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Opinion: In Defence of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Published

8 years ago

May 9, 2018

Eric

By Wale Adedayo

Despite serial efforts to destroy the nation-building legacies of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his adversaries have only succeeded in exposing themselves as shallow in thinking and interested in selfish pursuits packaged as national interest. For the avoidance of doubt, son of man is not a fan of Obasanjo. He has his many failings, as a human being. But in the Nigerian project, this country is yet to produce a leader – military or civilian – that could be compared with Obasanjo in terms of his commitment to The Nigerian Dream.

A visit to Osogbo by son of man without exchanging ideas with former President, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Students’ Union Government, Comrade Wole Aluta, is like tea without sugar. Wole is not just an activist. He is as cerebral as they come. Like son of man, Wole is not an Obasanjo acolyte. But he detests with every fibre of his being attempts to denigrate the Ota Chicken Farmer by persons, who for parochial political reasons continue to bury their heads in the sand in a vain attempt at justifying the ineptitude of the current managers of our national affairs.

While discussing the sorry state of Nigeria’s security yesterday, Wole became angry that there was a juvenile post on the social media recently alleging that one of the reasons Obasanjo is angry with the current administration was Buhari’s order to stop payment of salaries to the staff of the old man’s farm, who were on The Presidency’s payroll. Of course, it turned out to be a lie.

In his words, “They claimed he had less than N20,000 when he was released from prison shortly after Gen. Sani Abacha’s death in 1998. Virtually all those recycling this rubbish are graduates with a number of them having high profile names. Obasanjo left office as military Head of State with entitlements to pension and the like. He has properties and businesses. As a prisoner, he does not need money. So, how come these societal misfits believe the propaganda that the man was poor when he left prison?” And I agree 120% with Wole.

What is currently going on under President Muhammadu Buhari is similar to what obtained under Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Propaganda is being taken to a new level. Obscene spin is being circulated as facts by agents of a Government that came on board to correct past anomalies, but has failed. Buhari was not prepared for office. He only wanted to be president, again. For a politician in an executive capacity to continue blaming his predecessor for his serial failure in office is not only ungodly, but a grievous betrayal of trust. He has lost his integrity.

It is not enough to have a plan. An aspiring political office holder seeking votes as President, Governor or Local Government Chairman must have sure details of mistakes made by the incumbent. Once in office, he/she hits the ground running, which was what Obasanjo did in 1999 after the monumental looting of our commonwealth by Abacha. And, it was not just Abacha alone. IBB and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar had similarly rendered the Nigerian economy prostrate. Abacha only took us to the brink of a civil war in addition to his unbridled pilfering of Nigeria’s resources.

Yet, an Obasanjo arrived the scene, and instead of whining as Buhari and his handlers are carrying on about former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he got down to work. Obasanjo met a worse economy. And he turned things around, very positively. Of course, education and continual self-development matters a lot. Shortly after leaving office in 1979 as military Head of State, Obasanjo returned to school. Buhari since 1985 is yet to write a book. Son of man is yet to read about Buhari going for education or self-improvement anywhere.

Obasanjo introduced mechanized farming in his private agricultural practice as far back as 1979. This should definitely be as result of his learning new ways of doing things. Yet, in the Year of Our Lord, 2018, Buhari, who is also a farmer, continue to engage in open grazing by cattles. He regularly shows off his 16th century mode of farming, thus the continued argument that herdsmen should be allowed to be moving from one part of the country to another, not minding the fact that modern system of animal husbandry does not allow such. He did not develop himself. And he wants Nigeria to continue with Stone Age ideas. No kain!

But the Ebora Owu never passed off opportunities to attend seminars and conferences on development, especially on Africa and global issues. He wrote books. The man repeated the same process after leaving office, thus his recent acquisition of a PhD in Theology from the National Open University, which he founded while in office. He is always thirsty for knowledge and modern ways of doing things.

As military Head of State, way back in 1976, Obasanjo made Education free and compulsory from Primary 1 to Primary 6 throughout Nigeria under the Universal Primary Education Scheme he pioneered. Students of Teachers’ Training Colleges were paid stipends to attend such schools, thus encouraging a healthy population of primary school teachers all over the country. Upon assumption of office in 1999, one of Obasanjo’s first policies was the introduction of Universal Basic Education (UBE), which made education free and compulsory from Primary 1 to JSS3 through the introduction of UBEC (known in states as SUBEB).

Obasanjo made his mark in Healthcare delivery. The old man built Healthcentres in all of Nigeria’s 774 local governments. Each healthcentre has a generating set, well-fenced with a comprehensive laboratory. Drugs were provided. The current insecurity across the country was well contained during Obasanjo’s administration. He tamed the monster.

No doubt, Obasanjo is not a saint. But he made conscious and serious efforts to stamp out corruption from our national life. Obasanjo commissioned an investigation involving ALL the security agencies in Nigeria into all Federal Government contracts between 1976 and 1999. A comprehensive report was submitted to the Federal Executive Council with quality white paper in two volumes coming out of that report. A current Governor in Southern Nigeria was banned by the White Paper from holding public office for the rest of his life, as he was involved in a contract scam. It was Obasanjo that gave Nigeria the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ICPC.

