Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, remains one of the African political legends of all time. He is one of the two Nigerians privileged to have led this country both as a military leader and democratically elected president; the other, being Muhammadu Buhari, also a retired general.
Indeed, Obasanjo is an illustrious Nigerian and veteran of many battles. But, unlike other former heads of state – Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Goodluck Jonathan, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Ibrahim Babangida who have all elected to remain in the background, preferring to contribute their respective quotas to the growth and development of the country whenever they’re called to do so, the Owu-born retired General has remained in the limelight even 18 years after his tenure, critiquing his successors’ programs and policies.
Nigerians vividly recall how Obasanjo attempted to usurp the Umaru Yar’Adua presidency until the former Katsina governor gave up the ghost. He terrorized Goodluck Jonathan and his regime for six years simply because the Otuoke born former governor wouldn’t pander to his whims. Of course, the immediate past president, Buhari rebuffed and kept him at distance throughout his regime.
As the new regime of Bola Tinubu berthed, Obasanjo has remained undaunted and undeterred, even to the extent of recently deploying the platform of an international forum far away in United States of America – The Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum lectures – to harass and accuse the government of unsubstantiated allegations of corruption.
The latest is his recent allegation that the government through the NNPLC squandered over $2 billion on the rehabilitation and construction of refineries and, yet, the refineries are still not working. This is sequel to NNPCL’s announcement of a turn-around in the fortunes of both the old Port Harcourt Refinery and the Warri Refinery.
This writer would like to remind the ex-president that no king reigns forever. Nature has conditioned it that every leader spends a specific period to reign and if that time expires, embrace spirit of equanimity and contentment to vacate.
What respected and leaders with dignity do is leave the ovation when it’s loudest.
Eighteen years after his second reign as democratic leader is enough time for the ex-president to have prepared to completely leave the political scene. His dominance in the public space to critique government policies and programs is unwarranted and undesirable.
At 87+, he should largely be within the confines of Abeokuta and Ota, playing with his grandchildren and great grandchildren, do more philanthropic projects at least with the stupendous fortunes he has amassed over decades.
•Kola Amzat (FCA, FCIB)Lagos.
