He was in Borno State to inaugurate projects but Asiwaju Bola Tinubu ended up with a Kanuri cap on his head and a doctors’ quarters named after him. It was a mark of the warm reception he received, TUNDE RAHMAN reports
He moved with the agility of a 40-year-old. He was strong and sprightly. For over six hours he was moving from one point to another, from one Borno remote village to another, inaugurating project after project. The strength and agility he demonstrated surprised not a few. At some point, some people began to stay back in the vehicles to watch proceedings. But not Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He kept on surging forward. He did not betray any tiredness; he was his usual self, strong and sprightly. He would alight from the car swiftly, head for the next port of call, deliver his speech brilliantly and inaugurate the project with admiration. The former Lagos State governor was in Borno State from Monday, March 6 to Tuesday, March 7 to inaugurate some of the projects embarked upon by Governor Kashim Shettima.
In Borno, he received a hero’s welcome. From Maiduguri International Airport to the venue of each of the numerous projects inaugurated on the occasion and to Borno State Government House where he was accommodated during the two-day visit, the reception accorded him and his entourage was warm and massive.
It must be pointed out that the visit had been planned for a long time and was arranged primarily for the All Progressives Congress National Leader to inaugurate the projects executed by Governor Shettima, and nothing more. Tinubu is not the only one lined up to inaugurate Shettima’s projects. But he was the one who set the project inauguration ball rolling for Governor Shettima, and admiringly so. Other personalities are also in line to inaugurate projects at a later date.
Maiduguri Airport…
the red carpet
Tinubu and his entourage arrived at the airport in Maiduguri around 11 am that fateful Monday. On the entourage were APC Interim Chairman and former Osun State governor, Chief Bisi Akande; Political Leader and former Presidential Liaison Officer, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, the Muttawali Borno; Senator Gbenga Obadara from Ogun State and a few of Tinubu’s aides including this writer.
They arrived into the waiting hands of Governor Shettima, his cabinet members and security men. There were entertainers in place. A red carpet was laid for him from the tarmac to the vehicle waiting to convey him. The governor more or less shut down the entire state machinery for the APC leader. Everybody that is important in the state government was at the airport. The issue was not who was there, it was who was n’t and missed the epoch-making ceremony. Many say that kind of reception is uncommon in the history of the state.
Projects, projects & more projects
Airport reception and introduction ceremonies over, the work, which brought the august visitors to the state, began in earnest. The train moved from the airport directly to the first port of call: the Benisheik General Hospital, some 25 kilometres away. The hospital was inaugurated amid celebration. Destroyed by Boko Haram insurgency, it was rebuilt by Governor Shettima to provide healthcare to the people and help in elongating their lives. A total of 432 resettlement houses for victims of Boko Haram insurgency, 26 luxury apartments for medical doctors and 13 schools, general hospitals and primary healthcare centres were inaugurated by Tinubu. Most of the projects are in five villages of Ngamdu, Benisheikh, Mainta Kururi, Tassukawu, Mainok and Auno located in Kaga and Konduga Local Government areas of the state. In these villages, you find the schools, general hospitals and health centres completely ruined by Boko Haram now rebuilt by the governor.
The classrooms were well equipped. There was a special emphasis on the girl-child education. Residential houses were built for teachers. There is also arrangement for school-feeding in place in the state. Some of the projects also centre on agriculture-projects like 10ha drip irrigation scheme, fish ponds, etc.
From Benisheikh to Jimitilo
From Benisheikh, Tinubu and his entourage proceeded to Jimitilo Town to officially declare open the Jajal Primary School. From Jimitilo, the team moved to Auto for the inauguration of Trampolin Fish Ponds, Auno 10ha Drip Irrigation Scheme, Auto Clinic and Housing Estate. From there, all roads led to Jakana Town where Jakana 10ha Drip irrigation Scheme and Jakana Primary School were formally opened.
The team eventually returned to the Government House around 6 pm on that first day to freshen up for the dinner organised for Tinubu and his entourage. The dinner was laced with cultural displays by various groups including the Yoruba group with dancers and drummers, who the Master of Ceremonies said had lived in Maiduguri for over 30 years. “They were not brought from Lagos or any of the Yoruba states. They have lived with us for more than 30 years. They are Kanuri-Yoruba,” he said to a wild applause.
‘Shettima confronting extant challenge boldly’
It was at the dinner that Tinubu gave one of his best speeches in recent times. Speaking extempore, he said: “It is a great honour for me to be here. I’m completely overwhelmed by the reception given me and my entourage. I was invited to inaugurate projects by a governor committed to his people. Governor Shettima is somebody I have so much respect for.
“When I told a friend I was coming to Borno State, he asked if that was not where Boko Haram still engaged in occasional attacks. I said I would honour the invitation. I said Governor Shettima is a highly committed and courageous leader who is making changes in spite of the challenge.
“He is confronting the new challenge boldly, the challenge of some shadowy and amorphous young people being used as pawns by a defeated Boko Haram engaging in end games.
“Yes, there still a challenge but Governor Shettima has refused to be cowed. Governor Shettima’s story is not written yet. His leadership story is just unfolding for the world to see. What happened here would have weighed some others down. It would have discouraged some others.”