Obasanjo deregulated the Telecomms sector, giving us MTN, Globacom and others in place of NITEL. Nobody dared talk down on Nigeria when Obasanjo was President. He marketed Nigeria well abroad. He did not demarket Nigeria. It was Obasanjo who got us debt relief. A barrel of crude oil sold less than what it is today when Obasanjo stepped on the scene in 1999. Nigeria’s foreign reserve was almost zero. Yet, the old man left more than 60 billion dollars in the coffers when he left office.

It is not as if we hate Buhari. We believed he’ll get into office and hit the ground running. His entry into Aso Rock Villa was built on three issues: Integrity, Security and Anti-corruption. As at today, he has failed on all three issues. And, we owe it a duty to burst the propaganda balloon of his praise singers that leaders like Obasanjo are bad people. Obasanjo remains an example for Buhari to copy, not disparage as it is being done currently.

The fact remains that, from happenings in Nigeria so far, Buhari never had a plan on how to govern. His was just an ambition to rule, thus the current mess we have found ourselves in.
By WALE ADEDAYO

Featured

Why Tinubu Was Absent at Commissioning of Sanwo-Olu’s Projects in Lagos – Presidency

Published

2 days ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

The Presidency has come up with reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s absent at the commissioning of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s projects in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Tinubu was noticeably absent at the scheduled project commissioning in Lagos, sparking public curiosity.

However, Sunday Dare, his Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation, has clarified the reason behind the last-minute development.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Dare revealed that the President had to prioritise urgent national security matters over the event.
According to him, although Tinubu is currently in Lagos, he has been deeply engaged in high-level State duties, particularly ongoing security briefings tied to recent developments across the country.

“The president has been busy taking constant briefs and has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security,” Dare stated.

He referenced rising security concerns, including recent unrest linked to incidents in Jos, noting that the President has been closely monitoring the situation and working directly with intelligence agencies.

Dare emphasised that Tinubu remains fully engaged behind the scenes, actively coordinating with security operatives and receiving continuous updates to address emerging threats.

The absence, he stressed, should not be seen as neglect of official duties but rather a reflection of the President’s focus on safeguarding national stability at a critical time.

Tinubu skipped the Lagos commissioning not out of disregard, but to handle pressing security issues demanding immediate presidential attention.

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Benin Republic 2026: Romuald Wadagni, The President in Waiting

Published

2 days ago

April 9, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

As the presidential election draws very close, one man stands taller than most of the candidates that would be on the ballot paper, or may have been on the ballot paper as far as the presidential election in Benin Republic is concerned. He is the hard working and most Indefatigable achiever, Monsieur Romuald Wadagni.

He us young, able and full of experience, having practiced positive and sincere politics for a very long in his young existence.

Wadagni comes across as the typical chip off the old block, when it comes to genuine leadership qualities and agenda. He has been tested, trusted and ready to take up the mantle of leadership towards providing genuineness and purposeful living condition for the people of Benin Republic.

In 10 consecutive years, since he was 39, Wadagni, has supervised the Finance and Economy ministry without blemish, and has received accolades from far and wide.

It is therefore not a fluke as the 49 years old, Romuald Wadagni was nominated as the ruling majority’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election in Benin.

Consequently, listed below are three things to know about him: 1:he has been the Minister of Finance for nearly 10 years. Romuald Wadagni was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in April 2016. He was reappointed to the position in 2021 with the rank of Minister of State. He is considered one of the main architects of Benin’s economic recovery.

At the end of January 2025, he welcomed “average growth of more than 6.5% in recent years.” In 2018, Financial Afrik magazine ranked him among the 100 African personalities transforming the continent. In December 2024, the same media outlet named him “Best Finance Minister in Africa,” praising Benin’s macroeconomic stability in the face of international crises. 2: He is an expert in finance and accounting. Romuald Wadagni is a chartered accountant. After studying finance, private equity, and venture capital, he began his professional career in 1998 at Deloitte, one of the largest audit and consulting firms in the world.

At Deloitte, Romuald Wadagni rose through the ranks and successively held several positions of responsibility in France, the United States, and then in Francophone Africa. In 2012, at the age of 36, he became a partner at Deloitte. He later led the firm’s expansion across the African continent. After 17 years, he left the firm in April 2016 when he was appointed Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin.

He is the heir apparent of Patrice Talon. After two consecutive terms, President Patrice Talon, who can no longer run again, had promised to play an active role in choosing his successor. On August 31, 2025, he officially endorsed his Minister of Finance, Romuald Wadagni, as the candidate of the presidential majority.
This designation was confirmed in a joint statement by the Union Progressiste le Renouveau (UPR) and the Bloc Républicain (BR), the two main parties of the majority. On October 4, 2025, in Parakou, Romuald Wadagni and Mariam Chabi Talata, the current Vice President, were officially nominated during a major rally of the presidential majority. In his speech, the candidate minister promised to “consolidate the achievements” of his predecessor.

