“In the 30 years that I can remember vividly what politics is, that would be half my age, I have not seen a Nigerian that has expended so much energy, resources, intellectual capability and capacity to free his people”

Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa, the Golden boy of Lagos politics, represents Lagos East in the Senate. Going by his trajectory and the wish of his mother, whom he saw as his confidant, he is a fulfilled man at 60, having served in all the three tiers of government in flying colours.
His one desire is to see his political leader and mentor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not only celebrated but ‘Bola-Tinubuism’ becoming a course of study in universities across Africa.

Formative years:
As the only boy, I grew up on Lagos Island with my maternal grandmother, who had a great influence in my upbringing would not allow me to go to a Muslim school because she was a beneficiary of the Christian education, and knew the value of education, not by going to school but by relationship with the likes of Ven. Adelaja. Although born a Muslim, I attended a Christian missionary school, CMS Grammar School.
Two of us from our set in 1968 passed the common entrance: Durojaiye Taiwo, very brilliant boy, was the monitor of “A” and I, the monitor of “B.” Taiwo was also admitted to King’s College and I was the only one that went to CMS Grammar School.
While at CMS, I was a member of the school choir, because we were being tutored right from the Christ Church Cathedral where I did my primary school. There was no discrimination among Muslims and Christians then. It was fun. We entered the chorister group by ourselves without being coerced. And I was very good, with the likes of Rasheed Benson and co.
Confirmation at CMS Grammar School was always a great party. We had an outing on Saturday and I came home with the confirmation letter. My grandma did not allow me to go back to school that day and personally took me back on Sunday. She went straight to the principal to plead that I be excused from the confirmation, being the only boy child of Lape. The Principal assented to her wish. She even went further to take permission that I would be going for the holy pilgrimage in Mecca and the principal equally granted it. Two weeks later, my passport and everything were ready and I became the first Muslim while in school to go on Holy Pilgrimage in Mecca with my mother and returned to school to continue my education. When I came back, deliberately I had the golden tooth. That was how they started calling me Alhaji at CMS Grammar School from Form 2 till I finished.
It was only after the death of my grandmother that I shifted to my real mother and she was also a great influence in my life and equally showered so much attention on me. She infused me with a lot of wisdom, taught me godliness, that everything is of God, and it is Him that designs and defines everything, but you must be up and doing. You must be able to know opportunity, grab it and use it maximally yet remaining humble and living within one’s means. She also taught me loyalty and sincerity and spirit of camaraderie. It is from her that my penchant for loyalty came. I don’t shift for ordinary courses.

Politics:
I had known Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu while we were in the United States. I was in Lagos, but he, through the NADECO wahala, had gone away. The only politician we were looking at in Lagos then was Funsho Williams. Everybody was saying that he would be the next governor. But when Tinubu came back, I started shifting my allegiance to him. I told my other friend, Chief Babatunde Daramola, an ardent supporter about my interest in Tinubu. As a matter of fact, Chief Daramola encouraged me to come into politics. I told him that wherever Tinubu is in politics whenever he comes back, that is where I am going to be. So when it was decided that Tinubu was going to run, I said he would emerge as the next governor of Lagos State, but my friend disagreed saying it was Williams. That was how we parted ways politically, though we are still friends up till tomorrow.
Tinubu came in; I had played my major role at that time. When he became governor-elect, he assigned me, along with some others, to give him a blueprint on the reformation of the local government. I delivered the paper way back then. He never promised to make me a commissioner, but I was hoping seriously that he would make me one, since he knew me, knew my background and I knew him, we shared common friends and common “egbons.”
When the list was to come out, he told me, and I am quoting him here: “Ashafa, you know what? I know you that you will accept what I am going to tell you. It might be painful, but you will not make the list of commissioners. You are going back to the system, where you are most prominent. You are coming with me at the state level.” So he advised me as the governor-elect to apply directly to the state on the basis of my colleagues still in active service, he promised to bring me in on whatever level my colleagues were. His idea was that I was to convert the civil service to his side. Anyone conversant with the civil service then would realize that the civil service belonged to Williams. The civil service was hostile to Tinubu when he first came in. They didn’t really know him. I was put in charge of the local government and I was managing the relationship.

On Tinubu:
I thank God almighty for giving me the opportunity to work with Tinubu. I won’t say “for” because he doesn’t like people saying they work for him. Some of us copied a lot from him.

