Tope Adaramola
Away from the intrigues , the met and unmet expectations of voters or Nigerians about the 2023 General elections, the stark reality is that the country has crossed another intricate line in its democratic process with the swearing in of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President.
From the Greek City States epoch, I surmise there has never been an election result of which was absolutely goes down well with all gladiators. So, expecting a deviation from the norm in the case of the last election is an over expectation or banking on the wind, even considering the complexities of the country and her people.
What positive minded Nigerians could do in this circumstance is to give deserved adoration to the Almighty for preserving our growing democracy. I have always argued that the flip side of the peace after the election could have been unfavourable and cataclysmic for our nation, and ultimately for everyone.
I have refrained in this piece from joining legion of pundits and well meaning Nigerians, rightly so too, from setting agenda for the new leadership. That is being done in good measure. Rather, I desire to follow my inner mind to advertise the need for intense intercession for the Wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, who now occupies the office of the First Lady and who should naturally see herself as the mother of the nation at this time.
Until modern governance, the culture of putting women-this time, talking about wives of political leaders- forward is an anathema of some sort. Women in the pristine society are expected to be subservient, quiet and homebound, with their primary ambitions entirely confined to manage the home and procreate. Though ideal women do these and even more, the reality is that women are often the unsung voices which must be recognized behind every good orchestra. History is replete with many “macho beings” who fell short of effective national and global leadership expectations, simply because they lacked the right type of women behind or beside them.
Right from the Biblical epoch, we had virtuous women like Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah; Abigail wife of the bullish and insolent, but rich Nabal, who covered the husband from the Ireful King David that would have killed him for his indiscretion. On the flip side there were also the likes of Zeresh, wife of Modeccai, who instigated the Agagite husband to build gallows to destroy the Jews. Jezebel, wife of King Ahab was reputed as having an egregious record of being foremost amongst women that led their husbands to do evil. The fact is that many are still holding the view till now that women are the week vessels in marriage and society, not knowing that benign that facade of “weakness” is stoic strength of a steel. Wives have capacity to turn the hearts of their husbands to do good or evil of unimaginable proportions depending on what they are poised to or have opportunity to do.
Unfortunately, in the calculus of power, women are often glossed over to the ultimate detriment of all. The fact is that most women whether in public glare or in secret hold the keys to the hearts of men can be little contested. For those that are sensitive, whatever lofty intentions in the heart of the leader, it could either be enhanced or voided by their wives.
In modern political history, we have had the likes of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt of United States of America who helped the husband push for universal civil rights and social programmes that has changed the narrative of America permanently in history. Similarly, Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy moved into White House in 1961 and was dismayed to find it furnished with few historical artifacts. She made the husband spearhead a restoration of the White House and had hand in preserving the neighborhood around.
We must understand that all those political gladiators that would be milling around President Tinubu now have restricted borders of relationship; only Madam Oluremi would be left with him in their innermost secret chamber or the “oza room” where most decisions would be reappraised.
It’s auspicious to note that First Ladies are often seen as motherly symbols and history shows these women can have considerable behind- the- scenes influence. A case that comes to mind was when Melinda Trump had a top national adviser fired in her husband’s cabinet because of the way her staff was treated on a foreign trip. One needs to read the book, “First Women” to, among other things, get insight into how Nancy Reagan was really the “Human Resources Officer” of her husband who decided on who would be in and who would be out.
It is comforting that going through the records of our First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, she is not strange to the game of power and politics, an attribute many of her predecessors never had. She has the rich pedigree of being the First Lady of Lagos State for eight years, when her husband was on the saddle as Governor. As if to confirm to prescriptions of Benjamin Distreli that “it is good for a man to prepare before his time” Oluremi’s service as a three time Senator, must have given her all required seasoning and practical insight into representative politics with which she could complement her husband, aside from being just an house wife. Also, her religious inclination evidenced by being an ordained Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God would have infused in her the required understanding of noble, godly heartedness, as well as divine accountability.
As a man who believes in the efficacy of prayers to make things happen, my thought is that Oluremi Tinubu needs more of our prayers and support as the “Queen Esther” on the throne to help the new king see well and make good decisions that will create peace and desired progress for this Jerusalem, called Nigeria, wherein lies our collective peace. On the part of the First Lady, it behoves her to remain humble and continually crave divine help on the throne, bearing in mind the question posed to Queen Esther in the bible that. “…knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this”. Nigerians would like to see her input ostensibly through crucial decisions to be taken by the President as time goes by.
We must not be oblivious of the fact that there are bands of “Hamans”; men pleasers, scurrilous and selfish individuals that would be swooping on the President with evil intentions. They could only be sieved off when the eyes of the first family see beyond the ordinary. We all have a duty to return our nation to the desired destination and someone’s part could just be make to make intense intercession for the unsung power behind the throne , laying aside all malice and divisive sentiments, for this to happen. May God helped the new government and Nigeria to succeed. Amen.
Tope Adaramola is a PR practitioner and public affairs commentator
