Lagos used to be in Daura, Katsina State.
I do not mean this geographically, but by how important a city becomes when it produces a sitting president or becomes his preferred holiday spot. The ancient Hausa emirate is the hometown of former President Muhammadu Buhari and served as his favourite holiday spot.
Under Buhari, the town hosted political, business and religious heavyweights such as governors, ministers, businesspeople and even some foreign dignitaries. Almost every holiday, people would inquire if ‘Baba’ would remain in Abuja or jet to Daura. He often chose the latter.
Sitting in Abuja during major festivals often accompanied the tradition of hosting residents of the Federal Capital Territory at the Aso Rock Villa. It meant those who would not usually be there could access the President briefly. At one such gathering in April 2023, I shook hands with the former President when he stood in the lobby to greet and take photos with his guests. However, when the President decided to holiday outside Abuja, Daura became, perhaps, the busiest town in the country.
With President Bola Tinubu in office, the practice has survived. Though Lagos has always been a beehive of activities, it has worn a special status for being the President’s home and top local holiday spot. Local, because nothing beats Paris.
So, when I learned that the President was jetting to Lagos, I knew that the monkeys and peacocks in the Villa would have a field day due to lessened traffic on the main premises. Most of the big names in Abuja relocated to Lagos for the time being. Close allies in Lagos, who cannot bear the heavy scrutiny required to enter the Villa, often wait for seasons like these when the President visits their turf. I call them the “patient birds.”
As the President told the Lagos local government officials, who visited him the Wednesday before the last, “For those having difficulty seeing me, kindly note that this job is monumental. It is not a one-man job. It is a collective task, and you have to be able to listen, decipher, tolerate, and sometimes what you do not expect will happen.”
Prof Soyinka meets the Olorikunkun
One of Tinubu’s non-political guests, who piqued my interest, was the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, who appears to be extending the President’s honeymoon even when Nigerians cut it short. While the rest of the country hurled a mix of praise and criticisms at the President, Soyinka seemed to be delaying gratification. He promised to reserve all his observations about Tinubu’s government until one year into his term in May 2024. He explained this as a personal policy, saying the one-year wait allows the President to “make up” for lost ground.
I understand this to mean that Soyinka believes any leader may blame early blunders on a prior government. But after one year, you are the problem. It reminds me of a quote I saw on social media months ago, “The excuse of ‘I came from a poor background’ ends at age 30. After that, you are the background.”
Soyinka, who dubbed his appearance an “embarrassing visit,” said he came to see “the stubborn one” who refused to be persuaded against running for the Presidency. He explained, “Actually, it’s an embarrassing visit because when I visited him the last time, it was to try and persuade him not to run for office.
“I told Atiku and himself to leave the field so that young people can run. That’s the last time we met, about five years ago.
“I secretly call him Olorinkunkun, the stubborn man. So, he ignored my advice completely. I came to see how he was doing after ignoring my advice…to see how he and his wife are weathering Nigeria and wish them a Happy Christmas.”
The President’s stubbornness, according to the Nobel Laureate, must have paid off in his political career, from his private-sector days to leading Africa’s largest economy. Now, Nigerians want to see that stubbornness deployed against the plethora of challenges rocking the nation. In the battle of the stubborn ones, may the best olorikunkun win.
Duty over leisure
From signing the Student Loan Act on Democracy Day last year to signing the 2024 budget on New Year’s Day, the President upholds his long-held tradition of duty over leisure.
When Nigerians were observing the New Year holiday on January 1, Tinubu left Lagos for Abuja to sign the 2024 Appropriation Bill into law. After inspecting a guard of honour, which welcomed him at the airport, the President rode straight to his office at the Aso Rock Villa, where a retinue of lawmakers and senior officials were waiting.
To an external observer, it did not sound like much. But for some in the community, it was like being awoken from sleep by a bucket of chilled water at the peak of harmattan. Nonetheless, those who listened sensed the New Year surprise from weeks away.
When Tinubu presented the budget proposals to a joint session of the National Assembly on November 29, 2023, he said, “Our goal is to ensure that the Approbation Act comes into effect on January 1, 2024.” He said so, knowing full well that January 1 was a public holiday.
Sitting in that room that afternoon, an elated Tinubu told his team, “Signing the Appropriation Act today is a great honour because to me, as a politician and head of state, there is no holiday. When I was campaigning for this job, I made a pledge that I would commit myself fully.
“It is a happy new year for every one of us. It is a promising year for people to gather and put their energy and thoughts in place for the nation’s interest. Thank you very much, I must say.”
Having okayed two important pieces of legislation on public holidays, no one should be surprised if President Tinubu signs bills or walks into his office on Sallah, Easter, Christmas, Workers’ Day, or any other holiday in the future.
A personal thank you note
I cannot begin 2024 without acknowledging you, who have stayed with this column since the first edition went live on May 28. Some of your fellow readers contacted me via calls and text messages to encourage and advise me.
Since I cannot see the picture when I’m in the frame, your feedback has been my compass. In a world where attention is more than gold, I cherish every minute you have spent reading this column.
Thirty-three Sundays later, I am immensely grateful to my supportive colleagues and my editors at the top, who deemed me worthy to share the lesser-known sides of the Aso Rock Villa with you, my reader. I am encouraged to continue giving you the most insightful views from Behind the Rock, views you won’t find anywhere else. I wish you a prosperous new year!