Why Obasanjo lives on

With his three successors in office: Umaru Yar‘adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari respectively dead, politically disengaged and physically infirm, it was remarkable that President Olusegun Obasanjo was bouncy penultimate Friday.

The occasion was the reunion of what his political disciples aptly termed as the reunion of graduates of the Olusegun Obasanjo School of Nigerian Politics which was shut down in May 2007.

The venue of the ten-year reunion was an upscale but yet closeted hotel, in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

The graduates of the school came from far and near to celebrate what they termed as the most successful president so far of the Fourth Republic. One remarkable thing at the reunion was the presence of the spokesmen of his successors, namely Segun Adeniyi, (Yar‘adua), Rueben Abati (Jonathan) and Femi Adesina (Buhari).

But more remarkable that night was the tribal and religious composition of the graduates; a fact reflected by the fact that opening prayers were offered in Islamic and Christian ways.

Mallam Uba Sani, who acted as special adviser to President Obasanjo on public affairs vividly positioned Obasanjo in his place in history by describing him as Nigeria’s most detribalised leader ever.

One of the most poignant occurrences of the night was the self-introduction of the graduates. Some of the graduates delightfully introduced themselves by inserting OLUSEGUN as their middle name; a moving expression of their eternal loyalty to the former president.

The thread of unity that flowed from the reunion of Obasanjo’s disciples was echoed five days later as some of Nigeria’s most celebrated generals had another reunion at the book launch of one of the most accomplished general of generals, Alani Akinrinnade.

Lt. Gen. Akinrinade who was one of the longest serving General Officers Commanding, GOCs of the 1 Infantry Division, with headquarters in Kaduna, was that day echoed as one of the finest generals ever produced by the Nigerian Army.

Though of Yoruba ethnic stock, General Ike Nwachukwu and General  Aliyu Gusau who heaped some of the most profound praises on him on that occasion did not see him in that ethnic prism that has now pitiably diminished Nigeria’s potentials.

It is against the background of the successes achieved by the likes of Obasanjo and Akinrinade in forging national unity in high office that the two men can today rally disciples from all nooks and crannies of the country many years after leaving office.

The prospect of the present political power wheelers and dealers venerating themselves in that garb of champions of national unity is a challenge that they must aspire to.

They must look beyond the imaginations of ethnic loyalists who gather around them to reflect on the legacy that they would leave behind in the office that they would sooner than later fade away from.

Lamido, Ekweremadu, Rano

The week ending today would be remarkable for three outstanding politicians. Former Governor Sule Lamido returned from prison on Thursday after two nights for the alleged offence of incitement. The remand followed his alleged utterances while mobilising supporters of his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the forthcoming local government elections in Jigawa State.

A day before Lamido emerged, the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu cried out over what he claimed as a plot by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to rope him into a gun running and money laundry charges. The existence of a plot was, however, promptly denied by the anti-graft agency.

The following day, a member of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Rano from Kano State for about 15 minutes narrated to members how security agencies raided his residences in Kano in their search for guns and ammunitions.

A common ingredient common to Lamido, Ekweremadu, and Rano is the perception that they have fallen foul of the political sensibilities of those in authority. Hounding them out of political circulation will not help our national image as a growing democracy if there is no justif