Prior to entering politics, Wadagni worked for the consulting firm Deloitte for 17 years. He was first appointed the minister of economy and finance on 7 April 2016, in the first Talon government, and subsequently reappointed in 2021 with the rank of senior minister.

Wadagni was born in Benin in 1976 in Lokossa, the eldest of five children. His father, Nestor Wadagni, a statistician and economist with a degree from ENSAE, had a career in the Beninese civil service before writing a thesis in fundamental mathematics after his retirement.From an early age, he took an interest in manual work and trained himself in bricklaying and mechanics.

After obtaining a scientific baccalaureate in Benin, he continued his studies in France. From 1995 to 1999, he studied at the École supérieure des affaires de Grenoble (ESA) where he obtained a master’s degree in finance, graduating top of his class. During his studies in Grenoble, he met a partner from Deloitte who identified his potential and recruited him into the consulting firm in 1998.Among honours attached to his ebullient services and achievements, are as follows:

In 2021, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named Romuald Wadagni “Best African Minister of Economy and Finance”.

In 2024, the financial newspaper Financial Afrik named him “Finance Minister of the Year” for the 4th time in its ranking of “The 100 who are transforming Africa”.

ROMUALD WADAGNI AT A GLANCE

Romuald Wadagni is Senior Minister in charge of Economy and Finance of Benin. He was appointed on April 7, 2016, in the first government of President Patrice Talon and reappointed to this position in May 2021.

Romuald Wadagni is a public accountant certified in France and the USA. He also holds a master’s degree in finance and has completed specialized training in private equity and venture capital.

Before being appointed Minister of Economy and Finance in 2016, Romuald Wadagni had a leading international experience within Deloitte. In France from 1998, then in the United States from 2003, he developed cutting-edge expertise in several fields, serving customers in various sectors of activity (Mining, TMT, Financial Sector, Public Sector, Retail) and various governments and donors.

Wadagni is a handful in service delivery, transformation and economic re-engineering. He is the best suited for the presidency of Benin Republic as election holds on Sunday, April 12, 2026

Featured

ADC Raises Alarm over INEC’s Plot to Prevent Party from Fielding Candidates

Published

5 days ago

April 6, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has revealed the deliberate administrative landmines being deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the Party from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party stated that at the heart of this emerging crisis is INEC’s stated position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. On its face, this may appear procedural. In reality, it creates a direct and dangerous conflict with the clear timelines imposed by the Electoral Act (2026), which provides defined windows, including the mandatory 21-day notice period and subsequent submission requirements, within which political parties must complete critical electoral processes.

The full statement reads:

We are compelled to raise serious concerns about a developing situation that appears designed to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from fielding candidates in the upcoming elections. It is based on documentary evidence which we are now placing before the Nigerian public, including certified INEC records, attendance logs, monitoring reports, and excerpts from the Commission’s own sworn affidavit. Taken together, these documents establish a clear and consistent record of events.

INEC received formal notice of the July 29, 2025 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ADC. It deployed officials to monitor that meeting. It documented the proceedings and received formal reports from its field officers. Following this, INEC updated its internal records and uploaded the names of the new leadership, including Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
These are not claims. They are facts contained in INEC’s own records.

In addition, the Commission’s sworn affidavit before the Federal High Court, in its response to Nafiu Bala Gombe on 12 September 2025, particularly in Clauses 14 to 19, affirms key legal principles: that the leadership transition had already been completed and recognized, that such internal party matters fall outside the scope of judicial interference, that completed acts cannot be reversed by injunction, and also recognizes the David Mark-led NWC.

Yet, despite this clear documentary trail, INEC has now taken the position that it will no longer receive any correspondence from the ADC pending the determination of a matter before the Federal High Court. This is where the contradiction becomes dangerous.

The Electoral Act imposes strict timelines on political parties, including the 21-day notice requirement and submission deadlines. INEC itself has fixed May 10 as the deadline for the submission of relevant documents. However, by refusing to receive communication from the ADC within this same period, the Commission is effectively preventing the Party from complying with the law.

In simple terms, INEC is effectively threatening that unless the courts deliver judgment on the ADC leadership issue by May 10, it will prevent the ADC from producing candidates.

This places the ADC in an impossible position and creates a clear pathway to artificial non-compliance, which can then be used to justify excluding the Party from fielding candidates. That is the landmine.

INEC has claimed that its April 1 decision was taken to avoid rendering the proceedings before the Federal High Court nugatory. The reality is the opposite. By intervening in a matter already before the court and issuing a pronouncement with clear legal and operational consequences, the Commission has itself undermined the very process it claims to protect.

What is even more concerning is that this position contradicts INEC’s own prior conduct and legal stance. The same Commission that monitored, documented, recognized, and swore to an affidavit confirming the ADC leadership is now acting in a way that contradicts its earlier position.
We therefore call on the Commission to immediately reverse this position, resume the acceptance of all lawful correspondence from the ADC, and uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

We also call on Nigerians to be wary and remain vigilant about these dangerous machinations to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and impose a civilian dictatorship on the country.