An Igbo businessman has revealed why Tinubu should be the next president of Nigeria.
According to a report by The Nation, a businessman, hotelier and realtor, Chief Cornelius Sunday Solomon Nwachukwu, has backed the aspiration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to govern the country, saying he is the best among all the candidates eyeing to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chief Nwachukwu who is the Enyi wara Uzo (the elephant that cleared the road for others to pass) 1 of Okposi Kingdom of Ebonyi State, said this at the commemoration of his coronation recently as the Otun Amuyudun of Orile-Agege Kingdom by the Alayige of Orile-Agege Kingdom, His Royal Majestic, Oba Ambaliu Hakeem Agbedeyi.
The coronation took place at the new palace of the Orile-Agege Kingdom which was commissioned by the speaker of the Lagos State, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.
Nwachukwu described the former Lagos State governor as a leader with a national outlook, a detribalised, competent, courageous politician and statesman.
He said Tinubu’s knack to discover talents is legendary and that his stewardship in Lagos, which is a mini-country, shows that he has the experience, capability and mental resources to lead a diverse and multi-ethnic Nigeria.
He said: “To me, Tinubu stands above any of the presidential candidates. I stand to defend my opinion. When other Igbo governors were busy retrenching civil servants who are not from their state, Tinubu was busy employing the best hands irrespective of where they come from. Lai Mohammed is from Kwara, Tinubu made him his Chief of Staff, and Ben Akabueze who hails from Anambra was made a commissioner under his administration, among others.
“Nigeria has three problems today; one is the disintegration of Nigeria. Everybody is saying I am an Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba man. So, we need someone who can unite us and Tinubu has demonstrated that he can do that. Two, we have a problem with resources. He took Lagos State’s internally generated revenue (IGR) from millions to mega billions. He has demonstrated he has the technical know-how to uplift the nation’s economy.
“Third, we have a problem of insecurity, before he became governor, area boy was what we suffered in Lagos but when he came on board, he saw their problem and gave them jobs. The first set of LASTMA officials and the neighbourhood watch were area boys. Today they are gainfully employed and contributing to the security of the land. There is a saying in Yoruba land ole lomo ese ole tun (send a criminal to go and catch a criminal). He has demonstrated that and he has the key to solving insecurity on the federal level. My advice is that Tinubu is the man, vote for Tinubu.”
Speaking on why the Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu deserved a second run, Nwachukwu said the governor has demonstrated commitment to the Lagos master plan so far.
“Governance to me is continuity. If you go to other states you will see abandoned projects but Lagos is the only state you will come and there are no abandoned projects. Sanwo-Olu has committed himself to the continuation of Tinibu’s legacy and the development of Lagos state. So I think he deserves a second term based on the achievement he has recorded,” he said.
Giving the reasons why he was given the chieftaincy title, Nwachukwu said it was because of his antecedents in the committee.
He urged Nigerians to make a home anywhere they are across the nation, adding that his home title showed his antecedents at home as well.
“That also shows I’m relevant at home as well as relevant in where I leave. Where ever you are, don’t fail to identify with the land where you are. Whatever you are doing will not go unnoticed, no matter how little it is. If you are good or bad, people still notice.”
He further advised Ndigbo to heed the advice of old that said, “Ebe onye noo ka onawachi (Where one lives and does business is where he or she should guard and protect).
“Lagos has been home for us. An average Igbo man has four or five hours in Lagos and has only one house in his village. Even governors of the eastern region reside in Lagos. After they finish their terms they return to Lagos. So this is the time for us to show appreciation to the land that has given us a fortune. We need to identify with them and support Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“Without being biased, the Yorubas are the most accommodating in the federation. Take it or leave. You can to the bank. I come from Ebonyi state, from the Okposi community. It is difficult for an Okposi man to buy land from the Ezi commune and it is difficult for an Ezi man to buy land from the Ohaozara community, all communities in Ebonyi state. But here in Lagos, I have more than five properties and still counting. I have a real estate company that has hundreds of lands. A Yoruba man is accommodating more than any other tribe. For them to recognize me and give me a title shows they are accommodating.”
