A socialist revolutionary activist, Francis Nwapa, has said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo should rather be in jail instead of being a free man who walks around recommending people he described as criminal bourgeois politicians for Nigerians as the best choice for the forthcoming general elections.
Nwapa said this while reacting to the current war of words between Seun Kuti, the youngest son of the legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti and Peter Okoye, also known as Mr P of P-Square over the candidature of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
SaharaReporters earlier reported how Seun Kuti in a media interview described Obi as an opportunist and internet favourite who cannot solve the problems of Nigeria if elected president in the next election, adding that he cannot claim to be ready to solve Nigeria’s problems just because he “jumped” to the Labour Party 18 months before the elections after losing at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.
In his reaction, Peter of P-Square described Seun Kuti’s statement as a “shame”, saying “Dude just erased his fathers History!” He further described the Kutis’ African Shrine as “a local shrine.”
But Nwapa, while reacting to the controversy in a statement on Friday, said that 46 years after the invasion of Fela Kuti’s African Shrine on Obasanjo’s order, history will never be fair on Peter Okoye and promoters of what he called neoliberal politicians, saying Fela’s African Shrine was a home for all Africans and Caribbeans.
He said, “The New African Shrine established by Femi Kuti the son of the legendary King of Afro Music Fela Anikulapo-Kuti an African Revolutionary Activist, in honour of his memories is a home for Africans, Caribbeans, non-Africans and most importantly Revolutionaries and great thinkers.
“On February 18, 1977, the African Shrine which was then located at 14a, Agege Motor Road, Mushin was attacked by 1000 soldiers on the order of the despotic Military Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo. This invasion led to the throwing through the window the Revolutionary Mother of Fela, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, which later led to her death.
“Aside from the unjustifiable invasion of Africa shrine, several atrocities are documented to have been committed by Obasanjo while in Power. For example, on October 22 2001, when soldiers from the 23rd armored brigade of the 3rd armored division of the Nigerian army rounded up residents in Gbeji village for a “meeting,” made them sit on the ground, separated the men from the others, and then opened fire upon the men indiscriminately. Witnesses reported that some of the victims’ bodies were then set ablaze.
“Further killings took place as soldiers invaded the villages of Vasae, Anyiin Iorja, Ugba, Sankera and Zaki-Biam, all located in the two local government areas of Logo and Zaki-Biam. In the following two days, there was widespread destruction of property and buildings in these villages, after terrified residents had abandoned their homes. Over 200 civilians were killed on the order of Obasanjo.
“Again, on November 20, 1999, the Nigerian military, acting on the orders of then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, invaded Odi, a predominantly Ijaw community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and wreaked monumental havoc on the community over 2500 civilians were slaughtered.
“The matter became a matter of litigation and N37.6bn damages was awarded in favour of the community against the government by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt. In 2014, the Federal Government reached an agreement with the community and N15bn was eventually paid.
“Obasanjo should be in jail not a person to recommend criminal bourgeois politicians for Nigerians. The thought that such a character presented Yar'Adua/Jonathan, Buhari and now is associated to Peter Obi the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party has a lot to say about the past present and future woes of Nigerians and the need for the working class and poor to rise now and reject the APC, PDP, LP presidential candidates at the ballot.”