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Tag: Obasanjo

  • Obasanjo calls for revival of storytelling

    Obasanjo calls for revival of storytelling

    • Donates books to Ogun schools

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday urged parents and community leaders to rekindle the culture of storytelling to enable children imbibe good moral standard.
    He spoke at his 80th birthday celebration in Ibogun village, Ogun State, which began with story – telling to entertain pupils.
    Obasanjo donated 12 story books, written by him, on tortoise to some public and private schools.
    The ceremony tagged: “Story Time with Baba”, featured reading of folklores, fables and drama presentations by pupils drawn from Baptist Day School, Ewupe; Baptist Primary School, Ibogun; Beryl Chrysolite School and Olusegun Obasanjo Academy Centre all in Ifo Local Government Area.
    The ex-President noted that the second part of the tortoise story would be out soon to “further tell more stories about the tortoise”.
    According to him, the book was to “revive the old story-telling culture of our days, which is full of lessons to learn”.
    The occasion also witnessed the celebration by Ibogun men and women, who presented gift items to the celebrator.
    The birth programme being organised by the Centre For Human Security arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), as part of activities marking his 80th birthday anniversary comes up this Sunday.
    The chairman of the celebration planning committee and Director of the Centre for Human Security of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Prof. Peter Okebukola, described the former President as a great writer and author.
    Obasanjo recalled that while growing up in the community, his parents and other community leaders gathered young children at night to give them riddles and tell them fables.
    “In our growing up days, our parents require us to solve the riddles so as to make us think deeply and sharpen our wits while they told us stories to inculcate moral values into us.
    “Most of the stories revolved round animals, particularly, tortoise, and will normally end with lessons to build character by pointing us to what to do and what not to do.
    “We have grown up with those moral values and they served as foundations upon which we built our lives and conducted ourselves wherever we went,” he said.
    He lamented that such practice had been jettisoned by parents and thereby robbed children of a good platform to imbibe good character.

  • Obasanjo slams successors for economic woes

    Obasanjo slams successors for economic woes

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday took a swipe at his successors, blaming them for the nation’s economic woes. He said God was not responsible for the problems hindering the development of Nigeria.
    Obasanjo spoke while chairing the 38th Kaduna International Trade Fair Seminar with the theme: “Promoting Public Private Partnership as Panacea for Accelerated Growth and Development”.
    The ex-President said “that Nigeria is where it is today is a question of leadership and not God”.
    According to him, “somebody came to me and said we need to pray to God and I said, for what? He said, so that God can do for us, what we cannot do for ourselves. And I said, no, let us stop troubling God, because God has done all we need for us, we only need to play our own part.
    “But, if we must pray to God, our prayer should be that God should not take away all He has given us as a nation.
    “God, in His mercy, has given us all the needed resources, both human and natural, but we have not been able to put them together and manage them effectively. The countries that have developed and are performing better are not better than Nigeria in terms of resources.
    “One problem that must be corrected is the problem of leadership. This is because our leaders lack focus, commitment, continuity and sometimes proper knowledge about economic and development issues, hence we have not been able to achieve meaningful result.
    “Another problem is that, we take one step forward and two backward. Nigerian leaders must be tough and ready to bite the bullet, because Nigeria cannot have it easy. Until we get the right leadership, the problem will continue”, he said.
    Registering his displeasure over inconsistency in policies, Obasanjo said: “I banned importation of toothpick in 1977, because it was the most stupid thing to import when we can produce it here. But, about 40 years after, one of my successors, I won’t mention his name, unmanned toothpick. Then, I put on my Babanriga and went to Abuja to express my shock about the policy, but to my greatest surprise, the President told me, he signed the document unbanning toothpick without reading it.
    “Another thing is that, he came in saying he will generate additional 30,000 megawatts to the 3,500 megawatts we left behind, and I told him, don’t trouble yourself, if you can add 3,000 megawatts to the one we left behind, you will receive awards. But, to my greatest shock, he couldn’t add one megawatt before leaving office”, he narrated.
    Speaking on the public-private partnership, the former President said lack of synergy in public-private sectors was responsible for the set back in the nation’s economy and growth.
    He said: “The public sector perceives the private sector as a profit making industry that reaps where it does not sow, but in actual fact, they are two legs that when brought together can accelerate development in all sectors of the economy.
    “Public and private sectors must work together to accelerate growth and development. When we were in office, we privatised the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and sold to Dangote and partners, but the government that succeeded me revoked it and that is why till today, NNPC cannot work optimally.
    “But, today the same Dangote that was denied ownership of NNPC is building a refinery that can produce in excess of what NNPC can produce and what Nigeria can consume. So, it means he will even export.”
    In his lecture, former Minister of Finance Shamdudeen Usman said Nigeria was facing backwardness in economic growth and development because of the lack of continuity in governance and poor will by political leaders to complete projects started by their predecessors.
    According to him, “delay in budgetary approval process and also padding of the budget contribute to the slow acceleration of growth and development experienced in the nation.
    “Short term policies affected PPP projects across the country due to inconsistencies in government. Though several governments gave high support to PPP, only President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration recorded about 90 per cent completion of PPP projects and they include the Garki hospital in Abuja, Lagos International Airport, port terminals, amongst others.
    “However, the Jonathan administration took a huge step in adpoting a 30-year National Integrated Infrastructure master plan, which targets core infrastructure in the country, but nothing much has been achieved so far,” he said.

