Awolowo A Courageous Leader, I Draw Inspiration From Him — Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday, paind glowing tributes to the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whom he described as a leader that would not give in to cosmetics governance.

Tinubu emphatically declared that he drew inspirations to govern Nigeria from the idea through which he administered the incumbent All Progressives Congress-led federal government from what Awolowo stood for politically and in social life.

President Tinubu stated these while delivering his address at the year 2026 edition of the of the Obafemi Awolowo, held in commemoration of the the sage’s 117 Posthumous birthday celebration at the Efuyela Hall, Ikenne in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Represented by the minister of state for health and social development, Dr. Ishiaq Salako, Tinubu emphatically declared that Nigeria has a leader in the mould of Chief Obafemi Awolowo currently leading the country.

Salako explained that all the reforms introduced by the President Tinubu-led administration upon assumption of office are those patterned after Awolowo “as a man with clear vision, courage, and tenacity to follow through”.

He explained that as the Premier of the old Western Regionof Nigeria, Awolowo prioritised infrastructural development, especially building road networks, which are also part of that the Tinubu-led federal government is replicating throughout the country.

“Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo demonstrated that to go beyond cosmetic impact and profoundly change the trajectory of our development, we need leaders who are courageous, who are focused, visionary, who think not just of the immediate but of the future; leaders who act, not just talk.

“Records has it that Tinubu revolutionised road infrastructure by constructing over 2, 000 kilometres of roads, including significant bitumen-surfaced roads, which was nearly 10 times the mileage inherited from British colonial administration.

“Nigeria under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led government with the support of the citizen is on a clear path towards economic recovery and prosperity.

“Those reforms literally pulled Nigeria from the precipice of bankruptcy and fiscal collapse. Successive government before May 2023 avoided addressing challenges headon and chose to provide palliative treatment to an ailment requiring radical surgery.”

Salako however, called on all Nigerians to sustain their faith in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu-led administration, stressing that all hands must be on deck to sustain and consolidate on those gains to translate to better living conditions for an ordinary Nigerian.

Earlier in her welcome address, executive director of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Ambassador Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, disclosed that the posthumous birthday memorial lecture provided an opportunity for “reflection, interrogation and recommitment” to the ideals of principled leadership, social justice, intellectual rigour, and public service for which her late father, Awolowo embodied during his lifetime.

“The Memorial Lecture remains one of the Foundation’s most important platforms for engaging the enduring questions of leadership and nation-building. We are honoured that you have chosen to share in this intellectual and moral enterprise.”

In his goodwill address delivered, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku expresseed serions concerns over the forthcoming year 2027 general elections, even as he threw his weight behind President Tinubu’s search for foreign assistance towards ending insecurity.

Anyaoku, who spoke at the event themed: “Politics As Future Making: Awolowo And Leadership As Theory Of Action,” organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, warned that Nigeria must address the critical national challenges, which included the worsening security situation, as well as the political climates ahead of the conduct of year 2027 general elections in order to safeguard its democratic reputation and sovereignty.

He emphasised that the federal government must ensure that the country’s collaboration with the United States, or any other foreign assistance towards addressing the country’s insecurity challenges must be structured in such a way that will respect the country’s sovereignty.

In his goodwillmessage, the elder statesman noted that political actors appear to have become increasingly preoccupied with the 2027 elections, even as Nigeria continues to grapple with severe security threats and humanitarian crises in several states.

“I want to make a very brief comment on only two of the major challenges currently facing our country, namely the preoccupation with the 2027 national elections and the unrelenting insecurity with the continuing kidnapping, abductions and killings in states like Zamfara, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Benue and Sokoto.

“On the 2027 national elections, I want to say the government and in particular to INEC, especially after the controversies over the electronic transmission of votes from poling units to INEC results’ viewing portals. That the international community will be watching very closely, the party campaigns, the processes and the actual conduct of the elections and that the results of the elections will be assessed for their fairness and credibility by other countries, including in particular those ones with diplomatic representations on Nigeria.

“Regarding the raging insecurity in the seven states of the nation. I want say that after a decade of inability to arrest the kidnappings, the abductions, the killings and the growing population people forcefully displaced from their ancestral lands and farms, that the federal government is right; indeed tight to seek collaboration and help from friendly countries in addressing the country’s internal insecurity.

“The only caveat should continue to be that in seeking to effectuate the elimination of the bandits and the jihadists, the collaborative arrangement should continue to be mindful of respect for the sovereignty of Nigeria.”

Corroborating Anyaoku’s message, the Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, faulted the continous hiding away from the public, the verson of the Electoral Act signed by President Tinubu.

Emphasising that all stakeholders in the year 2027 general elections ought to have obtained the signed copy of the Electoral Act “if truly Nigeria pracices true Federalism,” Makinde however, challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alongside others, to make public, the said copy.