Of Tinubu’s trek to office and one meal a day

Who knew that the new benchmark for the President’s modesty would be his short daily walk from his residence to the office?

Last week, the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, rose in defence of his principal’s lifestyle when he appeared on Seun Okinbaloye’s Sunday Politics.

President Tinubu, he said, lives modestly because, among other things, he walks to the office and eats just once a day. As far as testimonials go, that’s a heartfelt testimony from a son speaking well of his father. But as far as evidence goes, it’s a low-hanging fruit that doesn’t quite cut it.

Let me offer some context. The Villa was deliberately built so that the President’s residence sits within a stroll of his office. It is meant to offer him a safe, private passage from his bed to his desk, shielded from unnecessary public attention.

So yes, Tinubu walks to work, not by choice but by a design that predates his presidency. Crediting him with modesty for walking to the office would be like praising a fish for swimming or hailing the Tantalus monkeys at the Villa for being proficient tree climbers. Had his office been a long distance from his residence and the President ridden a bicycle to work, as his good friend Mark Rutte did as Dutch Prime Minister, then the applause would be in order. But that is not the case here, as the 74-year-old is simply toeing the path of least resistance. And he is in good company.

By design, many presidents commute the same way. In the US, the Oval Office is a one-minute walk from the White House residence. The British Prime Minister’s commute to work is a staircase, as the flat sits atop Number 10.

The French President only needs to cross a courtyard in the Élysée. The Kenyan, South African and Ghanaian leaders all sleep within walking distance of their offices.

If walking to work is modesty, then we might as well have President Tinubu’s portrait hanging between Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi.

Readers of this column will recall the President’s own confession after the primaries that he has lost weight over the past three years. Maybe Tinubu’s daily walk to the office is simply the cardio arm of his weight-loss programme I wrote about in May

As for eating once a day, the NRS Chief never told us which of the three square meals Tinubu eats. It is safe to assume the President skips breakfast, as many high performers claim it keeps them sharp and less groggy.

He could be served a late lunch that may double as his dinner. But one meal a day can also be a direct consequence of a man having too much fish on his plate.

It is easy to skip breakfast after reading a jolting lead story in The PUNCH or a damning column in ThisDay. Also, Tinubu’s one-meal-a-day routine may simply be a matter of preference. The wellness industry calls it “intermittent fasting.” But many Nigerians have practised it for years out of economic necessity.

Understandably, the NRS Chief spoke in defence of his employer. But if he ever has to argue about the President’s modesty again, his reasons must be stronger than Tinubu walking two minutes to work and skipping meals.

Meanwhile, in Osun, an election has just taken place, and the results will most likely be out by the time you read this. On the eve of the governorship poll, Tinubu charged INEC to conduct a transparent, free and fair contest and ordered the police to shield voters and officials from troublemakers.

He said, “INEC must use this last off-cycle election as a test case to demonstrate to Nigerians its full preparedness for the 2027 polls. The outcome must reflect the will of the people.”

Fine words, but possibly late. While the President was appealing for fairness, buying and selling had already started in the Osun political complex. Saturday PUNCH reported that the APC and Adeleke’s Accord had commenced a N20,000-per-vote war across the state days before the ballot boxes arrived. By the eve of the poll, reports said some ballots had allegedly been bought, sold and receipted.

Still, the President’s charge matters. Osun is the final dress rehearsal for INEC before 2027, and every other actor, be it the police, the parties, or the President’s own APC, is auditioning before Nigerians. Either way, by today, the people of Osun will have spoken: some out of conviction, others allegedly persuaded by N20,000 or more. May the best trader win.

•Written By Stephen Angbulu