In the 30 years that I can remember vividly what politics is, that would be half my age, I have not seen a Nigerian that has expended so much energy, resources, intellectual capability and capacity to free his people. I am not talking about South-West alone. Whoever is saying Tinubu is a regional leader is just being mischievous. He has demonstrated statesmanship, leadership at the highest level, such that can be compared to any leader that has fought to free his people and give them freedom in any part of the world.

For those who think that Tinubu’s star can be dimmed at this period, they are killing themselves. The reason is that his political prowess has gone beyond the shores of Nigeria a long time ago. Go all over and you will know what he has done politically. They are studying him and they are developing their own countries. So, why are we not doing the same here? It is pure envy and the earliest they come to terms with what God has given the world in Tinubu, who happens to be a Nigerian and who happens to be a Yorubaman, the better.

I am lucky to have worked with him and know him this much. I never thought I would sit down and talk about him like this. A lot of people will be shocked that Ashafa has opened up on Tinubu. I have never seen a man so generous.

I have been hearing about MKO Abiola. I am talking from what I have seen, known, felt, suffered and enjoyed with him. I have seen him down, crying, not for something of his own but for a disappointment that should not have been. Even Jesus Christ said you would see my disciples denying me at a point. Tinubu is human. He has his shortcoming. Once or twice I have seen him apologised.
You thought it could not happen and he was the first to think it out, take it out and walk the talk. All of a sudden you want to demean and bring him down. It won’t happen. Tinubu did not get to where he is overnight.

At the Senate
People have criticized the bicameral legislative system vis a viz the nation’s economy it on the ground of expenses. But, looking at my background, you will see that I am a man of the system. In whatever we do, I will always look for the guidelines. What did we, as a country, opt for constitutionally? It we opted constitutionally to go democratic through the presidential system, why can’t we put in all it takes to make sure it works. See how we at the National Assembly can take a cue from the president and the vice president and cut down on our expenses. On our own part, the 109 senators, we are going ahead to do it. And I am sure whatever the senators do, other parliamentarians, both at the national and states level will do.

Nigeria in 2020:
The problem that would have consumed Nigeria mid-way has reared its head early enough. Once we are able to take care of all these, I am telling you that by the end of the first term of President Buhari, Nigerians would start asking themselves why they didn’t take Asiwaju Tinubu serious when 10 years ago he gave us the blueprint on how to move Nigeria forward and become great among comity of nations.
That blueprint is already on ground and has produced Buhari. That blueprint will bring economic rejuvenation in a manner that the economy of Nigeria will be restructured.
That blueprint will create jobs for Nigerians, particularly the youths that are crying out in their thousands. It will put agriculture in the forefront, not the paper agriculture we witnessed. It will give us infrastructural development in a manner that FDI will be flowing in. I want to be able to establish a vocational centre in my name in the next four years to celebrate my 60s. So, in the next five years and given the foundation Buhari is laying now, by not jumping the gun and just bringing in all sorts of people with no clue about problems of Nigeria, then I am happy to be a senator in the eighth Assembly and I would do my own bit and would rub it off on some of my colleagues to let us sacrifice whatever we can for Nigeria to witness a great leap. This is the best country any Nigerian can be. Even those doing all these destructions cannot afford to live outside Nigeria. Like Prof Bolaji Akinyemi rightly said, we must now be looking for Nigerian-coloured democracy, the one that will fit us perfectly well.

Words for coming generations:
I will want our emerging youths to have the fear of God in whatever they do. That is very, very important. Even in the United States, as much as a lot of people don’t see them as worshipping God, their motto says: In God we trust.

The emerging youths must realize that they are not Nigerians by accident. They are Nigerians by divine arrangement. And they must do everything possible to ensure that this country remains the best place for any Nigerian to live in. An average Nigerian must put Nigeria first after God.

Editor’s comment:
We have received some reactions, especially from those residing in the United States of America on the word “Institutionalise” * Institutionalised /ɪnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)n(ə)lʌɪz/ as used in this story means: to celebrate, to establish (something, typically a practice or activity) as a convention or norm, organisation or culture. This is a far cry from the American meaning of placing or keeping (someone) in a residential institution. Simply put, Ashafa is of the view that Tinubu is an institution.

Source: tempooonline.com