When it comes to sycophancy and flattery, there’s no beating the typical Nigerian politician to the game. They’ve mastered the art of dressing their overlords in borrowed robes, that the one being extolled is convinced the clothe is actually theirs.

Such self-deprecating massage of another man’s oversized ego is a scotched earth means of proving loyalty and positioning themselves above the competition in the jostle to be in the big man’s good graces.

It does appear that it is from this lens that political watchers will view the comment made by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State about the President on Friday.

Speaking during a state dinner at the Imo government house to mark the end of a three-day media inspection tour organised by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors and the presidential communications team, Uzodimma described President Tinubu as Nigeria’s Lee Kuan Yew.

Being referenced is the founding prime minister of Singapore who transformed the country into a global economic powerhouse that it currently has the world’s highest per capita income of $173,708 compared to Nigeria’s $1,600.

Serving from 1959 to 1990, Lee Kuan Yew is globally renowned for transforming a very poor country into one of the most prosperous in the world.

Yew industrialised Singapore with policies that encouraged foreign investment and turned the small country into a manufacturing hub in record time.

He is also credited with enforcing meritocracy in its public service and tackling corruption across board.

“In President Bola Tinubu, we have another Lee Kuan Yew,” the Imo governor said, adding that Tinubu assumed office prepared to address Nigeria’s economic challenges through far-reaching reforms.

While pointing out that the country had entered a new phase of development, Uzodimma asserted that “President Tinubu knew exactly what he came to do. He started implementing the reforms immediately because he understood the task before him.”

Do you agree with Governor Uzodimma’s assessment that places President Tinubu on the same pedestal as Lee Kuan Yew?