  • God not responsible for Nigeria’s woes – Obasanjo

    God not responsible for Nigeria’s woes – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that God is not responsible for the problems militating against the development of Nigeria.

    Obasanjo who spoke while chairing the 38th Kaduna International Trade Fair Seminar with the theme; ‘Promoting Public Private Partnership as Panacea for Accelerated Growth and Development’ said Nigerians must stop blaming God for the nation’s woes.

    He  stated that Nigeria is where it is today is a question of leadership and not God.

    According to him, “somebody came to me and said we need to pray to God and I said, for what? He said, so that God can do for us, what we cannot do for ourselves. And I said, no, let us stop troubling God, because God has done all we need for us, we only need to play our own part.

    “But, if we must pray to God, our prayer should be that God should not take away all He has given us as a nation.

    “God in His mercy has given us all the needed resources, both human and natural, but we have not been able to put them together and manage them effectively. The countries that have developed and are performing better are not better than Nigeria in terms of resources.

    “One problem that must be corrected is the problem of leadership. This is because our leaders lack focus, commitment, continuity and sometimes proper knowledge about economic and development issues, hence we have not been able to achieve meaningful result.

    “Another problem is that, we take one step forward and another step backward. Nigerian leaders must be tough and ready to bite the bullet, because Nigeria cannot have it easy. Until we get the right leadership, the problem will continue,” he said.

    Registering his displeasure over inconsistency in policies, Obasanjo said, “I banned importation of toothpick in 1977, because it was the most stupid thing to import when we can produce it here. But, about 40 years after, one of the Presidents that came after me, I won’t mention his name, unmanned toothpick. Then, I put on my Babanriga and went to Abuja to express my shock about the policy, but to my greatest surprise, the President told me, he signed the document unbanning toothpick without reading it.

    “Another thing is that, he came in saying he will generate additional 30,000 megawatts to the 3,500megawatts we left behind, and I told him, don’t trouble yourself, if you can add 3,000 megawatts to the one we left behind, you will receive the of awards. But, to my greatest shock, he couldn’t add one (1) megawatt before leaving office,” Obasanjo narrated.

    Speaking on the public-private partnership, the former President emphasised that lack of synergy in public-private sectors is responsible for the set back in the nation’s economy and growth.

    He said, “the public sector perceives the private sector as a profit making Industry that reaps where it does not sow, but in actual fact, they are two legs that when brought together can accelerate development in all sectors of the economy, he stressed”.

    Obasanjo therefore said that, public and private sectors must work together to accelerate growth and development.

    He said, “when we were in office, we privatized NNPC and sold to Dangote and partners, but the government that succeeded me revoked it and that is why till today, NNPC cannot work optimally.

    “But, today the same Dangote that was denied ownership of NNPC is building a refinery that can produce in excess of what NNPC can produce and what Nigeria can consume. So, it means he will even export”, Obasanjo said.

    Earlier in his lecture, the former Minister of Finance, Malam Shamdudeen Usman said, the reasons Nigeria is facing backwardness in economic growth and development, is the lack of continuity in governance and poor will by political leaders to complete projects started by their predecessor.

    According to him, “delay in budgetary approval process and also padding of the budget attributes to the slow acceleration of growth and development experienced in the Nation”.

