Oluremi Tinubu, A Heroine Of Democracy: Let Her Go To The Senate

Some people think that the wife of the former Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu is just a house wife who prepares food for Asiwaju and helps him to raise the kids. Some people think Yeye Asiwaju is just an ordinary house wife who has little to offer to the growth of the commonwealth. Yet some think Oluremi just wants to ride on the back of her very successful husband to stardom without paying the price of leadership.

But many may not know that Chief Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu is a heroine of this our renascent democracy. When I wrote the Book, Heroes of Democracy in 1998, I missed out the names of very important people who did some monumental and very exclusive jobs one way or the other to get us where we are today. I missed out great names like His Excellency, Dr Kayode Fayemi the Executive Governor of Ekiti State who was the brain behind Radio Kudirat International. I missed out celebrating fully the likes of our great masters in the game of politics, His Excellency, Olusegun Osoba, Chief Ayo Opadokun, Chief Oluremi Tinubu, the late Dr Olowopopo, Dr Amos Akingba and many other uncountable names time and space will not permit me to mention here. I know that someday in the nearest future, the story will be complete.

The world knows His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu threw everything into the ring; money, intellect, time, energy, strength during the struggle to free Nigeria from scavengers and predators and throughout those years of the locusts the world knows also that Oluremi was with her husband come rain, come sunshine. From what I know now, it will take a book for me to recount how this great couple worked themselves to the bones to get us to where we are now. Again, I plead that someday the complete story would be told. I pray that the God Almighty that we all serve will not allow us to forget our past so quickly.

Now, how many of us remembered that the couple’s home was bombed in Lagos before they were forced into exile? How many of us knew what this family went through during those troubled times? Did any of us know how this woman, her husband and children managed to escape from Nigeria ? Do you know the excruciating pains they passed through to get out of Nigeria? Do you know how they disguised themselves to get out? Do you know the psychological trauma this woman and her children went through just for the sake of Nigeria? Did anybody know how they survived in Europe during the winter periods? Do you know what it means to leave your country by force to an unknown destination? Did Oluremi abandon her husband because of all these troubles? Other women in similar situations would have abandoned their husbands for living in such a dangerous situation but not Oluremi. Through thick and thin, she was there for her husband to provide the needed help.

At a time, their home in London became the destination of anybody chased out of Nigeria by Abacha regime and Oluremi was on hand to cook and care for everybody without complaints. She did all this with equanimity and soundness of mind. So whatever Asiwaju becomes today is because somebody very dynamic, committed, devoted, humble, diligent, responsive, responsible and caring has been solidly behind him. That Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is today the leader of the opposition in Nigeria is because a great woman and the love of his life, Oluremi has always been there to play the role of a real mother. That Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s name rings a bell in Nigeria today is simply because the home front has been stable and that is a credit for Yeye Oluremi Tinubu. It is therefore no exaggeration to say that she is a great woman who has been tested and trusted. Oluremi is a rare gift to Nigeria and I am being mature about it.

Besides being the wife of the icon, the sage, the Asiwaju of opposition in Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu has track records of monumental achievements since 1991. Like her husband, she was part of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) that worked for the victory of Chief MKO Abiola on June 12, 1993. She was also a bonafide member of the NADECO family that worked tirelessly for the de-annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election results won by Chief Abiola. Her pet project, The Spelling Bee Competition (SBC) and the annual One-Day Governor Programme have helped in no uncertain terms to raise the standard of education in Nigeria and has equally helped in raising tomorrow’s leaders. Two of the winners of Spelling Bee Competition graduated with 1st Class Honours Degree. Oluremi also ensured that the winners travel to Finland every year for Summer Exchange Programme. Her yet another pet project, the New Era Foundation Advocacy Programme against HIV/AIDS with special focus on youths, market men/women and artisans has been a huge success story.

Oluremi Tinubu has been involved in more than 25 projects which time and space will fail me to recount here. She has given out scholarships to brilliant students, she has donated N100 million to New Era Foundation being the money gifts she received during her 50th birthday celebration recently. She has donated buildings to schools and raised the highest single donation of N51 million towards the building of the National Sickle Cell Centre during her 45th birthday ceremony. Oluremi is a graduate of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and a member of the Order of the Niger (OON).

Yeye Oluremi Tinubu is therefore a responsible mother who deserves to go to the Senate to represent the Lagos Central Senatorial seat. She is going to the Senate to pursue increased investment in education, to introduce innovative ways to handle our environmental issues, to encourage good governance and true federalism. She is going to the Senate to encourage women empowerment, youth development and poverty alleviation. She is going to the Senate to make Nigeria to work.

Over the years in Nigeria, men including this writer have been proved to be bad leaders, incompetent and compromisers. We need to give women the chance to prove their mettle. And the time is now. Those who love our own Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must also love his wife, Oluremi. Oluremi Tinubu is eminently qualified to go to the Senate even if Asiwaju is not her husband. But if God made her Asiwaju’s wife why can’t she benefit from her husband’s popularity? After all, both worked together through thick and thin to get to where they are today. Both drilled the deepest to get to where they are today.

So come Saturday 9 April 2011, vote in ACN all the way for the 24 Federal seats and 3 Senatorial seats. ACN led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has provided an alternative to PDP in Nigeria and if we all like what is going on Lagos, ACN government will repeat it throughout Nigeria if given the chance to govern. Please vote for Chief Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu and others come this Saturday. Vote for our Presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Please vote for our performing governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). May God bless you as you do so.

•Joe Igbokwe wrote fromLagos