President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to imbibe the enduring qualities of courage, resilience, unity, and politics of cooperation exemplified by the late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, while consciously eschewing bitterness, acrimony and divisive tendencies in national life.
The president made the appeal yesterday through the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who represented him at the 2026 Samuel Akintola Memorial Lecture and the 60th Remembrance of the former premier of Western Nigeria, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan (UI).
Tinubu, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, conveyed his warm greetings to participants and described the memorial lecture, themed Unity in Diversity: Lessons from Chief Ladoke Akintola’s Legacy, as a fitting tribute to one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists whose life and sacrifice remain central to the country’s historical journey.
According to him, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, like several other leaders of Nigeria’s formative years, paid the ultimate price with his life so that the nation could attain its full potential.
He recalled that the January 15, 1966, military coup extinguished many national leaders in their prime and set Nigeria on a difficult path, but stressed that the country has endured and will continue to prevail as one strong, indivisible and united nation.
Tinubu reassured Nigerians that, notwithstanding prevailing socio-economic challenges, his administration remains firmly committed to building on the foundations laid by Chief Akintola and other national heroes through reforms, policies and people-oriented initiatives aimed at securing a more sustainable and inclusive prosperity.
He urged Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding as ongoing reforms begin to yield positive outcomes, emphasising that the objectives of government policies are not to make life harder for citizens but to secure a brighter and more stable future for all.
Reflecting on the life and times of Chief Akintola, the President described him as a man of many parts who distinguished himself as a teacher, journalist, legal mind and passionate politician. He noted that Akintola rose from humble beginnings in Ogbomoso to national prominence, becoming the first Premier of the Western Region in post-independence Nigeria.
The President highlighted Akintola’s service as a federal minister, the first Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament and Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, as well as his contributions to major national institutions such as the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria Airways and the University of Ife, Ile-Ife.
He noted that Akintola was widely regarded as one of the most astute politicians of his era.
Beyond public offices and traditional titles, President Tinubu said Akintola’s greatest legacy lay in his ideals and principles, particularly his advocacy of the politics of cooperation, a bridge-building philosophy that emphasised consensus over conflict and national unity over regional isolation.
