The 100 Most Important Persons of 2023 list by TIME magazine includes Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On Thursday, April 13, 2023, the yearly list of notable people was released.
The American news publication portrayed the next president of Nigeria as a veteran political power broker who assisted Nigeria in 1999 in reestablishing democracy after battling military control.
Winning an election in the most populous nation in Africa is no simple task, according to Tinubu’s profile in TIME magazine. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the freshly elected president of Nigeria, has, however, had over 20 years to plan. The now-71-year-old campaigned in a presidential election for the first time this March and is known to his fans as Jagaban, or “leader of the warriors.”
His campaign slogan, ‘It’s my turn’, was a nod to his role as a longtime political power broker. Tinubu helped restore the country’s democracy in 1999 after fighting military rule and then served two consecutive terms as governor of Lagos.
“But Tinubu’s win with the ruling All Progressives Congress party came in a fraught election and by a slim margin over Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
“It was the first time Nigerian voters contended with a third-party candidate, and many discontented young Nigerians yearning for change pinned their hopes on Obi. Marred by allegations of intimidation and vote rigging, the outcome of the ballot is being challenged in court.
“Tinubu now faces a litany of crises in a fractured nation, including deep-rooted corruption, religious insurgencies, and shortages of cash, fuel, and power in a crumbling economy. But the President-elect seems aware of his inheritance: ‘[Nigeria] is one country and we must build it together,’ he said in his acceptance speech.”
Others on the list are US President Joe Biden, King Charles III, US Senator Mitch McConnell, footballer Lionel Messi, Elon Musk, US actor Michael B. Jordan, US singer Beyonce, US actress Angela Bassett, model Bella Hadida, Basketballer Brittney Griner who was jailed in Russia, amongst others.
