For over two decades, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite has continued to do what he loves most—playing politics. Because of his hot ideological standpoint, he floated the defunct National Advanced Party (NAP) and used it for his failed presidential ambition in 1983.
He has also tried several times – thereafter to offer himself for services contesting the presidential primary of the now defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) during former Head of Stated, late Gen. Sani Abacha (rtd) transition programme before he was forced out at the Maiduguri convention of the party. He was also part of the Fourth Republic though his party, NAP did not make any appreciable impact.
In 2009, after almost 30years in politics, he formally announced his retirement from politics. But despite that he has formed various groups such as the Nigeria Intervention Group (NIG), the National Consensus Group (NCG) and the newly formed National Action Coalition (NACO), which he used to fight for the reversal of subsidy removal.
The recent crisis arising from the removal of fuel subsidy also reawakened the spirit behind Braithwaite involvement in politics.? His National Consensus Group, comprising of eminent leaders and some young people were on hand to review the situation before the January 9 nationwide strike. And when the strike was called off after the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and its civil societies allies shut the economy down for one week, Braithwaite cried blue murder.
“A few years ago, we declared it to the world that in Nigeria, corruption is king not only within two arms of government, (executive and the legislature) but in all the three arms. The final showdown train of the revolution is pulling off the platform for its sublime journey”, he said during the protest.
Apart from the exorbitant increase of 125 per cent on the fuel pump price that was announced on January 1, 2012, the leader of the NCG also wondered why other problems such as corruption that is endemic, the insecurity across the country and other issues plaguing Nigeria have not been given a serious consideration.
“There is now a hue and cry indeed, uproar across the country, over a 125 per cent increase in the price of petrol in one fell swoop decreed, by the Nigerian imperial majesties for their Nigerian subjects”, he added.
In one of the strategic meetings held at his residence, the septuagenarian politician did not mince word when he said that the revolution that would wipe off corrupt people in Nigeria had started. And when he led his group on a peaceful rally to denounce the army of occupation in Lagos last Thursday, it was Braithwaite in his usual element.
Though, he was stopped at the 7Up Junction, on his way to Jota, venue of his peaceful rally, the fact that he was able to mobilise notable people such as Professor Ben Nwabueze, former Minister of Finance, Kalu Idika Kalu, the Chief Missioners of Ansar-Ur Deen, Sheik AbdulRahman Ahmad, Funmi Iyanda among others has made it a reference point.
Born on September 17, 1933, he was educated at Saint Paul’s Breadfruit School, Church Missionary Society Grammar school, Lagos and was called to bar in 1961. Even at the age of 78, Braithwaite is still ready and willing to lead the masses to fight for their rights.
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