By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“This is Obasanjo who was freed from prison, pardoned and made president but who for his eight years in power failed to pardon people with whom he was clamped in prison for the same political reasons. Would Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju’s spirit though alive ever pray for him. Col. Grabriel Ajayi’s spirit was not settled with him till his death mid-last year. Late Lt. Col. Oluwole Akinyode’s widow continues to cry for help to pardon her late husband, his boss, Olanrewaju, and others so their seized entitlements and benefits can be restored to them to live good lives. If Obasanjo had done that, would President Buhari today be the one to be cried to? Yet, the pot is actually calling kettle black and with that he believes he can re-impose on Nigerians the regime of corruption, lack of integrity and impunity that they already said bye to.”
In what many described as twist of tongue against his gang up of over 42 political parties for the unseating of President Muhammadu Buhari since his one year in office, former President Olusegun Obasanjo Tuesday made a tactical comeback into the President’s committee of friends.
It will however not be rosy for him to achieve this as many observers, who followed the behaviour of the former President while it lasted, say it will be unfair to self should President Buhari take Obasanjo as he describes himself, as one of them added that, “Nigerians need your goodmanism more than Obasanjo, who does not need it, does.”
The former President, along with other players in his conspiracy camp including mischievously deployed elements such as religious and ethnic divisionists among Nigerians it would be recalled, had seriously asserted uncommon energies to collapse the no-nonsense government of the President, saying it was not meant to succeed. Many prophets and The Economist’s prophecies of doom sprouted up. Where a particular “prophet” said Buhari could not defeat Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election Alhaji Abubakar in a free, fair and credible election, The Economist magazine predicted more negative things should the President win a re-election only to discover that there is something in common with The Economist which never wished Nigeria well under Buhari and the Obasanjo-led gang up against him.
Believing in the usual talk in town that whoever he supports wins election and who he is displeased with loses, retired General Obasanjo boastfully positioned himself as leader of a coalition using the political party ousted from power barely one year as at time of commencement of the coalition, PDP, as rallying point to unseat Buhari who he described as failure citing the ostensibly orchestrated politically motivated killings, hikes in market prices and corruption-afflicted recession now ended as yardstick for his criticisms.
But President Buhari ensured that at no time he would look into former President Obasanjo in the face and disrespect him, despite all the intolerable but tolerated behaviours from him that many considered to be unfair to a President, who is the first and only to be in power and would sustain his humility towards his former boss like he does to the former military head of state under whom Buhari served as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources. The DEFENDER even once published that Obasanjo had to make an unfavourable posting of Buhari from government to Bony Camp as mere military secretary when he felt that his integrity was becoming too much for a head of state that would want the oil sector of the country to become a drain pipe to own reserves. That however was not until Buhari had, independently, used the nation’s resources to judiciously build the only refineries that the nation has been proud of till present and which, not even eight years of critic Obasanjo deemed fit to increase. That is a talk of another time.
It will be recalled Jonathan, “a bloody civilian” as some concerned citizens called him, disrespectfully relegated Obasanjo to derogatory status of a motor park tout but Buhari refused to go to that extent despite the offensives and provocations coming from him to the man who has now returned Nigeria to its position as most powerful and most respected black nation in the world. It should be noted here that through the Buhari’s rice revolution made possible by his agric-based diversification of the economy, Nigeria has now overtaken Egypt as largest producer of rice in the world at 14 million tonnes per annual, according to the survey carried out by Africa Rice Centre, in the Republic of Benin.
At the point of entry to Aso Rock on 29 May 2015 Buhari inherited a government that oversaw importation of rice as high as 354,000 metric tonnes. Quite commendably before the same date in May 2019, four years after, rice importation from foreign agric economy into Nigeria has dropped drastically to about 23,000 metric tonnes. Where then did Obasanjo get its economy growth index from, to so rate Buhari’s government as failure and much more even to now prefer a man, once indelibly confessed had stolen money enough to buy the whole of Nigeria. Not thanks to MY WATCH, the chronicle of a former Nigeria’s vice president from genesis to revelation, to take over on the ground “he has begged me for forgiveness”.
Despite the gang up of Obasanjo led political parties and efforts by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) working hand-in-hand with suddenly surfaced National Christian Elders’ Forum (NEF) through which some Nigerian elders touting themselves as ‘Retired Christian Generals’ operated in effort to discredit the President’s administration, President Muhammadu Buhari, with the support of Allah, broke the jinx and it is now clear to Obasanjo and many Nigerians, who have taken him for an idol, to see that the Ebora Owu’s oracle no longer speaks the truth but falsehood. Buhari won and emerged the one that laughs last.
Many Nigerians home and in the Diaspora had expected, by Buhari’s clean and clear victory over the desperado in Alhaji Atiku Abubakar whose obvious deployment of money in hard currencies running into millions of dollars just to execute a political project, that Obasanjo would embrace one of two self-judgement: Commence his journey to self-exile or do what in Yoruba parlance is called “Omo Okunrin” (meaning, commit suicide). Any such leader who is true Yoruba person would do no less, considering the extent of his atrocious disturbances towards the humble government of Buhari. What he did in ensuring the four years term of President Buhari did not witness peace cannot be described by mere words of mouth. Those political sons of his in the like of Saraki and Dino Melaye would however not go unpunished for being the tools to cause the confusion in the land.
