Nigeria’s President-elect Bola Tinubu has been recognized by TIME magazine, featuring on their prestigious “100 Most Influential People” list for 2023. Tinubu is joined by other influential leaders such as US President Joe Biden, the King of the United Kingdom, King Charles III, and Twitter CEO Elon Musk.

TIME magazine’s description of Tinubu, referred to him as a “leader of the warriors” who has been preparing for this role for almost two decades. Despite the challenges of running for president in Nigeria, Tinubu emerged victorious in the election with the ruling All Progressives Congress party, albeit by a slim margin.

The article highlights that Tinubu’s success came in the midst of a tense election where he faced stiff competition from third-party candidate Peter Obi, with allegations of vote rigging and intimidation. The election’s outcome is being challenged in court.

“Called Jagaban, or ‘leader of the warriors’, by his supporters, the now 71-year-old ran in a presidential election for the first time this March.

“His campaign slogan, ‘It’s my turn’, was a nod to his role as a longtime political power broker. Tinubu helped restore the country’s democracy in 1999 after fighting military rule and then served two consecutive terms as governor of Lagos.

“But Tinubu’s win with the ruling All Progressives Congress party came in a fraught election and by a slim margin over Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

“It was the first time Nigerian voters contended with a third-party candidate, and many discontented young Nigerians yearning for change pinned their hopes on Obi. Marred by allegations of intimidation and vote rigging, the outcome of the ballot is being challenged in court.

“Tinubu now faces a litany of crises in a fractured nation, including deep-rooted corruption, religious insurgencies, and shortages of cash, fuel, and power in a crumbling economy.

“But the President-elect seems aware of his inheritance: ‘[Nigeria] is one country and we must build it together,’ he said in his acceptance speech,” the article said.