    “Short term policies affected PPP projects across the Country due to inconsistencies in government. Though several governments gave high support to PPP, only President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration recorded about 90% completion of PPP projects and they include the Garki hospital in Abuja, Lagos International airport, Port terminals, amongst others, he explained”.

    “However, the Jonathan administration took a huge step in adpoting a 30years National Integrated Infrastructure master plan which targets core infrastructure in the Country, but noting much has been achieved so far”, he stressed.

  • My Buhari score card, by Obasanjo

    My Buhari score card, by Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has rated President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance  high in  security and the battle against corruption.

    In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at his hilltop residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the weekend, Obasanjo said the president had done his best to develop the country.

    “Whatever anybody says, President Buhari has not disappointed me from what I know of him,’’ he said.

    Obasanjo said the president had delivered on his core areas of strength and ability, particularly in the anti-corruption crusade and the war against insurgency.

    “In my book, I have said that Buhari is not strong on the economy and I did not write this to run him down.

    “I also used to think that he is not strong in the area of foreign affairs, but I have realised that he has improved very well.

    “He has actually done his best in the areas where we know him to be strong,” he said.

    The elder statesman urged Nigerians not to relent in their support for Buhari and not to give up on Nigeria.

    “Whatever you might see as bad in Nigeria, other societies have gone through the same at some period in their history.

    “It is not for us to begin to condemn but to begin to join hands together and consider how we can make the best out of our present.

    “Our present situation is a passing phase and we need to be resilient to ensure that we are not consumed by it.

    “I will be the first to admit that we have not been where we should have been, but note that we have also been far from where we could have been because it could have been worse.

    “It is the height of ingratitude for people to say Nigeria has not achieved anything or much as a nation.

    “The generation before mine fought for Nigeria’s independence; that is great.

    “My own generation, which is the next, fought to sustain the unity of Nigeria.

    “Since 1999, Nigeria has enjoyed 18 years of unbroken democracy.

    “We witnessed in 2007 a transition of power from one individual to another in the same party.

    “We witnessed in 2015 a transition of power from an individual in the ruling party to another individual in the opposition party.

    “All these should not be taken for granted,” he said.

    Obasanjo also decried the call for national conferences or assemblies to negotiate the continued unity of Nigeria.

    The former president who described such conferences as “distractions”, said he did not bother to read the report of the last one organised by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “ We Nigerians need ourselves and if anyone thinks he does not need another person, good luck to him.

    “What I see in all those groups trying to break away is that they want more of the national cake.

    “The fact that you want more of the cake means that it is good and you like it, else you will not be asking for more of it.

    “I do understand the agitations of the youths in that the increased facilities that now exist as against our own time have not translated to adequate opportunities for them.

    “But I think that rather than engage in violence, they should think of how to build on the sacrifices of the generations before them,” he said.

    The elder statesman, who will turn 80 on March 5, said he had no regrets at such an age.

    He said his hope that Nigeria would still be a great nation was intact.

  • God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    •Abacha planned to kill Yar’Adua, Abiola and me

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo reviewed his life yesterday and said God had been “partial” towards him.

    Obasanjo due to turn 80 on March 5, said given his narrow escape from death in prison during the late Gen. Sani Abacha  regime after which he became president, attested to God’s extra – ordinary mercy, grace, favour  and partiality towards him.

    He spoke during a thanksgiving  service organised in his honour by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogun State chapter, preparatory to his birthday ceremonies.

    The thanksgiving service tagged ‘Celebration of God’s grace at 80, took place at the Treasure House of God, Agbeloba, Abeokuta.

    Some of those in attendance are: Ogun State Deputy Governor Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas the Olu of Ilaro Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu, the Osile of Oke – Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, Olubara of Ibara, Oba Jacob Omolade and Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu.

    Obasanjo said considering his humble background, he  never knew his name could even be heard in the next village let alone the whole of Nigeria, Africa and globally.

    He recalled that during the heady days of Abacha, three persons including him (Obasanjo) were marked for elimination.

    The other two, according to him, were late Maj-Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Ardua and the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election and philanthropist, the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola – two of them died detention.

    Obasanjo said: “When I came out of Prison and the pressure started mounting for me to contest for the post of President of Nigeria, I was confused for a while, particularly bearing in mind what I had gone through after my service in the military, after my service as Head of State and then I finished up in prison without doing anything wrong.

