From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
At the Presidential Inaugural Ball held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Monday night, Vice President Kashim Shettima described President Bola Tinubu as a visionary idea that had taken years to cultivate, forging invaluable relationships and building vital bridges to realize success.
He further revealed the President’s intelligent and deliberate approach to planning, and admired his status as a political expert skilled in careful mentorship of future leaders.
Shettima recognised President Tinubu’s remarkable reputation as a man of action, committed to shaping a bright future for his country and prayed for the health, serenity and wisdom needed to guide the nation.
“Victor Hugo, a French novelist and poet once said that there’s nothing as powerful in this world as an idea whose time has come. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an idea who time has come.
“This is an idea that was not incubated three years ago, this is an idea that was cultivated right from 1992, when he joined positive like minds and joined the people’s front. He has built relationships, he has built bridges. So the road that led us to Asiwaju did not happen by chance, he has shown a proclivity, a propensity and an inclination to invest in building bridges across the length and breadth of this nation.
“Exactly about a year ago, there was palpable tension in the land prior to the 8th of June APC presidential primaries. Dreams, when persisted, are capable of turning into realities.
“T.A Lawrence once said that all men dream, but not equally. Those who dream in the dark recesses of the night awake in the day to find all was vanity, but the dreamer of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes and make it possible.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a dreamer of the day and hence a very dangerous political Maestro. We are here to celebrate the inauguration of the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a man of ideas, a man of action, a man with a propensity of building leaders.
“Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I want us all to fill up our cups and toast to democracy, a toast to the 16th President of Nigeria. May God grant him good health, may God grant him the serenity of mind, may God grant him the wisdom to translate the Nigerian dreams into reality”, he said.
The highlight of the night was watching the President and the Vice President dance with their wives in what the anchors described as the inaugural dance.
Among the guests at the event were the vice President Kashim Shettima, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Others were the governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos Hope Uzodinma of Imo; Senator-elect Adams Oshiomhole; oil magnate, Tein Jack-Rich and among others.