Obasanjo is very obsessed with being at the helm of the government of Nigeria.
He criticised every government, including that of Shehu Shagari, IBB and Abacha. He didn’t criticise Buhari and Idiagbon because those ones declared their government an “offshoot” of the Murtala-Obasanjo government and because they helped him to harass his arch enemies, Chief Awolowo and his followers.
Shagari said he gave Obasanjo every access he needed to make input in his (Shagari’s) government but Obasanjo preferred for Shagari to be visiting him for ‘tutorials’ at his Otta Farm, something Shagari was not willing to do. Then the criticisms began and he was doing it in the media (playing to the gallery) as usual.
Obasanjo’s obsession with power makes him feel superior to everyone, including his seniors. He wants everyone to respect, nay worship, him while he shows no such regard, at least, not noticeably, to his seniors like General Gowon. As at the time of June 12, Obasanjo had been the only Yoruba man with the experience of having been president of Nigeria, and he was obviously not happy to see another Yoruba man becoming so influential in Nigeria, especially one that he (Obasanjo) had not installed and who would not feel beholden to him, like an Abiola wouldn’t.
Obasanjo was also envious of Abiola’s riches and apparently wondered (like many power brokers, especially in the North) why Abiola would want power when he already had so much money. It was that spirit of envy that made Obasanjo to work against June 12 to the extent of asking Nigerians whether Abiola was the Messiah and he then worked with Babangida to appoint the ineffective lame duck interim government of Shonekan, the supplanter.
Obasanjo rode to power on Abiola’s blood in 1999 but his (Obasanjo’s) perfidy came to the fore when, in reading his inaugural speech as president on 29th May 1999, Obasanjo acknowledged the heroes and martyrs of the democracy (Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, etc) but deliberately left out Abiola and the NADECO/Afenifere elders who fought Abacha to a standstill. He also built the Abuja stadium and the National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution that the stadium be named after M.K.O Abiola but Obasanjo ignored the resolution till he left power.
God is a God of justice. Obasanjo ran, perhaps, the best and most disciplined governments in Nigeria during his two sojourns in power, yet, mostly as a consequence of his style and politics, its scorn and derision he attracts everywhere he turns to in Nigerian politics.
He still can’t win a free and fair election in his ward or local government in Owu, Abeokuta. He couldn’t do it in 1999, and it became even worse for him after his messy interference in the appointment of the current Olowu.
How can such an otherwise great man be subject to so much scorn, ridicule and hatred even from his own children that he trained with his own sweat?
The Bible says God is not mocked. What a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Obasanjo is reaping the fruit of his disdain, perfidy and betrayal of other people like Chief Awolowo, Bola Ige, Abiola, Gowon and Atiku but to name a few.
By Segun Penkelemesi
I CAN’T AGREE WITH YOU MORE—–WE SEE THE SPECK IN OTHER PEOPLE’S EYES.