Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has explained why he appointed former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1999.
Obasanjo said the decision to make him Foreign Minister became his responsibility after the original nominee for the position, who was close to Lamido, declined the offer.
He made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja while speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the launch of Lamido’s book, Be True to Yourself.
“And when we settled, we decided that my candidate would be the vice president and the chairman’s candidate would be the foreign minister. But then, the chairman’s candidate, who we agreed to be the foreign minister, declined.
“And then, the choice of Lamido as foreign minister became my responsibility. Because I saw him as the closest, or one of the closest, persons to the person who had declined to be the foreign minister,” Obasanjo said.
He went on to praise Lamido’s integrity and boldness, stating that Lamido was one of his ministers who could speak truth to power.
“Sule Lamido has admirable character, and I admire him. When I appointed the ministers—because I did not want a situation where the minister would do something wrong and I would want to say, ‘Look, Mr. Minister, thank you, you can go,’ and there would be a problem—I said all my ministers should give me undated letters of resignation.
“Sule Lamido came to me and said, ‘You appointed me, and I did not ask you to appoint me. You think I will fall?’ I acceded to his request. And of course, he didn’t have to give me a letter of resignation, and I had no cause to ask him to give a letter of resignation,” he stated.
In his remarks at the event, Lamido expressed deep appreciation to Obasanjo and other dignitaries in attendance.
“I can never find enough words to express my profound gratitude to my boss, my guide, my leader, my inspiration—President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR—for all he has done and is doing for me since 1999.
“Evidence of his love, trust, and confidence in me is clearly manifest in the inspiring foreword he wrote for this book and his physical presence at the launch today.
“Baba, I sincerely and profoundly thank you. May God Almighty endow and bless you with abundant health, wisdom, joy, and well-being,” he stated.
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