Comrade Bamidele Atoyebi, Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG) and publisher of Unfiltered Reporting and Mining Reporting, has identified President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Bishop David Oyedepo as exemplars of leadership anchored on mentorship, empowerment and the deliberate “pushing” of others to succeed.

In an opinion article titled “Tinubu, Afenifere, Awolowo, Oyedepo and the Principle of Pushing Others to Succeed,” Atoyebi argued that leadership should be measured not by personal accumulation of power, but by the number of people elevated through institutional support, mentorship and human capital development.

According to him, President Tinubu’s political journey over the past three decades reflects what he described as the “Tinubu Method,” a philosophy that views power as a multiplier rather than a solo enterprise. He traced this approach to Tinubu’s role in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle of the 1990s, when he opposed the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, describing it as a “coup against the people.”

Atoyebi recalled that during the military regimes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha, Tinubu went into self-exile and reportedly used personal resources to fund the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), sustaining pro-democracy advocacy from abroad.

He further cited Tinubu’s record of political mentorship, noting that the president has consistently invested political capital in grooming leaders across different levels of governance.

Among those mentioned were former Lagos State governors Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Oyo State governor Abiola Ajimobi, former Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso, and former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Atoyebi referenced Mohammed’s description of Tinubu as an “incurable optimist” and highlighted instances such as Tinubu’s encouragement of Mohammed to contest the Kwara State governorship in 2003 as evidence of his mentorship-driven leadership style.

The article also pointed to Tinubu’s role in the 2015 general elections, where he backed the Muhammadu Buhari–Yemi Osinbajo presidential ticket, despite earlier personal ambitions. Atoyebi described this move as a defining moment that demonstrated Tinubu’s willingness to act as a political catalyst, contributing to the end of the Peoples Democratic Party’s 16-year rule.

On governance, Atoyebi noted that Tinubu’s administration has extended this philosophy through policy initiatives aimed at mass empowerment.

He highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides interest-free student loans, describing it as an effort to dismantle what he termed the “poverty trap” created by reliance on high-interest informal loans for school fees.

He also referenced the administration’s ₦120 billion Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, which targets over 25 high-demand skills, including solar installation and compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion.

The programme reportedly offers tuition-free training, stipends, and start-up grants to beneficiaries.

Additionally, Atoyebi cited the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates initiative, which aims to deliver 50,000 housing units in its first phase and generate over 1.2 million jobs.

He noted that the programme includes plans for social housing projects across all 774 local government areas.

Drawing historical parallels, Atoyebi described Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the ideological forerunner of this leadership philosophy.

He referenced Afenifere, founded in 1951, which he said was built on egalitarian principles and the belief that leadership should serve collective prosperity.

Awolowo’s Free Universal Primary Education programme in the former Western Region was highlighted as a landmark policy that expanded access to education and promoted social mobility.

Atoyebi also noted Awolowo’s role in establishing Africa’s first television station and industrial estates as part of a broader development agenda.

Beyond policy, Atoyebi described Awolowo as a “maker of kings,” citing protégés such as Adekunle Ajasin, Bola Ige and Lateef Jakande, who were trained under the ideological framework known as “Awoism.”

In the religious sphere, Atoyebi identified Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, as a parallel example of leadership through empowerment.

He referenced Oyedepo’s oft-quoted maxim, “Don’t raise money, raise people,” and noted that the cleric reportedly does not receive a church salary.

According to the article, institutions such as the Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI), Covenant University and Landmark University were established to build human capacity in leadership, education and agriculture.

Atoyebi also referenced the biblical analogy that “while one can defeat a thousand, two can defeat ten thousand,” to explain what he described as Oyedepo’s model of collective advancement.

The article concluded by aligning the philosophy of mentorship with the activities of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG).

Atoyebi stated that under his leadership, the group promotes governance models focused on institutional longevity and grassroots engagement through initiatives such as the “Home-Cell” strategy and the BAT Institute of Governance.

He maintained that leadership across politics, ideology, and faith remains most effective when it prioritizes raising people and building systems that outlive individuals.