Obasanjo:  Anathema to successive governments, by Kola Amzat

Since curtain were drawn on ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo’s two-term tenures in Year 2007, he has chosen another role for himself: denigrating, demeaning, derogating, embarrassing and humiliating all presidents that emerged after him, as well as attacking their policies, with a view to always holding himself out as the best president that ever happened to Nigeria.

Obasanjo arrogantly moves about as if solutions to Nigeria’s unending problems rest with him.

While other former presidents across the globe constitute themselves as a reservoir of wisdom, knowledge and ideas, and always there to collaborate in supporting the incumbent president/leader in the development and prosperity of their countries, Obasanjo sees his role as ex-president differently.

For him, what brings him joy and glory is to continually lock horns with the ruling government by entering into the battlefield, in matters that often have no bearing with him.

The retired general seems a captive of intellectual disorder, a satanic spirit that drives him to move about with so much audacity and erroneous belief that Nigeria solutions start and end with him.

Nigerians vividly recall that he literally imposed the late Umaru Yar’Adua as his successor in 2007 with a firm belief that the imposition would guarantee his direct access to the seat of power.

To his consternation, Yar’Adua later blocked him when he became too overbearing, a development that necessitated him to be lambasting the Yar’Adua administration, accusing the Katsina born late president for destroying the anti-corruption structure that according to him, he put in place to fight corruption.

Of course, he hounded Yar’Adua until his demise. 

He didn’t back down when Goodluck Jonathan ascended. He accused Jonathan of failing to address the threats posed by narcotics trafficking and corruption, as well as his mismanagement of economy, specifically lambasting Jonathan of squandering $25billion crude oil savings.

Of course, late ex-president, Muhammud Buhari stoically resolved to keep Obasanjo at arm’s length, practically barricading him from the Villa for eight years that his tenure endured.

Meanwhile, the retired military general has been unrelenting and unwavering in his quest to bring the present government down, with series of attacks on President Tinubu, the latest been his tirades in Jos, Plateau State event on Friday, where he expressed deep displeasure over rising insecurity, suggesting that Nigerians have the right to seek foreign intervention to cover what he described as the government’s failure to protect its citizens.

He declared: “No matter what religion you belong to, no matter where you come from, no matter your profession, we Nigerians are being killed, and our government seems to be incapable of protecting us,” Obasanjo said. He continued: “We are part of the world community. If our government cannot do it, we have the right to call on the international community to do for us what our government cannot do for us.”

It is without a shadow of doubt that the above pronouncement is reckless, unbecoming and very unpatriotic of someone who has benefited THE MOST in the Nigerian project.

Obasanjo’s infantile counsel that Nigeria could as well subcontracts its internal security to the United States is callous, defeatist and subservient.  

And, it’s quite unfortunate that this is coming from someone who is supposed to be accustomed to the mentality of imperialists and foreign expansionists, as well as what they’re capable of doing in such circumstances.   

As a military head of state, as well as democratically elected president, he has ruled the same country he’s making unrelenting efforts to bring down.

Of course, his stupendous wealth is rooted in incredible opportunities he had while he was at the helm of affairs.

The discerning Nigerians could easily decipher that his valiant attempts to bring down this government are steeped in envy, jealousy and strife.

Meanwhile, in a bid to fortify and strengthen the security architecture, the president has boldly moved to appoint a new defence minister, in the person of a retired lieutenant general, Christopher Musa to replace Badaru Mohammed.

Prior to the above, the president has brought on board a new set of Service Chiefs, who are generally acknowledged to be very professional, resourceful and indeed, much younger and vibrant, and indeed, rooted in military dynamics.

Their appointment is rooted in the president’s bid to secure Nigeria in all the nooks and crannies, by attacking and confronting the terrorists and bandits head-on, as well as smoking them out from their hiding wherever they are.

If ex-president Obasanjo meant well, these are the bold efforts he should rally round the president as a former military man to support, instead of continually disparaging and undermining the efforts of the government, as well as calling for Donald Trump intervention.    

It’s also instructive to implore the president that with the coming on board of retired lieutenant general, Christopher Musa as Minister of Defense, it would be a luxury to continue to maintain a Minister of State for defense.

The Minister was a former Chief of Defense Staff, and generally acknowledged as a very ruthless, bold and courageous military officer, with tested and trusted capacity to bring order and normalcy to security challenges in the country.

With all intents and purposes, the defense ministry would be experiencing a distraction and slow pace, with the presence of a full minister, conferring with a minister of state before key decisions are taken.

This writer therefore humbly advises that the president could relocate Mattawale Bello to another ministry, with a view to ensuring urgency, professionalism and tactical initiatives that the new order demands.           

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB),

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348. Obasanjo:  Anathema to successive governments, by Kola Amzat