This is Obasanjo who was freed from prison, pardoned and made president but who for his eight years in power failed to pardon people with whom he was clamped in prison for the same political reasons. Would Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju’s spirit though alive ever pray for him. Col. Grabriel Ajayi’s spirit was not settled him till his death. late Lt. Col. Oluwole Akinyode’s widow continues to cry for help to pardon her late husband, his boss, Olanrewaju, and others so their seized entitlements and benefits can be restored to them to live good lives. If Obasanjo had done that, would President Buhari today be the one to be cried to? Yet, the pot is actually calling kettle black and with that he believes he can re-impose on Nigeria the regime of corruption, lack of integrity and impunity that they already said bye to.
Characteristic of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, he always has an opportunity to make his curl. His 82nd birthday provided him the opportunity on Tuesday where he said he would not stop criticising President Muhammadu Buhari until he does “what is right.”
“But what could a very humility-personified Buhari do now to quite an over-aged man who has refused to take to good and positive pieces of advice, other than to just ask him to bring the $16 billion power money, go and sin no more at 82?” A source told The DEFENDER in reaction to the statement by Obasanjo.
Obasanjo who pointed out that criticism remains an integral part of democracy, said he had nothing personal against Buhari and his government.
He was reacting to the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo, who implored Obasanjo to play down attacks on the President upon clocking 82.
The duo spoke at the 82nd birthday anniversary celebration of Obasanjo held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta.
Oba Gbadebo, who served as Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters, Brigadier General Tunde Idiagbon under the General Muhammadu Buhari military regime between 1983 and 1985, referred to Buhari as his boss.
While describing Obasanjo as a warrior, Alake said: “At 82 years of age, I think you should keep your sword more rather than use it always.”
But Obasanjo, in a swift reaction, told the Monarch that he remains Buhari’s boss, saying having served as President, he could criticise his government when the need arises.
Obasanjo said “If I say anybody in government in Nigeria or any government for that matter is not doing well, let that government prove that it is well. It’s not anything personal.
“So, Kabiyesi (referring to Alake of Egbaland) your boss, Buhari; there is nothing personal between me and him. Just as he is your boss, I am his boss, with all due respect.
“Now, the point is that I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there. That’s true. If any Nigerian comes in and have two terms, he will not have almost four years of military rule. So, I have been there longer than any Nigerian would ever be there.
“So, when I say something, I know what I am talking about. Kabiyesi (Alake) anytime you say, “leave my boss alone,” I say “he is your boss”. But I am also his (Buhari) boss. So, you might also ask your boss (Buhari) to leave his boss alone or do what it right that his boss wants him to do.”
However, Nigerians home and abroad are looking at the Obasanjo comments beyond what short-memory Nigerians understand it to be. They are saying that the former President should not be taken serious as the comments were no more or less than a self-afflicted element now finding an inroad back to the offended without him trying to admit that he has goofed.
“Just imagine that Buhari had died through the poison! Imagine that they succeeded, those who caused disaffection and hostility in the land tagging against it against him as a Fulani man in power supporting his Fulani herdsmen to kill other Nigerians! Imagine that the lobby to upturn Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s America’s visa succeeded and Nigeria became overpowered by the Atiku/PDP conspiracy with foreign partners wanting to turn Nigeria Syria, old Rwanda scenario!
“Tell me, if his plots had succeeded, would Obasanjo have stood up there in Abeokuta and be trivializing the serious treasonable issues he, along with his aides including TY Danjuma, Zamani Lekwot, Ibrahim Babamasi Babangida, Saraki, Dino Melaye, others had committed against Nigeria thinking they hate Buhari? By now, he would be reeling out all sorts of abuses and negative chronicles about the Daura, Katsina State-born President. We thank God that they all failed and this is the first time this is happening. Now, they are congratulating Buhari from left, right and centre as if they ever wanted him for good for once.
“I will however warn President Buhari so well to be wary of elements like ‘boss’ of his. Obasanjo is not a good man,” he submitted, adding that, “Have you seen where Satan runs after a person and he turns back? No. He will continue to run after you and disturb your progress until he is able to overcome you except you take to the advice of God in the Qur’an which says you should not worship or make satan a friend because he is a clear accursed.”
In the meantime, vulnerable Nigerians do not see Obasanjo in the lens of these concerned citizens as they are beginning to see the behaviour of the former President as that of mere play of politics. President Buhari himself had warned his supporters not to gloat against the opposition but that they should see the election victory as enough compensation by God.
*WAKE UP is strictly the personal opinion column of Bashir Adefaka, an Isolo Akure, Ondo State Prince, Lagos-based Journalist and media proprietor. Reach him via his Email: omope72@gmail.com or Send him a text via 08163323906.
