Hakeem Gbadamosi- Akure
The Leader of Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Worldwide, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, has congratulated the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging Tinubu to be a federalist and be fair to all.
He said, “avoid the mistake of some of your forbears, be fair to all concerned, go ahead to unite the country, and see and treat the country as one.
“Be a federalist. Allow the big ethnic groups to exist and respect one another, but also allow the small ones to feel proud and wanted in the spirit of federalism as practised in USA”
Fasoranti, in his congratulatory letter addressed personally to Tinubu, asked the president-elect to see and treat the country as one by being a federalist, saying, “you now have the opportunity. Now is the time for you to prove me right. I pray God to be with you”
He advised the president-elect to be magnanimous in victory by carrying everybody along regardless of their political affiliations to build a strong and united Nigeria, and appealed to all concerned Nigerians and the International Community, who might be aggrieved, one way or the other, not do anything that will set the country on fire.
Fasoranti said, “we should all go peaceful, take lawful means, and thread legitimate and legal paths to rectify anything that might have, from their point of view, gone wrong, and let Tinubu and all concerned settle down immediately to tackle the enormous Nigerian project of tackling insecurity, solving our economic downturn, restructuring the country, and rebuilding a nation never so badly divided into ethnic, religious and corrupt lines”
The letter read: “In the Omoluabi concept of respect to the Elderly or Father in the house, you ended your consultations for the Presidential race with a visit to me in Akure. I prayed for you and asked you to go for your party mandate because you are not just a Yoruba man but a detribalized Nigerian.
“And when you got the mandate from all other candidates, you came back to me, and in the presence of very many distinguished Yoruba leaders, I gave you my blessings on October 30, 2022. We are indeed grateful to the Almighty God that eventually saw you through. Congratulations.
“I did marvel at your doggedness, self-determination, self-assuredness, strong belief in self, and ability to overcome daunting and ever-surging challenges.
“I was also amazed at God’s grace on you, that gave you the strength of character and such abundance of energy, that enabled you to navigate through all the ever emerging intricate problems, and made it possible for you to, against the wishes of some people, traverse successfully all the States of the Federation, during the energy-sapping marathon Presidential campaigns.
“I am glad to know that your hard-earned victory had a very good national spread. Amongst about 18 presidential candidates, you came 2nd in South-South; 2nd in South East; 1st in South West; 1st in North Central; 2nd in North East; and 1st in North West. What a brilliant performance”
The Afenifere leader letter’s read further that “I now appeal to all concerned Nigerians and the International Community, who might be aggrieved, one way or the other, not do anything that will set Nigeria on fire.
: In my interviews on “Sunday Vanguard” on July 19, 2020, and about two years later in “Saturday Vanguard on July 30, 2022, I did say about your Presidential ambition that you “meant well” and that when you were “the governor of Lagos State, you did very well,” and could “carry” this passion and successful performances “into the Presidency”.
“In conclusion, I am aware of the enormity of State Governance. Therefore, let me assure you that we will be available for consultations and any other assistance when needed. Congratulations, my dear Son; congratulations, Nigeria.
