DETAILS: How Obasanjo become the ‘rejected stone; turned cornerstone’ of South West......... DURING his reign as President for eight years, between 1999 and 2007 his government started the anti-corruption fight by creating the country’s first anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which reportedly secured at least 275 convictions, including high profile members of Nigeria’s elite, recovering a total of $5bn in assets. While he held sway as President, he wielded a lot of power. His reign recorded a lot of seemingly impossibles such as few lawmakers impeaching their governors in Oyo and Plateau states. He also sacked the governor of Ekiti state and declared a state of emergency there. As the President, which automatically confered on him, the leader of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, a lot of the National Chairmen of the party became his victims as they fell under his sledged hammer. He either removed or forced them to resign. The cases of Chief Audu Ogbeh, Vincent Ogbulafor, Ahmadu Ali among others are still fresh in Nigerian’s memories. Also, his power was enormous, as he dictated who became the governor of any state he so desired and any attempt to stop his wish would be crushed. The 2003 and 2007 elections conducted while he held sway as President remained the most controversial elections in the county’s history. In 2003, Obasanjo ensured that his party took over all the states in the South West except Lagos which became too difficult for him. After serving his eight yearconstitutional terms, Obasanjo reportedly attempted to elongate his tenure through a third term agenda which was scuttled. After he finished his two terms as President and the third term agenda got scuttled, he came back to Abeokuta, his home town from where he continued ‘ruling’ the country by proxy, before the death of former President Umar Musa Yar’Adua It was gathered that Obasanjo’s house located at Hiltop in GRA, Abeokuta was built by a prominent contractor in the country for free, just like the large expanse of land on which it was built was also given to him free. Barely a year after he left the Presidency, Obasanjo was appointed by the United Nations as a special envoy for Africa and has since overseen democratic elections on behalf of the African Union and ECOWAS in countries across the continent. At home, seven years after he relinquished power as President, it is glaring that Obasanjo still wields a lot of influence on who becomes what in the country. Those who became national Chairmen of the PDP after he left office had paid homage to him in his house in turn. Those who had come to him among the national Chairmen of the PDP include former Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the current National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu. They all claimed to have come to seek for his advice and support. Also, the Senate President, David Mark , Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwaal, as well as governors and other high profile politicians in the country have come to pay homage to the former President. Economic worth Economically, Obasanjo is a silent billionaire whose investments cut across the country. From the findings, there is hardly a state in the country without an investment belonging to the former President. Obasanjo remains the only President in Nigeria that owns a multi-billion Presidential Library which comprises Hotels, ultra modern halls, cinemas among others. Corporate organisations He had organised a controversial fund raising for the project while he was President and successfully realised substantial amount of money and commitments from business moguls, corporate organisations and international donors. His business diversification cut across oil business as he was said to have got the franchise of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Ogun State and beyond. He is also into agricultural business with different sections which include animal husbandry, poultry, cash crops among others. He has also ventured into education as he has been touted to be the owner of the Bells University of Technology, Bellstech, Ota among others. He was also said to have invested greatly in a media business, but prefers to operate it by proxy. Political worth Politically, Obasanjo commands the greatest respect of all Nigeria’s past leaders. He was the first former President in the country that installed his successor and as well facilitated the emergence of the incumbent President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. He was reported to have facilitated the emergence of so many governors including the ousted Adamawa State governor, Muritala Nyako, Sule Lamido, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Jigawa and Delta States respectively among others. Incidentally, present and past governors still owe Obasanjo gratitude for their emergence. In the South West, Obasanjo also enjoys political goodwill in almost all the states including Lagos. All the governors referred to him as their father. Though, some of the states are being governed by opposition parties, Obasanjo still enjoys his political relevance. Apart from politics, Obasanjo also dabbles into traditional matters. He had facilitated the installations of many traditional rulers including the incumbent Alake of Egbaland; the Olowu of Owu among others. Meanwhile, ahead of the 2015 general elections, Obasanjo has become the beautiful bride to both the PDP and APC. This development became obvious following the recent visits by the leadership of the both parties and subsequent close-door meetings to Obasanjo’s Hiltop House in GRA, Abeokuta Permanent interest Obasanjo has recently been playing host to politicians from across the country to seek his political support .This action has however, led a credence to the popular aphorism that there is no permanent enemy in politics but permanent interest . The present political situation has shown that Nigeria is drifting towards two party system and these two prominent parties have been variously demonstrating the dictum in their quest to woo Obasanjo to support their respective course. Recently, the All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu visited the ex-President, to discuss issues bordering on the future of the country. The same day, the Senate President, David Mark who led a strong team including Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; the Peoples Democratic Party Women Leader, Mrs. Josephine Anenih and Senator Polycarp Nwite also held a closed-door meeting with the former president. Former Oyo State governor and a chieftain of the Accord Party, Rashidi Ladoja, also visited the former President the same day. With this development, Obasanjo seems to have now become a beautiful bride whose support must be sought for political parties to win the next election. It would be recalled that shortly after the merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Peoples Party of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressives Change and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance to form the APC, the party leaders had stormed Obasanjo’s residence to introduce the party to the former President. Among the APC leaders that spoke at the Obasanjo’s residence was Tinubu. He described the former President as an elder statesman saying,”you have come out of tribulation and held the highest position in this country. We are here because of your courage. Nobody can claim that he has information more than you. You have surmounted a number of crises. “Nigeria is divided now more than before. To realise a stable Nigeria, we want to encourage you to continue to speak the truth. We are resolved and determined to rescue Nigeria, we want you as navigator. Recent visitors The recent visit to Obasanjo’s residence by Mark Tinubu and Ladoja has been described as a game of wit between the Presidency and APC ahead of the 2015 election. It was reliably gathered that, Mark was reportedly sent by President Goodluck Jonathan, while the APC reportedly sent Tinubu to Obasanjo for support. Speaking after the separate closed-door meetings,Tinubu said he discussed with Obasanjo about some of his former boys who would vie for various elective positions in the 2015 general elections, especially the Presidency. In his remarks after his closed-door meeting with Obasanjo, Mark described Obasanjo as the father of the nation with a wealth of experience. Wealth of Mexperience The Senate President said he had come with his team to discuss with Obasanjo and raise some basic issues that affect both the PDP and the nation at large. He said “They are discussions that would move this nation forward, because his passion for this nation is unquantifiable. So we have really had a good discussion with him.” Apart from the closed-door meeting, the PDP had publicly begged Obasanjo to show mercy to the party and work for its victory. The national chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu who led others to seek for pardon from Obasanjo said the former president should forgive the past and come and lead it to success in 2015. The national chairman of the party said he offered the apology on behalf of the party saying “all of us must beg Obasanjo to forgive us. We need to beg him. He is very prayerful and we need to ask him to forgive us so that we can be forgiven. We are your children. “We have made mistakes and Baba, please forgive us. Come and lead us. We are your followers and we assure you that we are all good boys and girls. We have sinned. Baba please forgive us.” But, in his reaction to the appeal, Obasanjo said nobody offended him and if he has offended anybody, the person should forgive him. Born on March 5, 1938, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was a former Nigerian Army general that served twice as the nation’s head of state. He served as a military ruler from February 13, 1976 to October 1,1979 and later became a democratically elected President of Nigeria between May 1999 and May 2007 .Obasanjo who hails from Ogun State holds the chieftaincy titles of the Balogun of the Owu Lineage in Abeokuta and the Ekerin Balogun of the Egba clan of Yorubaland.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 16:12:19 +0000
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