Obasanjo’s letter: Too little, too late
What he points out are clearly all his making, as they all have their roots in the forgettable two terms which he ruled this country in, from 1999. No other leader in Nigeria’s short history had a better opportunity to redeem the country and write his name in history as a world hero for transforming […]
What he points out are clearly all his making, as they all have their roots in the forgettable two terms which he ruled this country in, from 1999. No other leader in Nigeria’s short history had a better opportunity to redeem the country and write his name in history as a world hero for transforming the most populous black nation in the world, other than chief Obasanjo, perhaps to be in the same bracket as late Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere. But of course, he blew his chances and, worse, is responsible for the dismal state Nigeria is in at present. Among the major issues he raises in his letter are President Jonathan’s planned bid for re-election (against an agreement he signed not to), his administration’s promotion of ‘ethnic schism’, his responsibility in the current PDP crisis, the record rise in government corruption and perhaps, even more outrageously, accusing the president of training snipers to assassinate some perceived political enemies. Huh!
How can a man who, as president, tried in vain to amend the constitution so that he could seek a third term in office be concerned about another president who is planning to bid for re-election, even if he purportedly agreed not to? This is also a man who frustrated his deputy’s aspiration in 2007. Also, where did the billions of US dollars sunk in revitalize the power sector go to? And Nigerians are still in darkness. Not forgetting the monies set aside for revitalizing the Ajaokuta Steel Company. Apparently, nobody can account for those funds. This is just the tip of the ice-berg. And we are expecting a child to look different from its parents.
This is by no means a Jonathan apologist letter; far from it. Issues raised by Chief Obasanjo are issues very many Nigerians can raise, and deserve to be looked into fast. But for a person to witness the 8 years in Nigeria spanning from 1999 to 2007, it only logical to expect the country to be in this state, no matter who is at the helm. For former President Obasanjo, it is too little too late a letter.
Sulaiman Aliyu, Department of Mass Communications, Bayero University, Kano<[email protected]>;