28th June, 2012
Nigeria has what it takes to become the renaissance beacon for African development if a dedicated leadership is in a place to lift country out of the precarious situation it now finds itself.
Former Governor of Lagos State and national leader of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu made this assertion while receiving an award by the National Conference of Black Mayors, based in America in his office.
The National Conference of Black Mayors in America at its 38th annual convention which held recently in Atlanta Georgia awarded Bola Tinubu the association’s highest award, the President’s Award.
Vanessa Williams, the Executive Director of the National Conference of Black Mayors in America while presenting the award to former governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Tinubu in Lagos said the choice of Tinubu was based on merit.
“We searched for Africans leaders who have made great impact in linking African-Americans with Africans towards positive development and you emerged as one of such”.
Venessa Williams, the daughter of the first black speaker of the state of Nevada revealed that the association had followed the stewardship of Asiwaju Tinubu in the areas of support for people in the Diaspora and African –American causes. “You have linked your international experience with national experience to chart a path for development for your people. You fit our bill of leaders who think locally, but act globally and we thank you”. Miss Williams made special mention of Asiwaju Tinubu’s knack for finding, developing and empowering a new generation of leaders at all levels of government.
Asiwaju Tinubu while receiving the President’s Award thanked the National Conference of Black Mayors of America for the recognition awarded him. “African-Americans and Nigerians are the same in their crusade to achieve freedom and liberty. We must work together to elevate our people. We share a common aspiration in the struggle to eradicate poverty and give hope to our people. Tinubu further added that Martin Luther King, a crusader extraordinary has shown us the way. The national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria told Venessa Williams that he did not go into politics for want of anything except to give hope and elevate the standard of living of my people.
Identifying selfless leadership as a major pre-requisite for development, Tinubu said a new crop of leaders will be needed to bring about change. “In Lagos, we have a model for change and good governance. Massive infrastructural development that is being sustained and a rejenuvated Judiciary where women judges now play prominent roles. Lagos as had four successive State Chief Judges”. Tinubu revealed that he has gone beyond Nigeria to invest in the development and growth of other countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Gambia