By: Russell Idatoru Bluejack
A friend told me that I always take my time to respond to issues, not minding the fact that they are rife. I think that is the way of the thinker – the attitude of postponed judgment; extensive observation. Yes, that is what equips the respondent. I am aware of the trending issues about this old fellow called Gen. Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo (hereinafter referred to as “Baba”) in the print, audiovisual, and the new media. Unlike most people, I am not astonished, considering the fact that the old kid has always longed for political, as against, economic relevance.
But why are we really concerned about the piffle that emanate from the ruffled and scabrous lips of this misadventurer? What is that intrinsic perturbation that titillates and unsettles our Baba so much that he still whines like a baby that misses mama’s milk? What has this political leprechaun, one whose looks accentuates our striking semblance with apes, monkeys, and orangutan not been able to guard against making unguarded comments? And why does he pulsate with horrendous fear for the person of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Biafra? Brothers and sisters, join me as I do a postmortem on the litany of immorality and political malfeasance that reside in this old man that grows younger as more calendars get produced.
THE MORAL AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS OF BABA OBASANJO
Our Baba is one of the privileged few in Lugard’s gift to the North – Nigeria – to have had the happenstance to man the plum seat of the President of Nigeria twice. Baba joined the military in 1958, served in the 5th Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna and Cameroon between 1958 and 1959 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1960. He became a Captain in 1963, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1967, and then Colonel in 1969, and Brigadier General in 1972. You can see it took Baba just 14 years (1958-1972) to become a General in the Nigerian Army.
He moved on to become Head of State after the failed coup by Col. Dimka, one that carried with it the assassination of Murtala Muhammed – a coup that has been said to have failed because it missed the duo of Obasanjo and Danjumah – which means our Baba has always been a very lucky man. He became Head of State by choice from 1976 to 1979, a period of Oil Boom. He was so unsettled by the truth about his misadministration that he sicced the military at Fela Kuti, leading to the murder of the latter’s mother in broad daylight in the most brutal manner, for the aged victim was thrown down a tall building. Our Baba has done very bad things, but continues to feign sainthood. Fortune chose him a second time in 1999, after the demise of Gen. Sani Abacha, and he became the Number One man in Nigeria in civvies for eight (8) years, with a failed bid to unconstitutionally extend his tenure through bribe and intimidation of the legislators. Such quest for power!
Baba’s love for power and relevance is incomparable, for he is ready to do anything, including committing incest. Baba, in the 70s, floated National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), which enabled him to acquire Ota Farm, a farm he formally opened on October 8, 1979, a week after he handed over.
During the period covering 1999 and 2007, our Baba and Atiku, his Vice, saw to it that the so-called Privatisation Scheme through Transcorp was used to milk Nigeria dry and out. Anyone that entertains a modicum of doubt as to the institutionalized political corruption that characterized Obasanjo’s government should find out how the
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