Niyi Osundare has consistently been a highly regarded literary figure in my reading journey. While I don’t particularly have one single favorite writer, I have derived immense pleasure from exploring literary works from various African authors, as they authentically encapsulate my genuine experiences of Africa.

In contrast to some other writers, Osundare possesses a unique ability to convey profound messages using a straightforward and accessible language. This quality allows even individuals like Mama Alata, who may have limited proficiency in the borrowed, but dominant English language and earn a living by selling fried stew and rice, to readily grasp the essence of his writings.

What was once the aspiration of our reality has now manifested itself as our concrete existence. Notably, Osundare composed a poem titled “The Leader and the Led,” which undoubtedly reflects a apt insightful observations on leadership and followership dynamics.

In essence, Niyi Osundare’s literary contributions have enriched my understanding of African literature, and his skillful use of simplicity in language allows his messages to reach a broader audience, transcending language barriers and making profound themes accessible to all.

The visionary writer, inspired by divine insight, witnessed a tumultuous conflict within the animal kingdom. This fierce dispute revolved around the critical question of who should assume leadership among them. Astonishingly, none of the animals emerged as the ideal candidate to fill this pivotal role.

The situation resembled a perplexing scenario, akin to “a snake without a head,” where the absence of a clear leader left them in a state of disarray and uncertainty.

After a long debate, these beings agreed on capabilities and wisdom instead on what each of these animal couldn’t do 

“Our need calls for a hybrid of habits”,

Proclaims the Forest Sage,

“A little bit of a Lion

A little bit of a Lamb

Tough like a tiger, compassionate like a doe

Transparent like a river, mysterious like a lake

A leader who knows how to follow

Followers mindful of their right to lead”

A leader who knows how to follow and is mindful of their right to lead is a microcosm of Nigerian society.

There have been several controversies about the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the Nigerian president and the tribunal has sorted out the misconceptions on whether each of the political gladiators is fit to contest for the presidential office. No one is a saint.

The election tribunal, chaired by Justice Haruna Tsammani and consisting of five members, concluded its proceedings after an extensive and contentious debate. Ultimately, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was once again, declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

One of the dissatisfied contenders, Atiku Abubakar, has been alleged to have obtained a copy of the Nigerian president’s certificate from Chicago State University in an effort to verify if he was indeed a student of the school or not.

GOVIMA, with a deep concern for the peace, stability and progress of Nigeria, advocates against relying solely on one-sided narratives, or devaluating of our justice system to celebrate others, whereas, every nation has is own challenges, as they have historically not served the Nigerian society well.

The true significance and purpose behind Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s effort and push to have CSU release President Tinubu’s certificate can only be clarified by him.

Ofin ĺlù lo di ịlu mu, it is the Yoruba saying that; it is the law of the land that guides the land. 

The Nigerian constitution gave the yardsticks for who can be elected into the office of the president, as evident in Chapter VI, Part 1, Section 131 of the 1999 Constitution, which stated emphatically that; O level is required to contest for the office of the president of the federal Republic of Nigeria, while upholding the constitutional instruction, the tribunal saw nothing wrong with Tinubu’s certifications and in fact neglected rumour of whether he is fit to be president because of his university education.

Accepting the above claim, is Tinubu not fit to be president because of his university Degree? To be honest, the constitution has not said so either.

In 2009, the Nigerian most read female Author, Chimmamda Ngozi Adichie during a Ted X talk, heavily emphasised the danger of single sided story. 

She said; one sided story is to describe the overly simplistic and sometimes false perceptions we form about individuals, groups, or countries. 

In simple terms, concluding about something without hearing from the other party whether what is claimed about them is true.

The danger of single sided story telling is eating up the media industry and the “first to break the news  syndrome” is another menace affecting our society.

The social media is experiencing the noise of the supposed release certificate. Until Alhaji Atiku Abubakar releases the copy he has with him, then what is uploaded to the internet is nothing but far from the true information.

GOVIMA is always interested in the togetherness of Nigeria, regardless of our diversities, and we believe that hatred for one another is never the solution to taking Nigeria to the next level; it is depreciating.

The purpose of Atiku’s intervention was to check if Bola Ahmed actually attended a school in chicago, and he did.

We are concerned about the peace in our Nigerian-states and we are stressing that leadership should be based on truth and integrity. However, if we were to keep-the-light on the certificate saga forever, there might not be time to attend to the challenges Nigerians are facing daily, which we can all see and wish the president succeed at fixing as he continues to make efforts towards a working and prosperous Nigeria.

Those running to extract these informations are in their own interests before the country.

As Osundare has said, a leader who knows how to follow, and followers are mindful of their right to lead is only solution to build a peaceful society where the leader promotes a more inclusive and flexible view of leadership, where leaders are not authoritarian figures but rather collaborators, and followers are encouraged to actively engage in the leadership process when appropriate.

It emphasises the importance of adaptability, teamwork, and recognising leadership as a collective effort rather than an exclusive role.

But until then, let Atiku release the certificate first.