    “People were coming to me again, I say look, how many President do you want to make out of me? You want to send me to jail again? But in that confusion, I decided to seek advice and to listen to the word of God.

    “One of the places I went was South Africa. Mandela was still alive and Desmond Tutu. I went first to Mandela. I said Madiba, you know my story and of course he was one of those who stood firmly with me when I was in Prison. I said look, I am getting pressured to become the President, what is your advice? He said, Olu, whatever your instinct tells you to do, follow it.

    “I went to Desmond Tutu and I listened to him. We were in his little garden in South Africa and after listening to me, he said yes, my brother, I hear you. What you are telling me is that you are tired of serving God. I said no. I said Desmond, you haven’t heard me correctly.

    “I said I have done so many things in the past and so on, and this is what I got out of it. He said but your people are now asking you to continue to be of service to God and to them and you are now saying you are not going to do so.

    “He advised me to go and do what my people requested from me. I came back and my confusion was getting a little bit clearer. One day, I just opened my Bible systematically to the book of Esther, the story of Mordecai and Esther. By then, about three people have told me that Abacha assured them that three of us would not come out of prison alive. Myself, Shehu Yar’Adua and MKO Abiola.

    “I read that section of the Bible and then I said to myself, maybe the reason why I did not die in Prison was that God has a purpose, when the man who put me in Prison has vowed that I will not come out alive. At that point I changed my mind.

    “When I look at my life, and you called this grace, there is nothing else that can described what God has done for me, rather than immeasurable grace. God has been gracious to me and my family and he has used me tremendously as you have heard.

    “I thank God and I thank you more importantly and all those who have worked with me. If not for them, whatever I can claimed to achieve could not have been possible. What do I have to say than thank God.”

    The preacher at the event, Bishop Wale Oke of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, said Obasanjo was a man of destiny whom God destined   for a specific purpose in Nigeria.

    He likened Obasanjo’s time and experience to biblical leaders such as Abraham, Joseph, Ezra, Samuel, Esther and Apostle Paul.

    He said: “Once in a generation, God raises a leader for a generation. We have such people like Abraham, Joseph, Samuel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and Apostle Paul.

    “They were raised and commissioned for a specific task and they were focused on that task. God has raised Baba Obasanjo to be in this mould,” Oke said.

  • God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has taken another critical look at his life, achievements amid daunting challenges and admitted that God has been quite “partial” to him all through.

    Obasanjo who would be 80 years old by March 5 said his narrow escape from death in prison during the regime of Late General Sanni Abacha and later becoming an elected President is an indication of God’s extra – ordinary mercy, grace, favour and partiality towards him.

    The Ebora of the Owu Kingdom who also declared that he does not deserve all the favour bestowed on him by God, spoke on Sunday at a thanksgiving service organised in his honour by the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, preparatory to his 80th birthday.

    The thanksgiving service tagged ‘Celebration of God grace at 80, held at the Treasure House of God, Agbeloba, Abeokuta.

    The ex – President said considering his humble background in a remote Ibogun Olaogun community and the illiterate parents that gave birth to him, he never knew his name could even be heard in the next village, let alone the whole of Nigeria, Africa and globally.

    He recalled that during the heady days of Abacha, three persons including him(Obasanjo)were marked for elimination while in detention, saying by providence, he was the only one that survived the death scheme.

    The other two according to him were late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Ardua and the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election and Philanthropist, late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola – two of them died prison.

    Obasanjo however revealed that when he was being pressured to run for the office of the President upon leaving the prison, he prayed to God, consulted with Dr Nelson Mandela before his death and Arch – Bishop Desmond Tutu before making up his mind to make himself available for the office.

    He however, used the occasion to also call on the Egba traditional rulers to work for the greater unity and progress of Egbaland, saying the unity among Obas in Egba fall short of expectation.

    State.

    “Let me say most sincerely I thank all of you, and more importantly I thank Almighty God for this day and for what God has done in my life. I used to say and I mean it that God has been so partial to me by giving me so much favour that I do not deserve.

    “My Lord spiritual, Kabiyesis, if you don’t know anything at all, you just go and locate the village where I was born. There should be no one born in that village by the parents, who are my parents, stark illiterate, no road to our village where I was born and you should hear his name beyond the next village. So God has done for me, much more than I deserve and I praise God for this.”

  • Buhari has not disappointed me, says Obasanjo

    Buhari has not disappointed me, says Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says that the current Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari, has not disappointed him since he assumed office in 2015.

