Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, GCFR, a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 2007. He was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 1999 up until recently. On April 3, 2012, former President Olusegun Obasanjo resigned his position as chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying the move would enable him fulfill his duties as a statesman locally and internationally. It was supposed to be his retirement from partisanship. Obasanjo is a man of restless…, bullish personality, calculating and devious.
Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, once described Olusegun Obasanjo, as a ‘hypocrite’ who has crossed the red line several times. Mr Obasanjo is “one of the greatest hypocritical leaders this nation ever had”. Mr Koiki Kolawole added his voice when he took the microphone and dropped a bomb: “If Obasanjo was not born, Nigeria would have been a better place.” I believe many people’s blood curdled as my own blood did on hearing such a statement being made by a mortal, an elder, to a public audience. What a man? What a Character? What a Nation?
Similarly, Duro Onabule, former chief press secretary to General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida described Obasanjo as a man who engaged in nepotism while in power and recalled how the Ota-born retired General schemed for a third term in office. Onabule further lambasted the former leader for his constant condemnation of successors and predecessors. Furthermore, famous legal practitioner in Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN) has called on ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo to stop insulting the collective intelligence and memories of Nigerians, saying that he instituted the culture of impunity under the democratic dispensation while serving as President.
Interestingly, since Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo left office in 2007, he has been arrogating to himself the role of a “god father” in the politics of Nigeria, a position no one has bestowed on him. His January 1st open letter and addressed to Nigerians particularly the restive youths is a dangerous precedence and a recipe for chaos. The Balogun owu in his usual characteristics of the headmaster of "Owners of Nigeria" by still attempting to play God in the affairs of our dear Nation Nigeria, he is again misleading gullible and uninformed Nigerians. His inciting letter could lead to religious conflict.
Sadly, 2023 elections has been taken over by religion and ethnicity. Today, we ask Nigerians, Should ethnicity and religion influence the 2023 elections? Even since many videos and articles written by adherents of a particular religion has appeared in the social media. One of such was written by brother Tobi Obanla "Muslim-Muslim Ticket" very dangerous and inciting article like many of the videos circulating in the social media. It is worrisome because of the likely fallouts and response from the other divide with marginal or less rigorous education. Therefore, it has become imperative for leaders of faith and the government to step up action and proactively engage each other.
Tobi Obanla's article is one of the most intellectually bankrupt write-ups I have read so far. This writer suffers from delusion. Nigeria, is emphatically NOT a Muslim and Christian country. There are people, numerous in number in this country that are traditionalists, atheist, etc. So it is an insult to say/infer that those people do not matter and that it is the relics of slavery and colonisation that would determine how we see and govern ourself. I think, unapologetically, that we should hold the Christians and Muslims responsible for the decadence in the country and bar them from holding office in Nigeria for some time, if we want to apply reason and level of achievement.
What are the Christians and Muslims proud of with regards to the status quo in this country? I cannot help but think that the Singapore model of keeping these faiths out of our governance equation is now urgently required/necessary. What I want to see, is a Nigerian-Nigerian ticket and not a middle eastern-captured religious mind running my country. I reject Slavery & enslavement in all ramifications.
Given what I see and have experienced in this country in the last few years, any Nigerian that is proud of what people from these religions have done to and in this country needs his/her brain examined; there is not much to be proud of. Mind you I was born a Christian, but that is personal and does not form part of my consideration in the politics of this country, because it is detrimental to our country to keep casting ourselves in the image of those who conquered us and imposed their religions on us. Till date, the Jews still practice Judahism, yet Jesus was born in the Middle East, he is not their messiah, they say. This has not in anyway affected God's blessing on them! The culture & religion of Saudi Arabia are intertwined and determined by their Islamic doctrine.
This country must strive to take religion and ethnicity out of our public life by relegating in importance reference to Religion and State of Origin in our affairs. Are we predestined to remain on this primrose path? Is there no hope for a change? Why are conversations not primarily on proven administrative competence, but on which region, ethnic group and religion the next president or vice-president must come from? Yes, even if consideration should be given for the ethnic and religious backgrounds of the next president, this should only be secondary. The priority should be centred on who is going to deliver costed programs that would alleviate the economic, social and security challenges of Nigerians.
Finally, I want to remind the writer that Nigeria is a SECULAR STATE. The real antidote against "Islamization" of Nigeria is the revival of biblical Christianity that emphasizes love for people and integrity, a Christianity that focuses more on evangelism and missions. Given the present situation, it can be argued that a credible and capable Christian President could emerge to take Nigeria to great heights in 2027 or 2031. Let us not live or act in fear, but in faith.
Richard Odusanya