Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commonly referred to as Bola Tinubu, was a prominent Nigerian politician and a former Governor of Lagos State. However, as of my knowledge cutoff date, he had not held the position of President of Nigeria.
Bola Tinubu was born on March 29, 1952, in Lagos State, Nigeria. He obtained his early education in Nigeria before traveling to the United States to further his studies. He attended Richard J. Daley College in Chicago, Illinois, and later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Chicago State University. Tinubu also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the same institution.
After his return to Nigeria, Tinubu ventured into business and made a name for himself as a successful entrepreneur. In the late 1990s, he delved into politics and joined the then newly formed political party, the Alliance for Democracy (AD). In 1999, he contested and won the governorship election in Lagos State, becoming the state’s first civilian governor since the return to democracy in Nigeria.
During his tenure as governor from 1999 to 2007, Tinubu implemented various policies and reforms that earned him both praise and criticism. He is credited with significant infrastructural development, tax reforms, and improvements in the healthcare and educational sectors of Lagos State. His administration also introduced the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which aimed to address the transportation challenges in the city.
Tinubu’s political influence extended beyond Lagos State, as he played a significant role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a merger of several opposition parties in Nigeria in 2013. The APC emerged victorious in the 2015 presidential election, with Muhammadu Buhari becoming Nigeria’s President.
