Ladi Adebutu and Iyabo Obasanjo can deliver Ogun, by Dele Sobowale

History, the author posits, is a record of the past, a subject that ignited his passion early on. His formative years at Igbobi College, under the tutelage of Mr. John Sagay, nurtured an interest first sparked by Mr. Udoh at St. Peter’s Primary School. Udoh’s demanding approach, where only 100 percent was acceptable and anything less risked a caning, instilled a rigorous standard. By age nine, the author was familiar with historical figures like Napoleon and Abraham Lincoln. Udoh’s repeated invocation, “Nigeria expects Bamidele to do his own duty,” underscored a sense of civic responsibility.

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History is a record of what has happened in the past.

Mr. Udoh remains the author's most impactful instructor among the hundreds he encountered. A memorable encounter in 1953 saw Udoh testing his historical knowledge, reinforcing the lesson of national duty. This early grounding in history and civic responsibility seems to inform the author's later observations on politics.

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Nigeria expects Bamidele to do his own duty.

The author warns that "Politicians ignore precedents – history – at their peril." He quotes Andy Grove: "Complacency breeds failure," and Benjamin E. Mays: "The tragedy in our life is often not in our failure; but, rather in our complacency." Complacency, he argues, is a significant factor in political defeats, drawing parallels to Napoleon's loss at Waterloo and Hitler's setback at Stalingrad, both marking the end of illustrious careers. He notes that even the mightiest military power, under President Trump, witnessed humiliation, with complacency as a common thread.

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Politicians ignore precedents – history – at their peril.

Nigeria, the author asserts, is not immune to these political dynamics. He recalls the Biafran War, initially termed a police action, which instead lasted three years and, for some, remains unresolved. Nigerian politics has also seen its share of upsets caused by underdogs. The author was a direct witness to two such instances and observed a third from a distance. The first was in 1983, when the late Governor Rimi of Kano, widely praised for his performance, faced a challenge from Sabo Barkin Zuwo, a less educated but determined NPN candidate. As Marketing Manager of North Brewery Limited and a fellow Kano Club member and friend of Rimi, the author was closely involved.

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Complacency breeds failure.