OPINION: With Asiwaju’s Victory, Lagosians Let’s Work For Sanwo-Olu Success By Prince ADEREMI AJIBOLA

To Almighty God be the glory, thanks and adoration on this auspicious success and laudable victory of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the incoming President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the special grace of Almighty God.

NOW, let us rise up and ensure we prepare a flourishing and thriving ground for Governor Babajide SanwoOlu’s second term Gubernatorial victory, and it will be achievable by our individuals and collective efforts and to be ratified by the special grace of Almighty God.

Though, we must not forget in hurry, that Lagos State in particular, our electioneering experience of the just concluded presidential election has continued to excite animated discussion, especially considering the epic reality of volatility of votes in a turbulent and slippery nature of our democracy, notwithstanding, the experience still remains a rolling democracy in action with its inherent fundamental issues.

Hence, it was not that we performed very woefully or abysmally, but unfortunately as Yoruba would say in their age long wisdom: “OMI LO PO JU OKA LO!” But, still “ko tan sibe!”

Yet, it speaks to a crucial and critical development towards a painstaking review and strong preparation towards the gubernatorial victory comes next Saturday. And all hands must be on deck now.

However, Lagos State, let us not forget, is a rapidly evolving megapolis, and Nigeria’s Economic Capital for that matter, hence, such an overwhelming complexity and wondrous experience remains a blowing wake up call and a cacophony trumpet for us in order to move ahead and work for the victory without resting on our oars.

Lagos State geographical location, its vast and rich coastline, its cosmopolitanism essence, its demographic nature, its economic prosperity, its thriving commerce activities, its vibrant industries, its excellent human capital development index, its humane accessibility
and hospitality,
its legendary portraiture as a Munificent Honey Pot (M.H.P) otherwise known as “IKOKO OBE” of Nigeria in Yoruba parlance, having fundamentally remains the potential blessing and prosperity of the land should as well be
considered as
the major factors in essence of its maddening topsy-turvy development during its electioneering times and coupled with its incendiary nature and its preferences that is principally characterised with its sanatorium unstable of mankind in diversity.

Notwithstanding, with all those aforementioned factors, still, with our commitment, focus, resilience and dedication, definitely victory is assured, guaranteed and ascertained, but, we must all work very tirelessly in making it happen individually and collectively.

Happily as characterised on the available Data:

GOVERNOR SANWO OLU WILL STILL WIN AND LIFT UP THE GUBERNATORIAL TROPHY.

My thought.

Yesterday, I looked at the data, and it was obvious that nothing substantively changed in Lagos. The target was hit, but thankfully the substantial targets survived.

Unfortunately, it was extreme complacency that weakened the expected and assured anticipated turnout however, this must be critically addressed.

Gracefully that identifiable deficiency is amendable and curable by reaching out to the electorates, on the understanding that charity as they say, begin at home. Our household first and community first!

The succour still remains that the margin of the victory for the other side was obviously narrow. A blip, not a trend, though such must not be undermined nor underrated. We must work and fill the vacuum.

Arguably, predictive modeling doesn’t rely on a blip, but on historical data and through our collective engagement, it will still favour us.

We must take note that it’s only only the South West that voted on emotions. Other regions followed the historical patterns. Quite pathetic to our political philosophy!

Our weakness is just predicated on our controversial nature of avowed liberal political consciousness and this is quite disadvantaged to our political treasure, because it is more profitable to stay and glue together in unison for the survival of our legendary political hegemony and heritage.

The North did what the North had always done. Same with other regions, save for Wike’s Rivers and other few places that had a fallout with Atiku.

What Asiwaju Bola Tinubu experienced in Lagos, Atiku suffered the same fate in Rivers. Other places aligned. Yet, another unpredictable nature of politics and voting shift!

Sometimes and somehow that is the nature of politics that could be very much slippery and unpredictable. But, getting on to be victorious in whatever political development is what really matters.

The solace remains that APC was not decimated in Lagos, as some people might have naively concluded. Look at the senatorial seats and Federal House of Representatives. Look at the numbers. I won’t call that a decimation, it was a mere melodramatic twists and turns in a most political brouhaha and shocking manner, and it can be redressed, rectified and tamed accordingly.

Unfortunately, some people perceived grievances shook the system, but it couldn’t eviscerate the traditional structure. Because it still stands GIDIGBA! Let us all rise up more ferociously and make it stand more GIDIGBA in our unbeatable resiliency and valiant resolution.

Structure still matters. It does. However, structure now includes the social media and other developed nuances, so future campaigns MUST invest in a formidable social media situation room, like Obama did. But the principal structure, the most bankable structure, will still be the traditional structure. It must stand and thrive.

It’s not changing anytime soon. Even those who rely on social media must recognize that ground soldiers matter. If you can’t sustain your gain, it won’t last. Work in progress.

The structure survives because it is always there, NOT just for the presidential elections, but for other elections that you think do not matter. Unbeatable structure must persist.

The structure doesn’t disappear. It’s why they switch political parties, bringing their supporters with them. Understand the game.

And, yes, when you are talking about a country as huge as Nigeria, always remember that your mood in Lagos doesn’t reflect the mood of the entire country, but the tradition value of victory as regards to the gubernatorial victory would always get on in its way very victoriously. Okun ko lo ibi kan. Osa ko lo ibi kan!

However, as we move to cast our votes in the coming Saturday’s Gubernatorial elections, how prepared, intentional, committed audacious, conscientious and gritty are we?

The answer should be: it must first start from our individual households respectively, because charity begins at home as they say and VOTERS APATHY which is a vice itself must be totally discouraged and systematic approaches to our neighborhood voting consciousness be applied very strategically in thanking them for their support for the emergency of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that of course, is another methodological, strategical and tactical campaign in action.

We must be genuinely civil, reasonable appealing and gracefully gracious and be magnanimous in our victorious approaches and expediently apply a welcoming conversation with the electorates because, many, having realised the true definition of Presidential victory, the instaneous psychological thought process and emotional shift in voting pattern would definitely move in and make many to shift their grounds and toll our lines of victory in applying to our electioneering choices and preferences by coming Saturday Gubernatorial elections.

The fact remains: we must all play our paths very diligently in order to earn the victory together. And it must be a done deal.

PRESIDENT ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU TI DE!

TI GOVERNOR BABAJIDE SANWOOLU NBO LONA!

Congratulations now and congratulations in earnest.

Ire kabiti, ire gbangba.

*** PRINCE ADEREMI AJIBOLA is the Publicity Secretary, Yoruba Council Worldwide. (With contribution from Barrister Akintunde Festus Adeyemo)