulations, falsehoods and outright lies!
This present crop of leaders is the exact opposite. They feign ignorance and dwell in self-denial. They knowingly walk the constitution on its head. Their watchwords: Do as I say. Never as I do.
All the way from their states to Abuja. They generously offered Tinubu their gubernatorial waving. Trust Tinubu, the “Grandmaster!” He won’t miss the slightest opportunity for anything.
He responded with bounteous presidential acceptance. The duo unconsciously jumped for joy. You could see that all over them. It was overwhelming. The sacrifice they offered was acceptable to the god.
Timely caution. Those running our affairs should endeavour to dignify leadership. And not desecrate it. They should elevate it. Don’t pervert it.
Imagine! Tinubu just woke one unholy day. And decided that he has met his own self-set revenue target. Worst still. He was unmindful enough to insult us. Telling it to our bare face. Boastfully with pomposity.
No indices. No veritable data, facts and figures. All full of heresies and hearsays. And he wanted us to swallow it hook, line and sinkers. Who does that?
Yet, the funny ilk of these governors saw a worthy celebration in that! Who did we offend in this land? Who offended us? Either way. Let’s beg and seek forgiveness. Let this cup pass over us.
Does anybody still want to wave to the President? Of course, yes. Nobody but this pack of comical waving governors. All others are fakes! Flukes!
