Encomium
CONTRARY to wild claims on the internet that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is suffering from debilitating Parkinson disease, sources close to the astute politician say he’s hale and hearty except for the knee surgery he’s recovering from.
The former governor of Lagos, who is aware of the widespread tale, is laughing at the prophets of doom who don’t wish him well. According to some of the people who saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader recently, there was no sign of such degenerative disease in him.
“I was with him in London two Saturdays ago. I was with him from 7 p.m till 12 p.m. That day, Chief Lai Mohammed was there, Chief Bisi Akande, Senator Tokunbu Afikuyomi, Bayo Onanuga and so many others were there too,” said Hon. Babatunde Ogala, a former member of Lagos House of Assembly.
“Aside the stitches on his knee, nobody will ever know he did a surgery recently.” He continues, “He was walking around unaided and was as witty and sharp as he could be. Exuberant and boisterous as ever.
“All of us ate together. He ordered for Chinese rice and he emptied his own plate and topped it with a glass of juice. Parkin-wetin? Ko si oun to jo be o (there is nothing like that).”
Another lawmaker, a female member of the National Assembly, who was in London recently and visited the prominent politician said he was hale and hearty. “That was how they said I was sick and taken in an air ambulance to South Africa. They also said (Governor) Aregbesola had cancer and was in China for treatment. Don’t mind them o. Baba won lo ma ni Parkinson disease (it is their father that will suffer Parkinson disease).”
Just last week, Hon. Bayo Osinowo, a.k.a Pepper of Lagos House of Assembly, Mr. Sunday Dare, the Media aide to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a local council chieftain, all of whom visited Tinubu attested to the fact that he was recuperating well and fast from the knee surgery done in U.S.A.
Asiwaju Tinubu left Nigeria sometime in July 2013, for Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, where a surgical operation was performed on his knee. After the operation, he was said to have stayed in his Maryland, Washington, USA residence to recuperate before he moved to his London residence, few weeks ago.
But since the astute politician made public his health challenges, the internet has been agog with different stories. There was a time they alleged his leg had been amputated. Now, they are saying he is suffering from Parkinson disease.
One thing that has given a lot of people confidence and assurance that all is well with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the attitude and disposition of his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who has remained calm in all the noise surrounding her husband’s sickness. She has not only remained behind in the country but has been moving around, attending one political or social function or the other.
On Saturday, August 24, 2013, Senator Oluremi Tinubu was at K&G Events Centre, Kudirat Abiola Way, where her elder sister, Hon. Lola Akande was installed Akorode of Ikejaland by Oba Rauf Matenu Amore, the Olu of Ikejaland.
Few days later, she was at Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where she assisted the chairman, Hon. Kamal Salau-Bashua, in giving out poverty alleviation materials to the people.
Again, from Wednesday, September 11 to Friday, September 13, she was in Ibadan, Oyo State, where she was a guest speaker at the Second National Women’s Summit of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OUSOWA). In all of these events, she was her ebullient and gregarious self. She did not show any sign of someone whose husband is suffering any serious health challenge.
– TOLANI ABATTI
