The shame of amoral witchery: Obasanjo’s abuse of elder statesmanship

He led the most corrupt administration in the Nation’s history; groomed a gang dubious politicians and contractors who had raped Nigeria’s economy and political prospects almost beyond redemption.


By ANTHONY OBI OGBO

Eldership is not a position but a legacy of great sagacity. It is a title earned through the ability to influence subordinates through knowledge, sheer experience, understanding, unequivocal judgements, and commonsense. The core values of elder statesmanship are not just built on age, but grounded in virtues synchronized with ethics and kind-heartedness. 

In other words, it is fair to say that a former South African president, Nelson Mandela was an elder statesman. This clarification is necessary for most individuals or perhaps analysts who would erroneously refer to every aged politician or community leader as elder statesman with the least consideration of the values each of them live.

A former Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo is one of such politicians unknown by those who followed his political choices and actions.  For clarity, Pa Obasanjo is an 82-old senior who has ruled Nigeria twice –  as a civilian and once a military junta, and who still has not giving up his hunger for absolute power. From 2007 when he concluded his service as his nation’s civilian leader, this man has not given up his drunkenness for power and public resources, rather, he had pervaded the political system in the most twisted manner; destroyed younger politicians who would not partake in his treachery and bullied others who still worshipped him like a demigod.  

As if this wasn’t enough, Iyabo, lashed out another frustration with a father she publicly disowned, stating “We, your family, have borne the brunt of your direct cruelty and also suffered the consequences of your stupidity but got none of the benefits of your successes.” 

But among almost a thousand descriptions of this former President by those who claimed they knew him, only his daughter, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo has rendered his portrait with unimpeachable accuracy. One good thing about women is that they can tell their own blood better without forensic evidence. Hence, Iyabo knew her dad in-and-out, describing him as a “narcissistic megalomaniac personality” who would always “accuse someone else of what he so obviously practice.” 

As if this wasn’t enough, Iyabo, lashed out another frustration with a father she publicly disowned, stating “We, your family, have borne the brunt of your direct cruelty and also suffered the consequences of your stupidity but got none of the benefits of your successes.”  This was in 2013. 

Also, it may be recalled that in 2008, Pa Obasanjo’s own son, Gbenga, in an affidavit following a messy divorce case with his wife, Mojisola, accused this former president of having sex with his wife as an exchange for government contracts. I do not mean to dig up these issues about Pa Obasanjo, but his tenacious underhanded advances into Nigeria’s leadership system, from regime-to-regime,  necessitate making a few references of his ramshackle credibility and deceitful claims of eldership. 

But did he actually resign as an elder statesman? Not really. Obasanjo joined forces with the opposition and secretly began to trade-off confidential information in his possession to destroy PDP, the same party that drove him through two tenures of presidency. He wrote a public letter and fabricated destructive intelligence allegations to destroy the incumbent then, former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he politically groomed and installed.

After his presidency tenure, when he became the  chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Obasanjo handled his business selfishly, and mean-heartedly split his party into political in-groups. He created diminutive rebellious factions and positioned them to fight each other. After the aged leader was done, he cunningly resigned from his party’s top leadership position in 2012, claiming that he wanted to fulfill his duties as a statesman locally and internationally. 

But did he actually resign as an elder statesman? Not really. Obasanjo joined forces with the opposition and secretly began to trade-off confidential information in his possession to destroy PDP, the same party that drove him through two tenures of presidency. He wrote a public letter and fabricated destructive intelligence allegations to destroy the incumbent then, former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he politically groomed and installed. But the major reason behind these ugly advances was because President Jonathan rightfully adopted a governance process that sidestepped Obasabjo’s despotic influence and selfish political demands –  a culture of appointing political leaders for elective offices behind closed doors – telling candidates when to run and when not to run for offices; and controlling all government offices like a flat screen with the remote.

So, with the aforementioned thesis of the evils of his political witchery, why would Obasanjo be trusted with policy-making thoughts and reflections? Earlier this week, he published another letter – a crafted fiction of mass-destruction which he addressed to President Buhari, warning that  “Nigeria is on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay.” What nonsense!

In Promoting President Buhari’s candidacy against the then incumbent, President Jonathan in 2015, Obasanjo said, “I hope that we will not have a coup – I hope we can avoid it.” This is exactly Obasanjo’s trademark – an illustration of hopeless rubbish with ulterior motives. 

With Obasanjo’s injurious influence, the issue becomes conceivable, on why any electorate who wants peace, progress, and unity in Nigeria would accord him any attention. Besides these controversial letters where he would usually fabricate allegations to throw his country into chaos, Obasanjo has consistently made damaging comments to ensure a failure of any regime that scorns his dubious advances. For instance, in Promoting President Buhari’s candidacy against the then incumbent, President Jonathan in 2015, Obasanjo said, “I hope that we will not have a coup – I hope we can avoid it.” This is exactly Obasanjo’s trademark – an illustration of hopeless rubbish with ulterior motives. 

Obasanjo is not an elder statesman but an over-aged wizard intoxicated by coercive power and arrogance. Within his eight-year presidency, he led the most corrupt administration in the Nation’s history; groomed a gang dubious politicians and contractors who had raped Nigeria’s economy and political prospects almost beyond redemption. Further, he ran an apprenticeship of dubious power merchants and lobbyists who infiltrate the system with crooked politicians.

Obasanjo is not an elder statesman but an over-aged wizard intoxicated by coercive power and arrogance. Within his eight-year presidency, he led the most corrupt administration in the Nation’s history; groomed a gang dubious politicians and contractors who had raped Nigeria’s economy and political prospects almost beyond redemption. Further, he ran an apprenticeship of dubious power merchants and lobbyists who infiltrate the system with crooked politicians.   Today, most of Obasanjo’s “students” are still within the boundaries of policy-making caucus, causing havoc in the system. 

