Leaders must be willing to consult widely at trying moments – Obasanjo

…as Tinubu, Jonathan, Gowon, Mbeki, pour encomimum on General Abubakar

Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has advised sitting presidents to cultivate the habit of consulting with social gatekeepers when confronted with sensitive state matters.

Obasanjo gave the admonition at the weekend in his remarks during the public presentation of three books in honour of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), as part of activities marking the latter 84th birthday.

At the event held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, President Obasanjo recalled two instances as military Head of State when he had to visit the then Sultan of Sokoto to seek his opinion before taking decisions on the number of Nigerians to proceed on Holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The second instance was the tension building up in the North over the grant of rights to women to vote.

Chief Obasanjo also recalled that he faced stiff opposition from vested interests both in the North and Southern part of the country when his regime introduced the Land Use Decree in 1978.

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He said, “When the Land Use Act was promulgated as a decree, a colleague came to me and said nobody liked it. The North didn’t like it, the South didn’t like it.”

He told the gathering that following security reports of plans by the Agbekoya Movement in the South-West to stage a protest against the new legislation, he sought the advice of an elder statesman, the late Simeon Adebo, who advised him to seek an audience directly with the forum of farmers in Ibadan.

“I left Lagos at about 2 a.m., got to Ibadan before dawn and visited villages to meet Agbekoya leaders in their homes. By about 8 a.m., I had visited more than a dozen villages explaining the policy to them, ” he added. 

The former head of state, who later emerged as civilian president in 1999, recalled that the dialogue achieved his objective of securing the buy in of the farmers for the policy.

He said, “That was how we were able to suppress the protest against the Land Use Decree, and that is why the Land Use Act has endured till today.”

Turning to the celebrant, Chief Obasanjo described the celebrant as a gentleman, a nationalist, peacemaker who presided over the affairs of Nigeria during one of its most turbulent and delicate period in its history.

He said, “You sagaciously managed the seeming confusion and uncertainty that followed Abacha’s death. You emerged from the cloud and carefully proceeded to untangle the nation.”

He recalled the death of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, on the eve of his release from detention, who reportedly succumbed to cardiac arrest in the presence of certain senior officials of the United States of America government who came visiting.

“I remember you calling me on the telephone and saying, ‘Our man is dead.’ I asked, ‘Which man?’ and when you mentioned Abiola, I screamed,” Obasanjo revealed.

He commended General Abubakar for ensuring a seamless transition to civilian rule.

“Within less than one year of your taking office, we had democracy restored, and 27 years after that restoration, we still have democracy.”

The former civilian president who assumed office after the exit of General Abubakar thanked his predecessor for always seeking audience with him and offering suggestions to ensure the success of his government.

He continued, “Can I forget how regularly you came with a piece of paper containing all the points you wanted to discuss with me about what was going on, what should be done and how you saw things?”

“We sat down and looked at them one by one. I answered what could be answered immediately, and what could not be answered on the spot, I responded to within 24 hours.”

In his remarks, another former civilian president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, commended the former head of state who supervised the transition to civilian rule in 1998 of what he called his uncommon courage to have resisted pressure and temptation to frustrate his pledge to hand over power.

He said, “If there is anybody we can give credit to for stabilising democracy in Nigeria today, it is General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

“A military Head of State, surrounded by military officers, armed personnel and all the instruments of power, with people urging him to remain in office, yet he had the courage to say no. That takes somebody with an uncommon commitment to the peace and progress of the country.”

“At a defining moment in our nation’s history, he demonstrated uncommon courage and selflessness by guiding Nigeria through a peaceful transition that restored democratic governance and renewed hope in the future of our country.”

Jonathan also noted that after exit from office, General Abubakar has not relented in seizing initiative to promote seamless transition of power, citing the National Peace Committee, which he chairs.

He added, “Beyond his tenure in office, General Abdulsalami has remained a steadfast advocate of peace, dialogue, national unity and democratic stability.”

“Through the National Peace Committee, he has continued to promote peaceful elections, conflict resolution and nation-building initiatives across the country.”

In his presentation, former Head of State who was Chairman of the occasion, General Yakubu Gowon, described the celebrant as a “consummate patriot, a General who served his country well.”

He said, “He is a leader whose patriotism is consistent in his choice of humanity over self.

He also recalled his National Peace Committee aimed at ensuring seamless, peaceful elections.

“I urge future leaders to emulate and learn from him selfless service to humanity.

“There is dignity in labour as demonstrated in the life of the celebrant,” he added. 

Former President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki who was the keynote speaker at the elaborate event, in his virtual presentation, “Democratic Transition and Peace Building in Africa: The Place of General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar,” applauded the celebrant’s capacity to organise peaceful transition in the manner he did as a military officer to put an end to endless political transition.

He said, “His tenure was significant not only for its brevity but also for putting an end to seeming endless transition in Nigeria.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was the special guest of honour, commended General Abubakar for redeeming his pledge of restoring the nation to democracy.

Represented by Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima noted that General Abubakar kept to his words.

“We thank you for your sacrifice and steadfast devotion to Nigeria.”

President Tinubu mandated the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike,

to make land available along the Airport road for the construction of Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar Africa Resource Centre, declaring that the Federal Government would fund the construction.

In his remarks, General Abubakar recalled that upon his assumption of office in 1998, agitation was high for return to civil rule.

He told the gathering of former Head of State, former civilian presidents, serving governors and diplomats that handing over to a civilian administration was a moral imperative.

“I made a solemn promise to facilitate return to civil rule and fast tracked it. Within 11 months, my administration supervised a transition that restored democracy. It was a moral imperative,” he added.