Letter to Chief Obasanjo

DEAR Chief (Dr.) Obasanjo, first and foremost, let me congratulate you on the recent conferment of the award of Doctor of Philosophy on you by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). You have by this feat, demonstrated that age is no barrier to academic achievement. I honestly hope you will complete the process by becoming a research fellow somewhere so as to add the title of Prof to your name. Now to the reason for my open letter to you. Let me quickly point out  that this letter is a reaction to a similar letter you addressed to President Muhammudu Buhari, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Before anything else, let me apologise for having to employ this methodology to reaching out to you. As a thorough breed Yoruba man, I am not unaware of the fact that it was wrong to approach an elder in this manner. But going by the fact that you have in the past employed similar method in reaching out to men in high offices, particularly presidents, it then suggest to me that you may see nothing wrong in my action.

Second is the fact that I am of the strong view that you expected well-meaning Nigerians, including yours sincerely, to avail themselves with the content of the said letter and possibly react. Although, some were apt to conclude that the real essence was to eke your name in the consciousness of the people. Baba, there is no gainsaying the fact that you possess an outstanding personality and clout, which are very rich and intimidating. However, your greatest challenge, in my  opinion, has to do with your nature. Since 1976 when you came to the centre stage of Nigeria’s political landscape, you have continued to play the role of a domineering figure.  Baba, I must confess that though I admire your grit and gut. However, I also believe that there are times for stock-taking, time when one relaxes on the past. But this seem to be unimportant to you, regardless of the status you occupy in the society.I have, and am sure many Nigerians do also, not forgotten how you imposed the Land Use Act on the entire country; the 12, 2/3rd Saga of 1979, which brought in the Shehu Shagari adminstration. You became the main beneficiary of the June 12 1993 election cancellation struggle by taking the Yoruba slot to become president even though you never identified with the struggle.

Baba, may I remind you Sir, that you rubbished Chief MKO Abiola when you said he was not the messiah to lead Nigeria to the promised land. You not only made your self Leader of the Yoruba, but father of the nation. Your tenure as president between 1999 to 2007 was not stellar. Companies, particularly banks, busied themselves retrenching staff members rather than growing the economy. Baba, during your tenure, Nigeria was living a borrowed life despite the boom in oil sales. The money realised during this period was wasted on electric power architecture that added no single kilowatt to national grid. Similar fate befell money voted for road construction all over Nigeria. The aviation sector became comatose. You officially liquidated Nigeria Airways, and till you left office, you never saw the need to pay your government commitment to the retrenched staffers of the organisation.

Baba, do I remind you sir that as Minister of Petroleum, you increased fuel pump price 11 times, which is the cause of the economic crisis we are still in till today. We the people never gained anything from the windfall from the sale of crude oil, we still await all promises to provide palliatives from your government till today. Baba, the list of your misdemeanors in government is legendary. Baba, you knew the health status of ex-president Umaru Yar’ Adua, yet you imposed him on Nigeria and Nigerians. You could have picked or promoted the candidature of a younger and vibrant Northerner. Baba, rather than allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus and the party organs choose the vice presidential candidate ahead of the 2007 presidential election, you unilaterally decided on Dr. Goodluck Jonathan whom you would later lambast and then work for his fall.

You have more access to the Villa than most Nigerians. Thus, you could have discussed the content of your letter with President Buhari privately and proffer viable solution or even offer to serve in a capacity that will bring about change and improve deliverables from the government. As a former president, you are by all stretches of the imagination, a statesman and should therefore be seen and not heard always. Nigerians want you, Sir, to be in the mould of ex-president J. J. Rawlings of Ghana, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bush, Bill Clinton and recently Barack Obama of the United States of America. They all act as statesmen in their various countries; they are only seen and not heard, but get across to power.

Going through your letter, you acknowledged that the Buhari administration has been able to curtail insecurity/ Boko Haram and that the fight against  corruption was on course, though on a selective basis. That is what you should have come in privately to  correct.  Baba, one would have expected you, Sir to give examples of how you tackled corruption, the economy, insecurity, unemployment, roads and rural developments and other government deliverables, which are now in place, which the government of the day has destroyed or killed. But your advice to President Buhari that he should take a rest is not anchored on any moral rectitude.  Baba, Nigerians have taken a stance as a people, we know what to do when the time comes to vote and do not need to be telly guided. We want to be left alone to decide our destiny, which is in our hands.

• Ogunade is President, Voters Awareness Initiative