But for Nigerians who still play the Russian roulette with their national unity, it must be noted that this region endured thousands of lives, punitive decrees, never-ending transition processes, absurd economic programs, and spiritual interventions to finally expunge the junta virus from their governmental system. Letters of Obasanjo therefore remain a dangerous option to sustaining this democracy. Finally, please note that Obasanjo is a choice not a constitutional obligation – therefore you may follow him at your own risk. 

♦ Anthony Ogbo, PhD, Adjunct Professor at the Texas Southern University is the author of the Influence of Leadership (2015)  and the Maxims of Political Leadership (2019). Contact: anthony@guardiannews.us

20 Comments on The shame of amoral witchery: Obasanjo’s abuse of elder statesmanship

  1. I am not a fan of Obasanjo. I don’t like him especially for preferring to build his own estate while in office over the country . He is the reason we’re in this mess, Buhari’s Nigeria. Right now he is the only person telling it to Buhari strong enough for Buhari to listen. Buhari will not budge on restructuring if Obasanjo keeps mum. Please don’t throw the baby away with the bath water .

  2. The writer of the above article is obviously a paid agent. He is paid to divert attention from the very serious issues on ground today.No body tags OBJ with angelic emblem but credit him with that unique quality of speaking out where the rest, elders,past presidents, GO of Churches have kept grave yard silence in the face of iminent national calamity. If what the above writer is doing is in in response to the recent letters of OBJ to the bull in Also Rock then he is writing arant nonsense.

    • Obasanjo may indeed have his short coming but he a great third eyes for the country if not for him who is putting the northern cabals in check they would have been able to do whatever their ill conceive ideas with the country.
      For me and many Nigerians Obasanjo is great elder stateman.

    • These kind of people would prefer the country to go to blaze instead of the Obasanjos in our midst to speak up in time.What is the benefit of an elder in the house who refuse to shout out to the other residents when one room is flooded? Must he wait until the whole house is affected? The man who stumbled today is in best position to guide others on a particular path. If you benefit from the misrule of today, tomorrow is around the corner,and nemesis has a way of exerting justice.

  3. IF THAT DEVIL FROM THE PIT OF HELL CALLED ANTHONY OBI OGBO IS UP TO PLAYING THE JUDAS ISCARIOT ON OBASANJO, THEN HIS EVIL HAS ALREADY PERISHED WITH HIM. THIS IS THE BEST DIVINE CHALLENGE THAT OBASANJO HAS TAKEN UP ON BEHALF OF NIGERIANS TO SALVAGE NIGERIA FROM THE PRECIPICE…???❓❓❓

  4. what is the main reason for a right thinking positive individuals think of dispensing energy to this nymphets nonsensical shenanigans and inconsiderate political penchants.. ???

    The writer’s of this article is not but one of those fools Nigeria harbored .

  5. I was amazed reading an article from an Adjunct Professor at the Texas Southern University, for his choice of words and none scholarly analysis of issues. I have no objection when we differ in opinion and approach but derailing from major issue to calling names and castigation of another opinion without addressing the major substance makes no sense in its entirety.

  6. The numskull who wrote this trash is bereaved of fact that Obasanjo as a president never sponsored his Yoruba brother’s to murder innocent citizens of Nigeria at will all over the nation….

  7. Obviously a paid agent of the most wicked, useless and dastardly corrupt government Nigeria has ever known. This writer has failed to convince any right thinking Nigerian that a brutal and bloody government of Buhari who has no regard for the law of the land deserves any respect. Obasanjo has spoken for the large number of Nigerians that can not speak their minds to the devil called Buhari. My friend,please tell your pay master that you failed.

  8. We have not gotten it right when it comes to leadership, but Pa Obasanjo is one of the lesser evil. Nigeria as a country needs Pa Obasanjo (and his like) now. We’ve never experienced a system, headship, government like this (not even in military regimes). Pls, allow Pa Obasanjo to speak, write, we need his voice, write up now

  9. I will never want to lean or represented by a bad person or persons, not that the person or persons have admitted his wrong doing in the past and now claiming to be good.
    My people a thief is a thief or do we have another name for it.
    If Mandela have bad name in his time in government people wont be saying and talking good about him.

  10. Anthony lacks the information necessary to enmanciate common man. My God sent Obj is the greatest, boldest, an ever combatant General in military, farming, business, local and international politics: cum Nigeria most complicated doubious democracy in the world My general held sue I bow to salute you sir. History has special excellent space for you. Obasanjo is hated by his children and Yoruba people. He continues to fight at all fronts e g., friends, enemies, presidents etc we ( the whole world ) will bury you like hero if the Yoruba race disown you. If your children disown you I accept you as my father. Tony, know it now the vacuum created by Gani’s mysterious death is been filled by field Mashal Obasanjo. Carry on sir. The Holy Spirit is with you always. This is my prayer for you.

    • It is embarrassing to hear a P.HD talking this way. You are there far away and saying all this nonsense, how wish one of ur own family is a victim of wat is happening here right in Nigeria , I bet u won’t ask obasanjo to keep mute like others did. Let him speak and let our leaders call a meeting of security chiefs and go back to d drawing board and retrace where they have fail us. He obasanjo is not a saint, but he has spoken d minds of millions of Nigerians dat can’t speak

  11. An Olodo adjunct Professor who is still an hireling to display political mediocrity. You are a shame to your Children and community not to Nigeria at all.

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