    Obasanjo stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at his hilltop residence in Abeokuta.

    While reflecting on the Buhari administration since 2015, Obasanjo said that the president had done his best to move the country forward.

    “Whatever anybody says, President Buhari has not disappointed me from what I know of him,’’ he said.

    He said the president had delivered on his core areas of strength and ability, particularly in the anti-corruption crusade and the war against insurgency.

    “In my book, I have said that Buhari is not strong on the economy and I did not write this to run him down.

    “I also used to think that he is not strong in the area of foreign affairs, but I have realised that he has improved very well.

    “He has actually done his best in the areas where we know him to be strong,” he said.

    The elder statesman urged Nigerians not to relent in their support for Buhari and not to give up on Nigeria.

    “Whatever you might see as bad in Nigeria, other societies have gone through the same at some period in their history.

    “It is not for us to begin to condemn but to begin to join hands together and consider how we can make the best out of our present.

    “”Our present situation is a passing phase and we need to be resilient to ensure that we are not consumed by it.

    “I will be the first to admit that we have not been where we should have been, but note that we have also been far from where we could have been because it could have been worse.

    “It is the height of ingratitude for people to say Nigeria has not achieved anything or much as a nation.

    “The generation before mine fought for Nigeria’s independence, that is great.

    “My own generation, which is the next, fought to sustain the unity of Nigeria.

    “Since 1999, Nigeria had enjoyed 18 years of unbroken democracy.

    “We witnessed in 2007 a transition of power from one individual to another in the same party.

    “We witnessed in 2015 a transition of power from an individual in the ruling party to another individual in the opposition party.

    “All these should not be taken for granted,” he said.

    Obasanjo also decried the call for national conferences or assemblies to negotiate the continued unity of Nigeria.

    The former president who, described such conferences as distractions, said he did not bother to read the report of the last one organised by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    ” We Nigerians need ourselves and if anyone thinks he does not need another person, good luck to him.

    “What I see in all those groups trying to break away is that they want more of the national cake.

    “The fact that you want more of the cake means that it is good and you like it, else you will not be asking for more of it.

    “I do understand the agitations of the youths in that the increased facilities that now exist as against our own time have not translated to adequate opportunities for them.

    “But I think that rather than engage in violence, they should think of how to build on the sacrifices of the generations before them,” he said.

    The elder statesman, who would turn 80 on March 5, said he had no regrets at such an age.

    He said that his hope that Nigeria would still be a great nation was still intact. (NAN)

  • The Obasanjo paradox

    SIR: That Nigeria is a country full of paradox is not in contest. Indeed, it is a truism. One paradox that had been bedevilling the country before and since the return of democracy in 1999 is Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    How else can one describe the phenomenon in which the major beneficiary of our return to democracy is no other fellow that the same one who did not hide his contempt and disdain for that cherished institution? For more than two decades that various political pressure groups, whether in the name of NADECO, G-18 etc., he never disguised his resolve to undermine them. Even in the days of prodemocracy coalition to fight Abacha dictatorship, he was with Abacha until he overstretched his luck with Abacha, only to discover that Abacha was a no nonsense man.

    But by some inscrutable mystery or the other, he became the first President, thereby sowing without planting any fruit.

    Now fully armed with executive presidential powers, he now saw himself fully equipped for his battle to destroy democracy and replace it with a kind of dictatorship. It was therefore no wonder that for the eight years he ruled, he undermined all the pillars on which true democracy should rest.

    He started with the political party that provided the platform for his emergence as President. The bruises that the PDP suffered from the series of his punches have refused to heal, even up till now. It was either you did his bidding or he frustrated you out of the party.

    The major landmark of such bruises was the notoriety of the frequency with which he changed the leadership of the party including some at gunpoint.

    As if that was not enough, he moved to the other constitutionally enshrined tiers of government in the legislature or judiciary. Although, the position of the Senate President was zoned to the South-east by the PDP, he never allowed the Igbos enjoy the fruit of that office by the frequency of the change of leadership according to his own whims and caprice.

    The South-west was the worst hit in his fight against democracy. Whereas in other zones, it was a kind of battle, to the South-west however, it was a war.  Traditional rulers had to meet him cap in hand or he humiliated them. The major political institution of the Yoruba of that time was Afenifere, symbolized by the then Alliance for Democracy. Through his treacherous political manoeuvring, he made sure he killed the AD, thus throwing the South-west into political orphanage, turning himself into an unsolicited guardian with his PDP.

