Obasanjo and the Question of Moral Rectitude

Obasanjo and the Question of Moral Rectitude

Abbas A. Dikko

Forthnight ago, Gbenga Obasanjo, eldest son of Olusegun Obasanjo, immediate past President, fired another salvo accusing his father of having an illicit affairs with his matrimonial wife, remember, a year plus, he throws a canister alleging his father falsified his age soon after the celebration of the old man’s 70^tieth birth day anniversary. In African context, the latter is no too serious offence, several in the public and organized private sector had done it and still living underneath it for what one can called as evading retirement for the sake of survival or relevancy factor.

Sordid was the situation, the present accusation is too grieve a case to wish away, more especially it involves a former Head and President, acclaimed International Statesman and a supposed gadfly if you like. What had Obasanjo seen in his daughter in-law that could not control his lust and affection over her? What is in NNPC contract for a seating President to approve without asking for payback of whatever form, worst immodesty with a married woman and more to think, his daughter in-law. Isn’t this a clear testimony that, truly he had slept with some of the women in his cabinet as was alleged?

If this is testified and confirmed to be true, which it has, Obasanjo needs to be commuted to psycho-analysis, he may be a psychopath or suffering from narcissism and that as well, remind me an article written by Ishaq Modibbo Kawu in early 2007, analyzing the state of the mind of Obasanjo while he was cooling his nerves at Gashua prison. I quote, “one faithful night, he woke up to be matching like a military man in a parade, when he was asked the following morning, his answer was, you know, I am the Head of State”

Yet, this was the kind of person whom his biological son despised for many of his atrocities, high degree of immorality and unethical behaviour, our elder statesmen, elite and political class foisted and supported in 1998/99 to rule this country in a democratic set up, in spite of series of warnings by late elder Sunday Awoniyi. Same Obasanjo, was given another opportunity by some among same people and returned him back to power in 2003, when we have more eligible, morally and ethically sound citizen; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Ungrateful as he was, he moved against all those instrumental to his coming to power in 1999 and 2003, so the Nigerian nation and its people who gave him the opportunity and space to revive himself from the abyss of bankruptcy, poverty and disease. Immediately he assumes power, he cornered the nation’s economy as part of the plot to revitalize and armed himself in a fresh battle to remain in power for the rest of his life. To date, there is no proper reconciliation or straight records of crude oil earnings; he sat as the President at the same time, Minister of petroleum resources.

More revelations of his unethical conduct and immorality continue to emerge, of recent, the Presidency was compelled to tell whoever cares to listening that, Obasanjo mismanaged $10 billion electricity funds. NEMA budget defence reveals N10 billion part of its statutory allocation since 2003-2007, was withheld and no traces at all, which crippled the tempo of its emergency/relieve activities to the barest level. 16 unauthorized accounts were uncovered operated by the Obasanjo government stuffed with billion, while its citizenry wallowed in abject poverty, hunger and degradation. Thanks for the courage and doggedness of Engr. Hamman Tukur, Chairman RMAFC for his disclosures, remembered; he sued the Federal government of Olusegun Obasanjo for illegal withdrawals of our monies.

Further investigations into the accounts and activities of government agencies and parastatals like; NPA, NAMASA, NNPC, BPE, Custom service among few, which no doubt, would one day take place, the revelations therein, will be quite disheartening. And of course, the existing government will be left with no any other option than to arrest and prosecute Obasanjo along side his allies for gross abuse of office and immorality, unfortunately Czar Nuhu Ribadu, would not be the person to spear head the action.

These and more abused of the Nation’s economy and amassing of ill-gotten wealth, wasn’t good enough to buy him the most sophisticated woman of his choice in the world, still went after sleeping with his son’s legitimate wife. What makes one think, if Iyabo would accept his advances, he may not oblige and, how many had he committed with his relations and friends wives? No wonder, a lady Senator from the South west, was denied PDP ticket in 2007 general elections for her refusal to succumb to their illicit demand, this was on the air. One continues to ponder, what Obasanjo is made up of, and what could have been modestly the faith of some women in the system generally during his regime, more especially at the center?

Let me take us aback, 1999 general election, I was one among millions of Nigerians that despised and objected to vote for Obasamjo, the argument was, he has nothing to offer to this country, some of my colleagues were comfortable with him because of the support and confidence he enjoyed from the group of people I mentioned in the fourth paragraph, their believe was, he may not be allowed by these people to messed the polity, destabilized the economy and dislocate our value system. Soon after he was declared winner, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd), made a statement that “He is sorry for Nigeria and its people thereafter, he flew the country” today where are we? The country is completely enmeshed and reduced to rubbles in all aspects of our lives as a people and a nation.

