Silverbird Award: Tinubu Advises Ben Murray-Bruce

When you give a politician or an orator the stage and hand him a microphone, chances are that he would seize that opportunity with both hands and that was what happened at the Silverbird Man Of The Year Awards Ceremony held on Sunday evening.

It was on that platform that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) told founding President of Silverbird Group and Bayelsa Senator, Ben Murray-Bruce that he has no reason to complain again about government but should use his position to take action.


Tinubu who made the remark while delivering his acceptance speech at the ceremony noted that Senator Murray-Bruce had touched a raw nerve when in an emotional speech earlier he had bemoaned the fact that Nigerians lack a sense of history and have been unable to preserve our archival materials.

Asiwaju Tinubu noted “Senator Murray-Bruce, I have a common sense solution to the issues you have raised especially regarding preserving our history.You had a reason to complain before but not any more. You are in the Senate now just sponsor a bill that will reinstate History in Nigerian Schools. The whole venue errupted in applause.

Tinubu went further to ask Senator Solomon Olamilekan (Yayi) if he would support such a bill, the APC Senator representing Lagos West responded in the affirmative and Tinubu then turned to Senator Murray-Bruce and said “Ben, the ball is now in your court”.

On the issue of piracy also raised by Murray-Bruce , the Jagaban Borgu and former Lagos State Governor stated that the owners of intellectual property must go digital because that way, they can keep their works secure and also will be able to store large volumes.

He then added jocularly “instead of buying N37m SUV (I hope you did not receive one, Murray-Bruce said no) the money should have been used in putting structures and setting up equipment for those who keep all these works”.

Tinubu noted that any government that wants to make a great impact must plan and develop a vision that will be longer that its own tenure.

He revealed that he and his co-conspirators have been in Abuja planning because it is only through properly planning that Nigeria can lift itself from its present state.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with the Buhari Government noting that the challenges of today would definitely be forgotten and Nigerians would soon have cause to smile.

Earlier, former Lagos State Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande had insisted that Nigeria had no reason to experience fuel crises because we have all it takes to compete with other nations of the world.

Alhaji Jakande who was a Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient urged Nigerians to close ranks as only a united Nigeria can thrive.

Other Award Recipients included Chief S.L. Akintola, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Chief Melford Okilo who all got Post Humous awards, while Dr. Oba Otudeko, King Sunny Ade, Chief O. Lulu-Briggs, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Samson Siasia, Chimanda Adichie, Iya Oge of Lagos, Chief Opral Benson, Emmanuel Amuneke, Anthony Joshua, Ben TV Founder, Alistair Soyode and Mr. Akintola Williams all got Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Ace Broadcaster, Soni Irabor was the Master of Ceremonies at the colourful event that was attended by the cream of Nigerian society.