A people’s representative at 48

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is 48 today, and for me, writing words to capture the essentials of a man seen today as the brightest spot in Nigeria’s political firmament is no mean task.Tambuwal is the quintessential humble individual who has defied the notion that politicians cannot say the truth […]

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is 48 today, and for me, writing words to capture the essentials of a man seen today as the brightest spot in Nigeria’s political firmament is no mean task.
Tambuwal is the quintessential humble individual who has defied the notion that politicians cannot say the truth to the powers that be while still in power. Nigerians have come to identify him as a fearless representative whose words and deeds are not at variance with the hopes and aspirations of the people of his dear country.
The story of Tambuwal is the story of courage. His meteoric rise to the top in the House only reaffirmed his position as a master tactician in a discipline built on the philosophy of self-respect, fair play, hard work and the spirit of give and take.
It is not just in politics that Tambuwal made his mark. Trained at a very young age as a teacher and later as a lawyer, his commitment and doggedness as moulder of the minds of the future generation and a servant in the temple of justice have served him well in his present endeavours. His performance has set the bar in governance. His intrepidity in the face of tough challenges has served as inspiration to his colleagues.
For Tambuwal, seeing Nigeria rise to greatness is a task that must be accomplished. He has, at every available opportunity, reminded his colleagues of the need to promote democracy and respect human rights. These ideas stem from his belief that strong democracies are more likely to secure peace, deter aggression, expand markets, promote development, combat terrorism and crime, uphold rights of workers, avoid humanitarian crises, protect and improve the global environment, and protect human health.
In all his conducts, Tambuwal has maintained the humble and truthful disposition universally associated with the descendants of Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio. In addition, he has demonstrated high level of compassion for the less privileged. The case of Okikioluwa Olawuyi, the baby without skull, whom he helped to raise N10m to fund her surgery expenses in the U.S. is a case in point.
Politically, following in the tradition of democratic inclusiveness, Tambuwal maintains social contacts with all Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings. While some ignorant few tend to interpret such contacts differently, Tambuwal is unfazed and has maintained the need to build bridges of unity and understanding among various peoples of Nigeria and beyond.
Tambuwal has promoted the concept of a strong dichotomy between politics and governance. To him, there is a marked difference between a candidate in electoral contest on the platform of a political party and an elected official who has assumed a non-partisan responsibility and taken oath to protect and preserve the constitution. And, for him, whenever partisan interest conflicts with national interest, then the former must be sacrificed.
His strong stance on discipline, accountability and truth, and his desire to do things differently, has set the bar for elected public officers in the federation.
At 48, Tambuwal has, like Obama said of the great Madiba, showed us the power of action; of taking risks on behalf of our ideals. In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness; persistence and faith. He tells us what’s possible not just in the pages of dusty history books, but in our own lives as well.

Imam is Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs.