Tinubu and Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo celebrate shared birthday
Today, on March 29th, it's not just President Bola Tinubu marking his birthday. Across the border, Ghana's President, Nana Akufo-Addo, is also commemorating his special day.
As both nations celebrate their leaders, it's a rare instance of shared happiness between neighboring countries often at odds over matters like jollof rice, music, and football.
While Nigerians pay tribute to Tinubu, Ghanaians extend heartfelt wishes to their leader.
Both presidents hail from influential backgrounds.
Tinubu, aged 72, was born into the esteemed merchant family of Abibatu Mogaji in Lagos. Mogaji held the revered position of Iyaloja of Lagos.
Akufo-Addo, aged 80, was born on March 29, 1944, in Swalaba, a suburb of Accra, Ghana. He was born into a prominent Ghanaian royal and political family as the son of Adeline and Edward Akufo-Addo.
Regarding education, Akufo-Addo pursued Law in the UK and was called to the bar in England (Middle Temple) in 1971, and in Ghana in 1975.
Tinubu pursued his education at Southwest College (now Richard J. Daley College) in Chicago before transferring to Chicago State University. On June 22, 1979, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with Honors, majoring in Accounting.
In 1992, Tinubu clinched the Lagos West senate seat under the Social Democratic Party. Subsequently, he became associated with the National Democratic Coalition, a pro-democracy group. Following imprisonment for his pro-democracy activism, he fled into exile in 1994.
He returned to Nigeria in 1998.
In 1999, Tinubu, now a member of the Alliance for Democracy party, was elected governor of Lagos state. He was reelected in 2003.
He played a pivotal role in establishing a new political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During the 2023 general elections, he contested as one of the 18 presidential candidates. Emerging victorious over notable contenders such as Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Tinubu assumed the presidency constitutionally 10 months ago, on May 29, 2023.
On the contrary, Akufo-Addo, a lawyer and politician, assumed the presidency of Ghana in January 2017. He joined the New Patriotic Party in 1992 and served as a Member of Parliament for three consecutive terms (1996–2008). During President John Kufuor's administration, Akufo-Addo held the roles of Attorney General and Minister of Justice from 2001 to 2003. Following this, he served as Foreign Minister until 2007. He resigned from this post to vie for the NPP's flagbearer position in the 2008 presidential race.
In the 2008 Ghanaian presidential election, Akufo-Addo won the initial round with over 49% of the votes but narrowly lost to John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress in the runoff, securing 49.77% of the votes.
In the 2012 election, Akufo-Addo represented the NPP, contending against John Mahama, who emerged victorious with 50.7% of the votes. Akufo-Addo and the NPP contested the results, yet the Supreme Court upheld Mahama's win in August 2013.
Akufo-Addo graciously accepted the verdict, earning praise for his response, which helped ease tensions across the nation.
In 2016, Akufo-Addo ran for the NPP presidential candidacy for the third time. Once again, he competed against Mahama in the election held on December 7. This time, Akufo-Addo emerged victorious, securing approximately 53.8% of the votes. He was inaugurated on January 7, 2017.
In the subsequent presidential election on December 7, 2020, Akufo-Addo secured reelection in the first round of voting, garnering slightly over 51% of the votes. He was sworn in for his second term on January 7, 2021.
At this juncture, both Presidents are facing pivotal moments in their administrations. Nigeria grapples with substantial economic hardships, alongside a disturbing surge in kidnappings. Meanwhile, Akufo-Addo is embroiled in controversy surrounding an anti-LGBTQ bill.
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