Amadu Ali and his associates vituperations in 2006/07 that, Obasanjo is the father of modern Nigeria and the best that ever happened to this country, I would want to ask, with immodesty, deception, deceit, contraption and conjectures or what? Indices are glaringly on display of the manner at which he polarized the polity, mismanaged the economy and immorally destroyed our core value, though, Amadu Ali at certain occasions made reversal of most of his remarks, because, naked truth can no longer be covered. Ebenezer Babatope too, had retraced his steps, Bayo Ojo, Femi Fani Kayode, Frank Nweke jr. had all confined themselves to a state of sober reflection. Nullification of Enugu State governorship election is another poser, reasons advanced confirmed the position of the former Senate President, Rt, Hon. Ken Nnamani and Nweke’s immediate press reaction replayed recently by AIT station, is enough a reason for him to relocate to another country.

Other social liabilities inherited from the defunct government of Olusegun Obasanjo are: Ribadu and e-Rufa’i all of humble background, but, to this moment, could not read behind the lines. Office regalia and spoils made them to toe the line of their newly found godfather and compromised their moral rectitude, work ethic and public relation. Though Ribadu, at the last minute discovered his shortcomings, his affirmation at the 6^th National seminar on economic crime that, it is in the Yar’Adua government, they understood the art of leadership and are happy to be the first beneficiary. This confirmed his outright acceptance of his failures in the course of discharging his official routine and primary reason why he fought to remain to write his wrongs, unfortunately, it came at a time he had to live.

Only e-Rufa’i remains gallivanting and refuse to concur with realities on ground and dynamism of leadership, he hangs aloft fighting a pointless war that would land him nowhere. Still aloof, cannot even figure out the irreparable damages he had done to some of the important sectors of our economy when he sat as the helmsman of BPE. Arrogated all the powers that be to himself in an Institution of government whose stake holders are more than 140 million people. He hires and fired fixed remunerations as he deemed, mortgaged and auctioned our national patrimony at his will without recourse to the expectations, yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

Today, what became of our steel and Iron ore companies? What characterized IITL/FBN, Pentascope and NITEL deal? What remain the position of the civil service reform, designed, recommended and partially implemented without recourse to the statute code agreement between the Bureau of public service reform and the affected sacked workers? What about the missing N50 billion part of their benefit and entitlements funds?

The FCT administration he chaired for four years cannot be overlooked; he was more inclined to the job of presidency, neglecting his primary assignments of human capital development, water and electricity, security of lives and property. He was as well, more to demolition, revocation of title deeds and allocating same to choice people and, ejection without recourse to rule of law, decorum, civility and morality, unfortunately, the two establishments he headed, bequeathed critical situations and problems in place of legacies. The two arms of our National assembly, are right on course to correct the excesses that characterized the sale of Ajaokuta and Delta steel and, Itapke Iron ore companies, so also, his successor in the FCT ministry, is working tirelessly to correct the distortions in the system committed by his administration.

More to these, Western blocs and Oby Ezekwesile’s visit along with the accompanying message, in my opinion, could be regarded as a connivance mission, a campaign for Ribadu to be retained in the system. Oby should convey this message to her masters that, the process of mending our fence and putting our house in order had already started, Nigeria is a country of over 140 million people, we can produce million and more of better Ribadus. If not for the opportunity given to him, how could he have been discovered and celebrated for those who care? Hon. Speaker Oladimeji Saburi Bankole, is a good example, we have hand full of them, what matters is the opportunity. And what records of achievements can Ribadu present beside selective justice and abuse of the rule of law?

However, let me at this juncture felicitate with Ibrahim Lamorde for his appointment to chaired EFCC, though, on acting capacity. One hope he will keep date with history so that, within the space of time, will be able to write his name in gold. Arresting and prosecuting former governors only, living Obasanjo and his former men in the presidency walking shoulder high in our streets despite all the discoveries, revelations and disclosures so far, is unjustifiable and a rupture to the doctrine of natural justice and conscience and, an abuse of the collective intelligence of the Nigerian people. Therefore, let’s predicates the beliefs and commitments of Yar’Adua administration.