January 22, 2010
When an elder starts to swear and rant to the point of inviting God to punish him like former President Obasanjo did recently, then “wahala” dey. The elder is either at the end of his tether and desperate to be on the side of the majority or simply economical with the truth. After months of stoic yet near criminal silence about the Yar’adua Presidency and the uncertain direction the nation was headed, Olusegun Obasanjo finally opened up.
When an elder starts to swear and rant to the point of inviting God to punish him like former President Obasanjo did recently, then “wahala” dey. The elder is either at the end of his tether and desperate to be on the side of the majority or simply economical with the truth. After months of stoic yet near criminal silence about the Yar’adua Presidency and the uncertain direction the nation was headed, Olusegun Obasanjo finally opened up.
He spoke on two major issues: the wide spread allegation that he knowingly foisted a sick Yar’adua on Nigeria in tandem with a hidden script that will give him control and continued influence in the Yar’adua presidency. The second issue relates to the looming constitutional crisis over whether a sick Yar’adua should resign and allow Jonathan Goodluck to complete his term.
On both counts, President Obasanjo did not disappoint. Like a General that he was, he brought the battle to the door step of the enemy in Abuja. He was not one to stay in his farm in Ota and shoot arrows, sorry bullets. In response to a question about Yar’adua he was asked by one Buhari Bello Jesse at the Seventh yearly Trust Dialogue organized by the Abuja-based Media Trust Limited, which he chaired, Obasanjo replied, "If you take up an appointment, or a job, elected, appointed or whatever and then your health starts failing you, and you will not be able to satisfy yourself and the people you are supposed to serve, then, there is a part of honour and a part of morality and if you don't do that.... I do not need to say more than that."
The accusation made against Obasanjo by Buhari Bello Jesse, which is that of being the architect of the current constitutional crisis in the nation no doubt stung the president so much that he had to invoke God’s punishment upon himself in order to prove that he did not deliberately pick an unwell president for Nigeria. Hear Obasanjo out, "… nobody picked Umaru Yar'Adua so that he will not perform. If I did, God will punish me because I love this country so much so that there is no reason for me to do that."
Then followed a recant of all that happened in Yar’adua’s journey to the Presidency. In what historians will term an attempt at revisionism, Obasanjo attempted to paint a most deligent, patriotic and selfless process that led to the choice of Yar’adua. One needs to hear Obasanjo’s words directly because according to an Hausa adage, the music is sweetest from the mouth of the owner. Obasanjo explained, "When in year 2006, the idea came as to succession, I was convinced in my mind that a southerner succeeding me will not augur well for this country. So, what I did was to look for a Nigerian with three qualities: First, somebody with enough intellectual capacity to run the affairs of this country; second, somebody with enough personal integrity and somebody that is broad-minded both politically and religiously to run the affairs of this country”.
But he was not done. In a spirited attempt to exonerate himself from the current impasse and power vacuum in the country, Obasanjo delved into the health details of Yar’adua and what transpired before Yar’adu became President. "I knew that Yar'Adua has kidney problem and was under dialysis and that he went abroad for the treatment when he was the governor of Katsina State. Before I picked him, I asked him questions and he gave me the medical report that states that he is no longer under dialysis. I asked medical experts to interpret the report and they told me that once you had completed your dialysis, you have had a successful kidney transplant and can live as long as God wants you to live. If medical experts had said that, who am I to begin to think that the dialysis will fail?"
Not one to let his antagonists go without giving them a bit of his combative nature, Obasanjo had some strong words for Nigerians who continue to insist that he knowingly gave Nigeria a sick President. "I campaigned with President Yar'Adua and when the rumours came that he (Yar'Adua) was dead, I called him on phone and asked him: 'Umoru, are you dead or alive.' For you to say that Olusegun Obasanjo deliberately picked an invalid to succeed me is an insult”.
Several reactions have followed Obasanjo’s comments on the burning issues of our time and non captures it better that Femi Falana’s advice that Obasanjo should tell his story to the marines.Perhaps they will believe him.
