By James Hope
Lagos shimmered under the Eid sun. The city that never sleeps had paused, if only for a moment, to honor the sacred rhythm of Salah. But for one man, the celebration was incomplete without a visit to the one he calls both leader and mentor.
Dressed head to toe in the iconic attire of the Jagaban—flowing white agbada embroidered with gold, a matching cap resting firmly on his head—Bello Mohammed Matawalle stepped into the reception room with quiet reverence. It was more than clothing. It was a statement. A nod to the legacy, the leadership, and the loyalty he carries in his heart.
“I have never seen a committed fellow like Matawalle,” an aide whispered as the cameras flashed. And in that moment, the photograph captured more than a handshake. It captured years of trust, service, and unwavering belief in a shared vision for Nigeria.
Standing beside His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, Matawalle’s posture was one of respect, his smile one of genuine joy. To his right stood the First Lady, a gracious witness to the bond between two political sons of the North and the West, united by purpose.
For Matawalle, this was not protocol. It was personal.
In a political season where loyalty is often tested by ambition, he chose to show up. Not for cameras, not for headlines, but because loyalty, to him, is not seasonal. It is a creed.
“Leadership is about standing with your leader when the road is smooth and when it is rough,” he said later, away from the lens. “President Tinubu gave me a chance to serve at the national level. The least I can do is stand by him, speak for him, and work for the Nigeria he envisions.
The visit was brief, but the message was loud: commitment is not measured in words, but in presence. In showing up. In honoring the office, the man, and the mandate.
As Matawalle stepped back into the Lagos afternoon, still adorned in the colors of the Jagaban, one thing was clear—loyalty, when genuine, never goes unnoticed. And in Nigeria’s journey forward, such loyalty is not just rare. It is needed.
Mr. James Hope is a Commentator on National issues/Lead Supporter of Matawalle/ Tinubu