To Governor Shettima, he said, “But you are not discouraged. You are determined. You are rebuilding the infrastructure that had been brought to ruins by Boko Haram, which is even more difficult. You are giving your people a new lease of life. I salute your courage.”
Those gathered at the dinner held inside an expansive hall within the Government House applauded the APC leader at every turn. The audience included members of the State Executive Council, who had earlier taken turns to give Asiwaju and his team further briefing on their projects, members of Borno Elders Council, traditional rulers and party leaders.
Tinubu continued: ”The projects I inaugurated are people-centred projects. For instance, the hospital I opened at Benisheik would help in providing good health and in elongating the lives of the people. I always hold the view that the provision of health services to the people is one of the rights of the people. Governor Shettima, you have reinforced that belief by what you have done.
“I thank you for inviting me to come here. Thank you for the honour and hospitality you have given me and our team. Thank you for the good leadership you are demonstrating here. Thank you.”
Extraordinary humility
But it was Shettima’s profound speech, which set the tone for that speech by the APC Leader. The governor, who spoke first, began by paying tribute to Tinubu for his humility, noting that the attitude of his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, reveals the man in him. This is how he put it: ”There is an African saying (I think from Ethiopia) that often times, the true nature of a very powerful man, is easily seen from the character of his favourite wife. I recall that on Wednesday, 25th of November, 2015, about 10 Governors, mostly of the APC attended the funeral of Mama H.I.D Awolowo in Ikene, and after that funeral we all drove to Lagos in a bus straight to the residence of our National Leader, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Ikoyi. We actually went to see him off since he was inside the bus with us to the funeral.
“I noticed that as soon as our bus reached the house, Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu started rushing; in fact she was practically running to enter the house. She was completely acting in a true fashion of an African Woman. I kept wondering why she was in such a rush. As the wife of our National Leader, I was expecting the usual slow and proud walk of wives of powerful men. She had every reason to show pride after all, her husband is our leader and most of us, the Governors were all holding back ourselves in submission to the aura of Asiwaju.
“To the shock of all of us, by the time we entered the residence of Asiwaju, his wife had moved straight into the kitchen in the midst of cooks, and you could see how free and friendly she was with the cooks. She began to bring food to our table by herself and some of us were not comfortable but she insisted. To our greater shock, she insisted on dishing out the food to each of us and members of our delegation. She served not less than 30 persons and also picked dishes herself to convey food to some of our aides seated outside. I must confess that my experience that very day was my closest contact with extraordinary humility in a wife of a very powerful man”.
Rescue from Alhaji Allah
Shettima also spoke about why the state decided to honour Tinubu not only by inviting him to come and inaugurate projects but also by naming the doctors’ apartments after him. He said it was to appreciate him for rescuing the APC in Borno ahead of the 2015 elections from the grip of one man he called ‘Alhaji Allah’. He said as governor, he succeeded in taking control of the Borno APC in 2015 largely because Tinubu refused to support the game plan of the ‘wealthy tyrant’.
He said: “For us in Borno State APC, I must confess, that we owe our political freedom and independence to not only our firmness but importantly, to the wisdom and sincerity of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Someone has asked me yesterday and sought to know our reason not for inviting Tinubu for commissioning of projects but for naming a project after him in Borno State. I replied the person in five words by saying, it’s our show of gratitude.
“Naturally, the person asked me, gratitude in what sense. I explained that after the APC was created in the build-up to the 2015 elections, we firmly resisted serious attempts by someone who wanted to completely hijack the entire party machinery with total disregard for our existence. But despite our resistance, that person would probably have had some oxygen if he had secured the support of Asiwaju. From day one, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was opposed to political tyranny in Borno State and was in support of our political freedom and democratic liberty”.
Early on Tuesday, Tinubu proceeded to inaugurate the doctors’ apartments, named after him. It was again amid celebration. The quarters contain 26 apartments, in five sets of three-storey buildings. Speaking at the event, the APC leader thanked Governor Shettima for remembering the doctors. He said providing a good accommodation for the doctors was an encouragement for provision of quality healthcare services. He also said the gesture of naming the apartments after him would remain etched in his memory.
Before leaving the Government House, Asiwaju Tinubu removed his traditional trademark Yoruba cap for the Kanuri cap gifted him by Governor Shettima. It was the first time many would see him don a cap different from his popular cap. It was in honour of the governor. After the opening of the doctors’ quarters, the delegation headed for the airport for departure formalities. Governor Shettima and his cabinet members were again complete at the airport to bid Asiwaju farewell.
Situation in Maiduguri
Now, how was Maiduguri generally, you may ask? It seemed generally calm. There are people on the streets. You would also glimpse security men including civilian members of the Joint Task Force at every turn. But the people still live in awe of Boko Haram suicide bombers. There are reports of suicide attacks in parts of the state and Maiduguri does not seem completely immune from the attack. Boko Haram is still engaged in desperate antics. Governor Shettima knows this so well. In his speech, he pleaded with Asiwaju and the authorities in Abuja to complete the job. Boko Haram should not be allowed to rear its ugly heads again, he said. The dreaded sect should be wrestled to the ground completely and exorcised.