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Indeed, former President Obasanjo needs to spare us the “story, story” of how Nigeria got to where it is now. That is because many Nigerians now the political culprits messing up their lives. His attempt to explain what happened and what he expects Yar’adua to do is not only belated but in bad taste. Why did he wait this long to speak out? Why did it take a question by a Nigerian for him to give Nigerians the full explanation about what happened? What if the Buhari Bello Jesse never had the courage to ask that question, would Obasanjo still have given Nigerians the benefit of his insight with an explanation? There are a few things wrong here in Obasanjo’s Abuja declaration and I bet you, the last is yet to be heard.Obasanjo has fired the first shot. First, it was Chief MKO Abiola who repeatedly reminded his political opponents that it is wrong to shave a man’s head in his absence. Obasanjo’s decision to talk about the medical history of President Umaru Yar’adua while still on a sick outside the country is a strategic political mistake. Nigerians must wait to hear President Yar’adua’s version of the story before reaching a conclusion. Though I am at a loss what good that will do this country now. Yet, Obasanjo needs to still answer a few questions. Why did Nigerians not get this explanation during the last 30 months? Secondly, his call for Yar’adua to choose the path of honour and resign was also belated and must be seen for what it is-shadow boxing. Obasanjo’s call for Yar’adua to choose the path of honour simply forced into the open the schemings that have being going on between Abuja and Ota farm. It is a revelation of the major component of the original script written in the twilight of Obasanjo’s administration, albeit with a few changes to have him back in control through the back door. That unfortunately is the nature of power.
Obasanjo suddenly is glowing. The ultimate price is again within reach and if Jonathan Goodluck, who was spirited from political obscurity into the princely domain of power as Vice President by Obasanjo takes charge in the event that Yar’adua resigns on the basis of ill-health then its Obasanjo country all over again. We will see the hand of Esau, but the voice of Jacob. Obasanjo’s aborted third term may have been achieved by stealth.
Nigeria unfortunately is back again where it never wanted to be-in a state of uncertainty and in the hands of individuals who play chess game with it. It is sad and regrettable that the last 10 years of civil democracy have left Nigeria and Nigerians poorer. Only the class of elected officers, political appointees and their cronies has become richer at our collective expense. Our lawmakers in the Senate and the House must be singled out for mention in this rape of our democracy. As if their staggering salaries and over bloated allowances are not enough burden for our weak shoulders, they fail to deliver on the most elementary of legislations.
Though Obasanjo has spoken, he has not spoken well. There is more to what is happening now and he needs to open up more. Nigerians need to hear the whole story from him. Anything short of full disclosure will be short changing Nigerians. It will amount to another political abracadabra. So, General, “Spoke on”.
Sunday Dare, fmr. Head of the Hausa Service of the Voice of Ameria is the founder/editor in chief of Newsbreaksnow.com, an online news website and Publisher of News Digest International Magazine.
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He spoke on two major issues: the wide spread allegation that he knowingly foisted a sick Yar’adua on Nigeria in tandem with a hidden script that will give him control and continued influence in the Yar’adua presidency. The second issue relates to the looming constitutional crisis over whether a sick Yar’adua should resign and allow Jonathan Goodluck to complete his term.
On both counts, President Obasanjo did not disappoint. Like a General that he was, he brought the battle to the door step of the enemy in Abuja. He was not one to stay in his farm in Ota and shoot arrows, sorry bullets. In response to a question about Yar’adua he was asked by one Buhari Bello Jesse at the Seventh yearly Trust Dialogue organized by the Abuja-based Media Trust Limited, which he chaired, Obasanjo replied, "If you take up an appointment, or a job, elected, appointed or whatever and then your health starts failing you, and you will not be able to satisfy yourself and the people you are supposed to serve, then, there is a part of honour and a part of morality and if you don't do that.... I do not need to say more than that."
The accusation made against Obasanjo by Buhari Bello Jesse, which is that of being the architect of the current constitutional crisis in the nation no doubt stung the president so much that he had to invoke God’s punishment upon himself in order to prove that he did not deliberately pick an unwell president for Nigeria. Hear Obasanjo out, "… nobody picked Umaru Yar'Adua so that he will not perform. If I did, God will punish me because I love this country so much so that there is no reason for me to do that."
Then followed a recant of all that happened in Yar’adua’s journey to the Presidency. In what historians will term an attempt at revisionism, Obasanjo attempted to paint a most deligent, patriotic and selfless process that led to the choice of Yar’adua. One needs to hear Obasanjo’s words directly because according to an Hausa adage, the music is sweetest from the mouth of the owner. Obasanjo explained, "When in year 2006, the idea came as to succession, I was convinced in my mind that a southerner succeeding me will not augur well for this country. So, what I did was to look for a Nigerian with three qualities: First, somebody with enough intellectual capacity to run the affairs of this country; second, somebody with enough personal integrity and somebody that is broad-minded both politically and religiously to run the affairs of this country”.
