Between Tinubu And Mobutu: A Tale Of Two Africa’s Emperors -By Abdu Abdullahi

Immediately after his controversial victory in 2023, President Bola Ahmad Tinubu delivered a brief but inspiring speech of national mobilisation, qualifying himself as,’ servant of a larger purpose’.

This was a seemingly overt pledge of a new dawn for Nigeria. Like the late Buhari’s failed articulation of ‘I belong to everyone and belong to no one’, this attractive phrase also refers to a mindset of service orientation over self- interest pandemic. In a broader perspective, it is fundamentally about servant leadership, a philosophy where a leader acts as a committed servant for the greater good rather than desperately seeking power, fame or fortune.

For long, Nigeria has increasingly been frustrated and devastated by poor leadership. This political disease attained its catastrophic climax during the presidency of late Muhammadu Buhari. Often abused by quack leaders, the fascinating concept is rooted in the idea of being a ‘servant first’, a term coined by Robert Greenleaf in 1958, often exemplified by authentic ‘servant leaders’ who focus on stewardship rather than control. ‘Servant first ‘ is an extremely moral mobilizer that guides leaders to do the needful and discards the needless. It is all about humility, creating a new aura of citizenship so that something huge can happen through selfless service.

What has happened to the declaration of this moral concept, almost three years into Tinubu’s presidency? Indeed, Tinubu’s mandate is fostering a ‘systematic’ and ‘structural’ coup against Nigeria’s democracy and replacing it with Tinubu’s democracy. In this type of democracy, one of its fundamental pillars is ensuring and deepening “institutional collapse”. It is an experimental democracy that idolizes Tinubu as the only thing that matters in Nigeria.

Though he had told us not to elect him again if he did not fix power supply in Nigeria, his ‘larger’ purpose vision is evidently becoming constricted and shallow in purpose and practice. Meanwhile, Nigerians are groaning under economic hardship, unprecedented insecurity and general feelings of despair among others. Yet, Tinubu’s ostentatious leadership style is insensitive and grossly inimical to national aspirations. For instance, he was busy attending a lavish state visit to the United Kingdom while Maiduguri and some parts of the country were in flames.

A critical examination reveals how Tinubu is dangerously becoming an unmistakable and perfect replica of the late Mobutu Sese seko, the emperor of Zaire. During his repressive rule, Mobutu fostered a kind of personality cult which made him the focal point of all national life. Today, Nigeria is sadly assuming another Zaire. In fact, Tinubu wants to achieve where Mobutu failed in power excesses. Tinubu, Seyi and Remi are incredibly becoming the only political factors in Nigeria today. You can call it the ‘Tinubu Dynasty’ in action.The other time, Professor Wole Soyinka was disgusted when he saw Seyi enjoying the security privilege given to a sitting president. In the first place, he could not believe his eyes. But unfortunately for Soyinka and the rest of us, it was a reality of the self- acclaimed servant of a larger purpose arrogantly transforming his prodigal son to be ‘ the second president’ of Nigeria, because he is seemingly more powerful than Vice-President Kashim Shettima. It is a glaring display of power corruption.

History will never forget Mobutu as establishing a totalitarian one party state in 1967. By 2027, 60 years after, the same history will also not forget that it is Tinubu’s political gamble of turning Nigeria into a one party state. Already, he has conquered almost all the opposition governors. He is probably adopting the strategic plan of Mobutu through buying off governors and other prominent opposition members. Tinubu is making it possible that the only political commodity for sale in Nigeria is the APC, despite its woeful performance and ruinous character. Those who refused to be bought are subjected to intimidation and political persecutions deploying state institutions like the EFCC, DSS. The dangerous signal here is that Tinubu is desperately making 2027 elections a do-or-die affair.

When Mobutu was reigning supreme, he incurred a large debt burden for his country at a period of economic predicament. Today, Tinubu is making progress in debt accumulation despite his unplanned and ‘ suicidal’ removal of fuel subsidy. This is blindly supported by the infamous National Assembly. It is assuming a symbolic paralysis of democracy. It is now a rubber stamp that has abandoned its legislative role of serving the interest of the electorates. The members’ loyalty to the president is alive, while their loyalty to the electorates is completely dead.

During his infamous rule, Mobutu ensured massive currency devaluation and made living very miserable for the people of Zaire. Likewise, Tinubu’s celebrated economic reform has as its main focus currency devaluation. It has reached a disturbing trend that the ‘ assassination ‘ of the Naira has thrown many Nigerians into abject poverty. The way Zaire suffered uncontrollable inflation under Mobutu is also currently rejuvenating as we are experiencing the same unbearable situation.

Mobutu was known for notorious extravagance in the midst of economic hardships. For instance, his shopping trips to Paris via the supersonic Concorde aircraft will never be forgotten. Tinubu had demonstrated that in less than one year of his government, N21 billion was spent on renovating the Vice- President’s residence, N1.5 billion spent on luxury vehicles for the office of the First Lady, N5 billion a presidential yacht and another N5 billion for a presidential car fleet. These are just few examples. Is this the actual meaning of ‘servant of a larger purpose’?

Now that Tinubu is gradually transforming into an emperor, how did we find ourselves in this political mess? Prior to the 2023 elections, An erudite columnist, Olu Fasan authored a very brilliant piece published by the Vanguard newspaper on February 2, 2023 entitled: A plea to the North: Don’t foist Tinubu on Nigeria. In it he categorically warns: ” But here’s my message to the North. You are a critical kingmaker in choosing Nigeria’s next president this month. Act patriotically in the national interest. Don’t foist a disastrous presidency on Nigeria”.

What happened to that serious warning? In the end, Fasan was disappointed by the North. However, he is vindicated by the wise saying that, ‘he who laughs last , laughs best. Undisputably, the same ‘kingmaker’ North is now crying against utter neglect by Tinubu despite making him the President. But, in another article by the same writer, he queries: Between Tinubu and North: Whose betrayal is worse? He bitterly laments: ” Truth be told, there are two betrayals here: one, the betrayal of the Nigeria: the other, the betrayal of the North!”

He continues: “Take the first betrayal. Without equivocation, the North betrayed Nigeria in making Tinubu President in 2023. I say that not because the North did not have the right to choose whom it wanted as president, because it made that choice without putting Nigeria first.”

The question then is, will the same North that gave him the license for the presidency in 2023 reject him in the 2027 elections?

Abdu Abdullahi 
aaringim68@gmail.com
07036207998