Former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said the late business mogul and undeclared
winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola,
deserves to be honoured, saying he sacrificed for Nigeria.
Obasanjo, who
spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the
fourth Founder’s Day celebrations and 85th birthday of the founder/patron of
the Nobel House College, Chief Olatunde Abudu, lamented that Abiola was
denied being the President of the country due to what he called ‘bad belle’.
The former
President, was reacting to a statement by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba
Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, who said bad ‘belle’
robbed Ogun of producing three Presidents. Obasanjo
acknowledged the contribution of Abiola to the development of
Nigeria in all areas of human endeavours, saying the late politician
sacrificed a lot for the development of the country.
Obasanjo, a special guest of honour at the event, spoke in the presence of a former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola; governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; and some traditional rulers.
Obasanjo, a special guest of honour at the event, spoke in the presence of a former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola; governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; and some traditional rulers.
Others
dignitaries at the event include Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi,
represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Lekan Alli,
Major General Oluwole Rotimi (retd) and Chief (Mrs) Ayora
Kuforiji-Olubi. The remarks came days to the 15th anniversary of the annulled
June 12, 1993 election, as Obasanjo acknowledged that Ogun has produced
many firsts in different spheres of life. According to the former
President, Abiola contributed to the development of Nigeria,
“Yes, I
agree, Abeokuta would have produced a third President if not for
bad ‘belle’. They did not allow him to be President,” he stated. “He deserved
to be honoured because he sacrificed for Nigeria. “
Also speaking, Amosun stressed the essence of developing the education sector by all stakeholders, maintaining that government should provide the enabling environment for its growth.
Also speaking, Amosun stressed the essence of developing the education sector by all stakeholders, maintaining that government should provide the enabling environment for its growth.
Tags
Politics
It took Obasanjo more than 20 years to realise that MKO deserves to be honoured. Even all through his 8 years rule as a president, he didn't reaslise this. Nawa oo! Nigeria is full of special species of creatures
ReplyDeleteHe Obasanjo went round the world during the June 12 impasse telling whoever cares to listen that Abiola isn't the messiah Nigeria needed. He also spent a two-term of 8 years in power without acknowledging Abiola's contribution to Nigeria's development. He refused to honour him and also refused to establish June 12 as the "Democracy Day". In a self-serving manner, he chose May 29th, - the day he assumed the Presidency as Democracy day. Now, in the midst of his egba kinsmen, who he knows acknowledge Abiola's achievements, he finds it convenient and "politically correct" to acknowledge the man's achievement and to say that he deserves to be honoured. What kind of a character behaves like this?
ReplyDeleteITT
DeleteObasanjo is a vindictive and selfish person! Why did it take him this long to acknowledge Abiola's sacrifice for Nigeria's democracy. No wonder Nigeria is in the current state we have because with an insincere and dubious leadership we've experienced with Obasanjo and his likes, we couldn't have hoped for much.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with Nigeria has always stemmed from poor leadership; the type provided by our past leaders.