But he was not done. In a spirited attempt to exonerate himself from the current impasse and power vacuum in the country, Obasanjo delved into the health details of Yar’adua and what transpired before Yar’adu became President. "I knew that Yar'Adua has kidney problem and was under dialysis and that he went abroad for the treatment when he was the governor of Katsina State. Before I picked him, I asked him questions and he gave me the medical report that states that he is no longer under dialysis. I asked medical experts to interpret the report and they told me that once you had completed your dialysis, you have had a successful kidney transplant and can live as long as God wants you to live. If medical experts had said that, who am I to begin to think that the dialysis will fail?"
Not one to let his antagonists go without giving them a bit of his combative nature, Obasanjo had some strong words for Nigerians who continue to insist that he knowingly gave Nigeria a sick President. "I campaigned with President Yar'Adua and when the rumours came that he (Yar'Adua) was dead, I called him on phone and asked him: 'Umoru, are you dead or alive.' For you to say that Olusegun Obasanjo deliberately picked an invalid to succeed me is an insult”.
Several reactions have followed Obasanjo’s comments on the burning issues of our time and non captures it better that Femi Falana’s advice that Obasanjo should tell his story to the marines.Perhaps they will believe him.
articleadslinks
Indeed, former President Obasanjo needs to spare us the “story, story” of how Nigeria got to where it is now. That is because many Nigerians now the political culprits messing up their lives. His attempt to explain what happened and what he expects Yar’adua to do is not only belated but in bad taste. Why did he wait this long to speak out? Why did it take a question by a Nigerian for him to give Nigerians the full explanation about what happened? What if the Buhari Bello Jesse never had the courage to ask that question, would Obasanjo still have given Nigerians the benefit of his insight with an explanation? There are a few things wrong here in Obasanjo’s Abuja declaration and I bet you, the last is yet to be heard.Obasanjo has fired the first shot. First, it was Chief MKO Abiola who repeatedly reminded his political opponents that it is wrong to shave a man’s head in his absence. Obasanjo’s decision to talk about the medical history of President Umaru Yar’adua while still on a sick outside the country is a strategic political mistake. Nigerians must wait to hear President Yar’adua’s version of the story before reaching a conclusion. Though I am at a loss what good that will do this country now. Yet, Obasanjo needs to still answer a few questions. Why did Nigerians not get this explanation during the last 30 months? Secondly, his call for Yar’adua to choose the path of honour and resign was also belated and must be seen for what it is-shadow boxing. Obasanjo’s call for Yar’adua to choose the path of honour simply forced into the open the schemings that have being going on between Abuja and Ota farm. It is a revelation of the major component of the original script written in the twilight of Obasanjo’s administration, albeit with a few changes to have him back in control through the back door. That unfortunately is the nature of power.
Obasanjo suddenly is glowing. The ultimate price is again within reach and if Jonathan Goodluck, who was spirited from political obscurity into the princely domain of power as Vice President by Obasanjo takes charge in the event that Yar’adua resigns on the basis of ill-health then its Obasanjo country all over again. We will see the hand of Esau, but the voice of Jacob. Obasanjo’s aborted third term may have been achieved by stealth.
Nigeria unfortunately is back again where it never wanted to be-in a state of uncertainty and in the hands of individuals who play chess game with it. It is sad and regrettable that the last 10 years of civil democracy have left Nigeria and Nigerians poorer. Only the class of elected officers, political appointees and their cronies has become richer at our collective expense. Our lawmakers in the Senate and the House must be singled out for mention in this rape of our democracy. As if their staggering salaries and over bloated allowances are not enough burden for our weak shoulders, they fail to deliver on the most elementary of legislations.
Though Obasanjo has spoken, he has not spoken well. There is more to what is happening now and he needs to open up more. Nigerians need to hear the whole story from him. Anything short of full disclosure will be short changing Nigerians. It will amount to another political abracadabra. So, General, “Spoke on”.
Sunday Dare, fmr. Head of the Hausa Service of the Voice of Ameria is the founder/editor in chief of Newsbreaksnow.com, an online news website and Publisher of News Digest International Magazine.
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