Tinubu appears on TIME Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the incoming president of Nigeria, is one of the 100 most influential people in the world according to TIME magazine.

According to TIME, Tinubu has long served as a political power broker and helped Nigeria reestablish democracy in 1999 after battling military rule.

The American news publication listed the top 100 figures in the world according to six categories: artists, icons, leaders, pioneers, titans, and innovators.

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Among the 19 leaders listed by TIME were Tinubu and Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States.
“Winning an election in Africa’s most populous country is no easy feat,” the magazine wrote about Tinubu. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the recently elected president of Nigeria, has had almost 20 years to prepare. The 71-year-old, known to his supporters as Jagaban, or “leader of the warriors,” ran in a presidential election for the first time this March. The catchphrase of his campaign, “It’s my turn,” alluded to his longtime position as a political power broker. After fighting against military rule, Tinubu assisted in the restoration of democracy in the nation in 1999. He later held the office of Lagos governor for two terms in a row.

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“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.”