5th March, 2013
Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta
President Goodluck Jonathan has described former president Olusegun Obasanjo as a true father and elder statesman, reassuring him of continuous sharing in his joy as Obasanjo celebrated his 76th birthday today.
President Jonathan who was represented by his Chief of Staff,(COS), Chief Mike Oghiadome, stated this today at the International Conference Centre, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta during the 76th birthday celebration of the former president.
Jonathan said: “Today we’re celebrating a true Nigerian, an advocate of peace, a man also who introduced reform to social and political life when he was beckoned to save this country, when the opportunity came in 1999 to govern the country again. We cannot but celebrate this great man as we’re doing today.”
In his welcome address, the co-chairman of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library,Board of Trustees, BoT,Dr. Christopher Kolade described the celebrant as a man deserving every honour considering his achievements in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Kolade said,”as we are celebrating here today, also many Nigerians across the world are rejoicing with this great man. As I was coming here this mornin g, I saw a newspaper captioned Northern Governors felicitate with Obasanjo, I was amazed and asked myself, has this man not now turned an history himself. He is a conflict resolution man, prudent manager of resources, detribalised elderstatesman. May he live long with good health”.
On his part, Carl Masters, also a co-chairman of the OOPL Board of Trustees, said the programme put together to celebrate Obasanjo, was a five-day programme which began on Friday last week with several events,climaxing with the presentation of prizes to winners of debate on human security in Africa by colleges and Universities across the country.
“It is interesting to note that Obasanjo is 76 years today and he is still physically fit,” Masters said.
Part of the programme was the launch of a book titled The Presidential Legacy – 1999 To 2007, in honour of Obasanjo.This book showcases various things he represented. He has been a peace maker, nation builder, conflict resolutionist and a
stabiliser.
“Also,the Library which was conceived many years back which later came into existence 10years after when he became the President of this country and he established the office of the Library, Research and Documentation. This Library is a first class of its own and the first of its kind in the continent.It will be commissioned on 14 August, 2014. No President from USA has accumulated history as that of Obasanjo”, the US born lawmaker said.
The book was co-edited by Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Oladipo Akinkugbe and Ahmed Joda and written by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and one hundred and ninety-nine other scholars and was reviewed by the former governor of Cross River state, Donald Duke while Jim Ovia of Zenith Bank launched the book and presented it to the public.
Stepping out, with his wife, Bola to give a response to all the adulations, Obasanjo cladded in a red aso oke Danshiki declared that twice in the past, opponents of either his person or project had apologised to him in the past.
He also vowed to use the last drop of his blood to preserve the unity and progress of Nigeria, first and foremost and Africa and the world in general, breaking out in a Yoruba Christian songs.
The former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku who chaired the book launch,said he wrote on the Obasanjo years from the perspective of foreign policy, “because I was there when he was an actor on the global platform,” recalling how he chaired the 70th birthday of Obasanjo in Abeokuta six years ago.
Anyaoku regaled the audience with quotes from the Holy Book that God allowed man to live 120 years. He therefore hoped he would be available to chair the 80th birthday of the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
He was quick to add that he would be 84 when Obasanjo would be 80.
In a toast to the celebrant, Former Judge at the World Court in The Hague, Bola Ajibola, said the image of Obasanjo he saw when the latter came to him to say he was going to the army was that of someone on a suicide mission.
“I took pity on him,” recalling also how the Ota farmer was a star at the Baptist Boys High School, by virtue
of being the Librarian.
Ajibola’s testimony was corroborated by the Olubara of Ibara, Oba Jacob Omolade, another classmate of the celebrant. He said that as mates, “poverty bound us together.”
Among the dignitaries at the event were Femi Otedola and Jim Ovia of the Zenith Bank and Visafone fame.
Others are the governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun who led the executive members of the State to the venue.
Former Head of Sevice at the Federal level,Steve Oronsaye, former NAFDAC boss, Prof. Dora Akunyili, former deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs Kofoworola Bucknor- Akerele and a whole lot of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members led by the embattled former National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola graced the launch.
Also presnt was the Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran.