The visit of former President Goodluck Jonathan, to his estrange political father, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, may probably be the most surprising visit the former Nigerian military head of state and democratic president may have had in recent times.
Regardless of the role Obasanjo played to make sure that Jonathan was not returned as Nigerias president, he dropped all that behind him and paid a visit to one man who was at both ends of his political glory and failure.The visit took place on Friday at about 12noon in Ibogun village, Ogun State, home of Obasanjo. Jonathan was in company of his former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki and three other close aides.The two former leaders had a closed door meeting that lasted for about an hour.Jonathan during the meeting had told his host he and General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), a former Nigerian military president, had intended to visit him during the yuletide but failed to make it as planned.Turaki, who disclosed Jonathans mission to Obasanjo, went further to say that he (Jonathan) has finally come in fulfilment of the earlier intention to visit him (Obasanjo) during Christmas, but regrets that he was not able to come with IBB.He commended Obasanjos contributions as an elder statesman since retiring from partisan politics and also thanked him for the way and manner he received him and his entourage.Speaking, Obasanjo appreciated Jonathan for sparing time to visit him in his home town since leaving office, praying that they will still have more time to sit and reminiscence over happenings of the past and also talk about what the future portends.The first point I want to make is to thank you very sincerely and most sincerely for taking it upon yourself to pay us a visit at this point in time and at this location.Secondly, since you left office, you hardly have time to sit down and relax like you have been able to do today and I hope, I sincerely hope and pray for more such relaxed situation where we can reminiscence situations of the past that we have been through in this country and we can also look at what the future portends.When leaders come, they have little or no experience. When they have to go is when they have really amassed a lot of experience, where they have wisdom, their experience will be in high demand. Those like you and me who have the grace of God to bow out gracefully if there is now what I call constitutional office we have residual responsibilities for Nigeria.
I believe that not only Nigeria, West Africa and Africa and indeed the world will continue to tap into our experiences, our wisdom and I hope and pray that when the call is made you will be more than ready to put your experience, the lessons you have learnt into the service of this country, for African and indeed for humanity in general, Obasanjo said.Speaking further, he told Jonathan, I have said to you before and I will say again that there are plenty of opportunities out there, within the country, within West Africa, within Africa and indeed in the larger world where people will want you to make contributions.I believe that you are resting now and when you have fully rested and you will be hearing from me because I have this opportunity to be around the world and if I mention your name in dispatch. I thank you sincerely that you have received us as we are in this village to prove to you that we are in a typical village, I was telling you that your village is better than mine.I want to say that we have it, Nigeria is a good country and we must never be tired of lifting the country up to the height that God has created it to be and God did not make a mistake when he put all of us together and if He doesnt want us to be together no power in the world will have made us come together.While Obasanjo played a major role in Jonathan coming into limelight and becoming Nigerias President, he also played a very great role in ensuring that Jonathan became the first Nigerian president to lose election as an incumbent.Close watchers of the polity believe that the meeting of Friday may not be unconnected with Jonathans search for high profile intervention in the matter of the probe of the former first family. Patience Jonathan, the former First Lady, has been named in a number of money laundering probes by the anti-graft agency, EFCC.
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Regardless of the role Obasanjo played to make sure that Jonathan was not returned as Nigerias president, he dropped all that behind him and paid a visit to one man who was at both ends of his political glory and failure.The visit took place on Friday at about 12noon in Ibogun village, Ogun State, home of Obasanjo. Jonathan was in company of his former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki and three other close aides.The two former leaders had a closed door meeting that lasted for about an hour.Jonathan during the meeting had told his host he and General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), a former Nigerian military president, had intended to visit him during the yuletide but failed to make it as planned.Turaki, who disclosed Jonathans mission to Obasanjo, went further to say that he (Jonathan) has finally come in fulfilment of the earlier intention to visit him (Obasanjo) during Christmas, but regrets that he was not able to come with IBB.He commended Obasanjos contributions as an elder statesman since retiring from partisan politics and also thanked him for the way and manner he received him and his entourage.Speaking, Obasanjo appreciated Jonathan for sparing time to visit him in his home town since leaving office, praying that they will still have more time to sit and reminiscence over happenings of the past and also talk about what the future portends.The first point I want to make is to thank you very sincerely and most sincerely for taking it upon yourself to pay us a visit at this point in time and at this location.Secondly, since you left office, you hardly have time to sit down and relax like you have been able to do today and I hope, I sincerely hope and pray for more such relaxed situation where we can reminiscence situations of the past that we have been through in this country and we can also look at what the future portends.When leaders come, they have little or no experience. When they have to go is when they have really amassed a lot of experience, where they have wisdom, their experience will be in high demand. Those like you and me who have the grace of God to bow out gracefully if there is now what I call constitutional office we have residual responsibilities for Nigeria.
I believe that not only Nigeria, West Africa and Africa and indeed the world will continue to tap into our experiences, our wisdom and I hope and pray that when the call is made you will be more than ready to put your experience, the lessons you have learnt into the service of this country, for African and indeed for humanity in general, Obasanjo said.Speaking further, he told Jonathan, I have said to you before and I will say again that there are plenty of opportunities out there, within the country, within West Africa, within Africa and indeed in the larger world where people will want you to make contributions.I believe that you are resting now and when you have fully rested and you will be hearing from me because I have this opportunity to be around the world and if I mention your name in dispatch. I thank you sincerely that you have received us as we are in this village to prove to you that we are in a typical village, I was telling you that your village is better than mine.I want to say that we have it, Nigeria is a good country and we must never be tired of lifting the country up to the height that God has created it to be and God did not make a mistake when he put all of us together and if He doesnt want us to be together no power in the world will have made us come together.While Obasanjo played a major role in Jonathan coming into limelight and becoming Nigerias President, he also played a very great role in ensuring that Jonathan became the first Nigerian president to lose election as an incumbent.Close watchers of the polity believe that the meeting of Friday may not be unconnected with Jonathans search for high profile intervention in the matter of the probe of the former first family. Patience Jonathan, the former First Lady, has been named in a number of money laundering probes by the anti-graft agency, EFCC.
Naijacrawl always the best
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