In my younger days as a primary school pupil, we had a belief that the last day of the term especially third term is characterized by two scenes which were literarily termed the day that two masquerades would dance, one was the "laughing masquerade" and the other was the "crying masquerade" and we used to taunt each other that the bright ones amongst us which we knew would pass the examination and would be promoted to the next class will laugh and rejoice while the poor or dullards amongst us will fail and be asked to repeat the class will be sad and cry given all types of excuses like the teacher failed me because he did not like my face and so on.

   The day of declaration of election results can also be termed as the day of dancing of the masquerades either the laughing or the crying one,  the crying may not be in terms of open shedding of tears but may be in terms of accusations, blame game, fuming, counting losses while some may throw tantrums, beating of war drums etcetera to show their displeasure especially if they were cheated in one area they feel they have upper hand.

Ngugi wa Thiog'o the author of "weep not, child" wrote on the hope, progress and disillusionment of the main character of the book, Njoroge who clings to his hope that life will improve if only be continues to work hard for the things he values and loves achieved his desire on the long run.

The president elect of Nigeria, Senator Bola Tinubu since the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999 has been a major player in the country's democratic rule having won a senatorial seat in Lagos in the aborted democratic dispensation of 1993.

Like Njoroge in the aforementioned novel,  Bola Tinubu tenaciously pursued his ambition and rode on the back of Alliance for Democracy (AD) a party that reigned colossally in Southwest Nigeria then to become the governor of the commercial hub of Nigeria, Lagos, in 2003 when the strong tide of central politics headed by chief Olusegun Obasanjo of people's Democratic Party (PDP) swept away all other governors of Southwest region, Bola Tinubu remained steadfast and unshaken despite the huge heat from Abuja.

The man of the moment has his tentacles spread across the country, he made new friends while holding on to the old ones, he took chieftaincy titles across the country and building formidable teams here and there.

The president elect became a father to all and planting his disciples everywhere possible but does not change his party but metamorphosising when and where necessary to build a large and powerful canopy that could accommodate all in respectful of your tribe, religion or creed.

The AD under which he governed Lagos later metamorphosised into  Action Congress (AC) and later with Abubakar Atiku one of his main challengers in just concluded presidential election and some other democrats metamorphosised into Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), ACN was short lived when the party with some other parties like All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) under which President Muhammadu Buhari had contested and lost earlier,  part of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and some other ones came together to form All Progressives Congress (APC) which produced the incumbent president Mohamadu Buhari in 2015.

In 2015, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu became a kingmaker and national leader of the ruling  party but having his eyes on the exalted throne at Aso rock without undermining the cohesiveness of the ruling party.

Just like Njoroge in "Weep not, child" Bola Tinubu did not drop the ball,  he was working assiduously to spread his tentacles across the six geo-political zones of the federation and working day and night to oil his wheels for the journey ahead. The strategic and tactical Tinubu opened his eyes wide to see when his time will come, as soon as the opportunity came up to stand for the primary election of his party for the presidential candidacy, he did not shy away from taking the bull by the horns and went round the country to sell himself to the party faithfuls across the six geo-political zones in the country. It was during  one of his campaign tour to Ogun State that the most popular slogan "Emilokan" which literally means "it is my turn" ; "it is the turn of the Yorubas to rule " came up.

Truly, Mr President elect fought tooth and nail, despite all odds, schemings, insults, unfavorable policies alongside insults against his personality and others he held on to his aspirations, desires and divine ambition of ruling the most populous African nation to save the citizens from hardship, insecurity, economy downturn, low esteem among the committee of nations amongst others.

On the other hand some of his opponents kept on jumping from one party to the other, some in times past contested and after losing the election left the country and only returns when another election is approaching thinking that whatever money can not do would not be done forgetting other essential factots in electioneering process which Bola Tinubu always giving high premium, people.

Alas! On Saturday, February 25th, 2023  a day of reckoning and decisions by the good people of Nigeria came out to speak through ballots and write a new history for the country with their hands and the attendant result favoured the consistent and tenacious team builder, a resilient and dogged fighter, the Jagaban of Borgu in Niger State, the Asiwaju of Lagos and the authentic city boy who polled the highest votes in the just concluded presidential election.

The aftermath would indeed be a time of laughter for some and for some a time of wailing, crying and filing of cases against one and other but let us see it as an act of God because Prof. Ola Rotimi in one of his books said the gods are not to blame. Let us all allow peace to reign and seek redress if necessary through legitimate means and bear in mind that no blood should be shed again on the altar of election in this country as the dear citizens of this country had seen enough. This time should be a time for the unity of our country, purposive governance for legitimate individual and collective prosperity, therefore, I say weep not, child.

Written by Tunde Olayiwola from Abeokuta, Ogun State.