Seven years after he vacated office as democratically elected President of Nigeria, the media was on Sunday awash with screaming headlines on what Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said about, the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Late Chief Moshood Abiola.
Chief Obasanjo was reported to have described Chief Abiola as the person who sacrificed everything in his possession for the development and survival of the country
Obasanjo was reported to have made the statement while speaking as eminent guest of honour at the 4th Founder’s Day Celebration and 85th birthday anniversary of the Founder/Patron of the Nobel House College, Chief Olatunde Abudu, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“Indeed, Abiola contributed to the development of this country. He sacrificed everything for the development of this country,” Obasanjo said.
When did Obasanjo discover or realize this pivotal role that Abiola played towards the survival of Nigeria?
This question is vitally pertinent when it is realized that Obasanjo was the President of Nigeria for eight years (1999 – 2007). Throughout his tenure as President, Obasanjo did not deem it necessary to acknowledge Abiola’s role in the survival of the nation neither did he do anything to immotalise him.
It is also noteworthy to mention that when Obasanjo declared May 29 as Democracy day in the Country; many Nigerians opposed it and instead, suggested that June 12 should be so declared in honour of Chief Abiola, Obasanjo refused to budge.
It must also be stated that if not for the self-immolation of Abiola, Obasanjo’s emergence as President in 1999 would have been impossible. It is a well-known fact that it was the resistance especially by Nigerians of South West extraction that compelled the military to decide to hand over power to a Yoruba President. So, Obasanjo was a direct beneficiary of Abiola’s sacrifice. Surprising Obasanjo never paid any tribute to Abiola throughout his tenure.
Obasanjo’s refusal to acknowledge Abiola when he was President and the sudden crocodile tears for him cannot be unconnected with his desire to continually overshadow other leaders and also to perpetually remain relevant.
This was succinctly stated by his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo Bello in her famous open letter: “You are one of those petty people who think the progress and success of another takes from you. You try to overshadow everyone around you, before you and after you. You are the prototypical “Mr. Know it all”. You’ve never said “I don’t know” on any topic, ever. Of course this means you surround yourself with idiots who will agree with you on anything and need you for financial gain and you need them for your insatiable ego. This attitude is a reflection of the country. It is not certain which came first, your attitude seeping into the country’s psyche or the country accepting your irresponsible behavior for so long”.
Obasanjo’s relevance and influence in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has waned appreciably to the extent that all his nominees have been dropped from the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan. His supporters have also been removed from Party offices with many of them moving to the All Progressive Congress (APC), it is therefore time for him to say things that people want to hear.
Obasanjo in all his actions is always self-serving. He believes that life must revolve around him. His permanent desire is to always dominate.
This must also be better understood from Iyabo’s letter, “I had told you I wasn’t going to run in 2011 but you manipulated me to run; that was my mistake. Losing was a blessing. As usual you wanted me to run for your self-serving purpose to perpetuate your name in the political realm and as the liar that you are, you later denied that it was you who wanted me to run in 2011”.
Frontiers News
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