    The Mother of all battles however turned out to be the Third Term agenda. In halting that heinous agenda, kudos must be given to his then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and the then Senate President Ken Nnamani. That was apart from the then leadership of the apex judiciary, especially in his desultory and arbitrary battle against Atiku. However, he became so inveterate in his hostility against those who stood against his third term dream whether living or dead. That explained why he could not issue a word of condolence on the death of the then governor of Niger State, Abdulkadir Kure not to talk of his visiting his family.

    If there was anything he put into practice, it was his maxim that election was a game of ‘life and death’, which he pronounced in the build up to the 2007 presidential election against Atiku Abubakar.

    But so far, I cannot see anybody who has paid dearly for his defence of democracy in the iron hand of Obasanjo than his Vice, Atiku Abubakar. If only to make sure that Atiku never became President, he is always ready to substitute merit with mediocrity.

    How else can one explain the phenomenon that not sooner that he got his stooge in that office than he started describing them as mediocre? To him, Yar’adua was a failure and Jonathan was a catastrophe to the nation. Even now, he is already shopping for a replacement to Buhari in 2019.

    Nigeria is indeed a country of paradox and myth where a one-eyed sees the optically fit as blind.

     

    • Agboola Sanni,

    Ibadan.

  • Those wishing Buhari dead are callous, wicked – Obasanjo

    Those wishing Buhari dead are callous, wicked – Obasanjo

    Former President  Olusegun Obasanjo has flayed Nigerians wishing President Muhammadu Buhari dead, saying they are “callous, treacherous and wicked.”

    A section of the social media was awash with reported claims that President Buhari had died in London, United Kingdom, following his illness last week.

    Buhari who had travelled to London on a 10-day vacation is expected back in the country next week.

    However, Obasanjo said instead of embarking on such negative and worrisome mission of wishing Buhari dead, the Nigerians behind the despicable acts ought to be praying for his quick recovery and return to Nigeria.

    The ex – President who recalled that he too was victim of such rumoured death, made this known in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, through his Media aide,  Kehinde Akinyemi, in Abeokuta on Friday.

    He cautioned the purveyors and instigators of rumoured death of their fellow human beings to desist from the shameful and wicked inclinations.

    According to him, those behind the death wish on President Buhari, an elderly man,  are not “normal people.”

    “Instead of embarking on such worrisome declaration, all that the President needed are our prayers and best wishes, which will ginger his morale to come back more stronger and better.

    “No normal human being will wish an elderly person dead irrespective of their differences. If you don’t like him, wait for another election, not going about to say he is dead.

    “No matter his health situation, we should pray for him to recover quick and come back more stronger and better. For anyone wishing him dead, such person or group of persons are callous, wicked and treacherous.

    “I was also rumored to have died almost 12 times. I don’t know what they derive from doing so, but, they should seek for forgiveness.

    “Even if we know that the President is sick, he is in a better position to know what to say or what to do and not wishing him dead. We should just stop politicizing everything, especially with the elderly in the country,” Obasanjo said.

  • Obasanjo canvasses Igbo President for Nigeria

    Obasanjo canvasses Igbo President for Nigeria

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday made a subtle case for other geo- political zones to produce Nigeria’s President in the interest of justice and fairness.

    Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the South East region is yet to produce the country’s President, while the Southwest, North and minority South – South have had shots at the Presidency at different times.

    But Obasanjo said it was his personal view that the South East people deserve to produce the country’s President just as the Ogun West Senatorial District in his home state should be given the opportunity to produce the state Governor.

    The ex- President spoke when the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogun State chapter, led by Bishop Tunde – Akin Akinsanya visited him at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta for a special New Year service.

    He noted that injustice and marginalisation are the instigators of conflicts along ethnic and regional lines in the country.

    Obasanjo said it was his desire for a just and fair country that informed why he worked for the emergence of a South-South President in 2011.

    “Irrespective of the thinking of the people ahead of 2019, I personally think that South-East should have a go at the Presidency too.

    “The same is happening here. If Ijebu and Egba have produced the Governor, it is only fair and just to allow the Yewa or Ogun West to also produce governor. Or else, one day, they will also stand up and take up arms against this injustice against them. That is my personally position on this,” the ex- President said.