By Tobi Thomas
His impotence did not catch up with him until the very end; when it did, Pastor Tunde Fowler had been demystified.
Today, all the glorification and fawning over Fowler has dissipated into invisible trickles
Interestingly, however, the hunt for a man or woman with a Midas touch to turn around things at the Federal Inland Revenue Service was highly desired by President Muhammadu Buhari when he assumed power about five years ago.
There was a man in Lagos with ‘The King of Tax’ appellation. For over a decade, he was one of the biggest taxmen in Nigeria. He turned around the fortune of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service and caused Lagos to be churning its IGR in billions. His name is Babatunde Fowler.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu must have been highly upbeat about Fowler’s magic wand and what he could achieve at the FIRS if given the opportunity. Buhari did not have to look far. Fowler was handed mantle of leadership at FIRS in expectation that he would deliver as high hopes were placed on him.
Less than two weeks after leaving office, Fowler’s legacy came under attacks by his successor. Not only has Fowler’s competence been called into question; his vision as a leader received sharp criticism from his successor, Muhammad Nami, who claimed that Fowler superintended a steady decline in revenue collection by the service since 2015.
Four months after giving poor appraisal of Fowler’s time at FIRS, Nami has not changed the tone of his criticism of Fowler. Only days ago during an interview he granted to some pressmen in Abuja, Nami said his first 100 days in office has been extremely challenging because he had to “build the entire structure of the service again from scratch” as he entire structure of the agency had virtually collapsed.
Nami talked about how he had to raise the morale of the FIRS staff, which had been at the lowest because Fowler rendered them redundant after Fowler contracted what should ordinarily be their roles to tax consultants.
He also said the staffers are quite excited now and willing to work harder than before because he took steps to return the functions previously given to consultants back to the staff so that they can perform optimally.
What an indictment on a man like Fowler, reputed for performing wonders at LIRS!
Is Nami telling us porky pies? Will this verdict of guilt tarnish the Tunde Fowler legacy forever since he has chosen to lead a quiet life since he had his plea for second term thrown back in his face? Is this silence golden or in agreement with what Nami has been saying about him?
However, when he was in government, Tunde was the cock of the walk, the ruler of the roost and the major domo in the pantheon of deep pockets.
He literally lives in a bubble; unfettered access to tons of money, all things bright, bubbly and beautiful. Many of his peers and protégés would give a limb to swap places with him for just one day.
Because of his meteoric rise on the ladder of billions, many say he is the kind of guy that you give a rope and he automatically wants to become a cowboy.
A debonair personality with fine epicurean and exquisite sartorial tastes, his appointment as the head honcho of FIRS opened him up to a higher level of social exploration. From Ilase to Boat Club and everywhere else with sandy beaches, poplar-lined esplanades, Fowler was there in his full glory.
With a stroke of the pen, Fowler has made many young ladies and dudes car and home owners in Lagos and Abuja and everywhere else. He was the very dependable big daddy and role model many young ladies never had.
Those who were lucky to find his favour have stories to tell as their lives never remained the same. In his early 60s, Fowler finds contentment and comfort in the company of nubile youngsters who waited on him body and soul whether on land or water. He has a beach house on the Lagos coastline, Ilashe, where he relaxes.
Are we going to see this side of Fowler again? Time will tell.
-Thomas is a London based Journalist and Communication Analyst
