I was once security guard… good education helped me, Tinubu tells Nigerians in India

President Bola Tinubu says he “started small” in life but a “good education” helped him to attain the position of president.

Tinubu spoke on Thursday while addressing Nigerians in India ahead of the G-20 summit that will be held between September 9 and 10 in the Asian country.

Speaking at the event which was attended by several Nigerian students studying in India, Tinubu said they can reach the pinnacle of their careers if they are dedicated and determined.

The president narrated how he was once a security guard before getting employment at Deloitte and Exxon Mobil.

“Good education brought me here and I am happy to stand before you here as the President of Nigeria. I started small,” Tinubu was quoted in a statement released by Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson.

“I was a security guard. I was a tutor in school. I was a brilliant student. I joined Deloitte and was trained by one of the biggest accounting firms in the world, because of my education.

“When I joined them, I asked them, do you have branches in Nigeria? and they said, ‘we have a lot of clients, we will take you if you want to go home’.

“That’s how I got to Exxon Mobil and was a very successful accountant, auditor-general, and treasurer until I joined politics with a can-do attitude.

“You can also do it; do not be despondent in any way. Nigeria is ready to accommodate all. It does not matter which part of Nigeria you are from.”

In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Tinubu’s educational background, age, state of origin, and previous employment details were subjects of public scrutiny as opposition parties claimed that his bio-data was not genuine.