By Yahaya Balogun
“My time is almost up; I want to see Nigeria work before I leave.” – General Olusegun Obasanjo.
It’s heartening to see the brilliant pushback and preservation of our collective memory about the dark days of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
History forces us to reckon with our actions; the consciousness of guilt and accountability cannot be ignored or avoided. Despite efforts to reshape history, unpleasant truths remain embedded in our collective consciousness and memory.
General Obasanjo is among Nigeria’s luckiest figures, yet he squandered the remarkable chances history granted him. It’s disrespectful for him to alter our shared past and disrespect our collective memory.
As Dr. Sunday Iwalaiye points out, “You (Obasanjo) contributed to Nigeria’s democratic destruction through election rigging, political killings, kidnapping, and attempts to secure your failed third-term plan.” Now, General Olusegun Obasanjo is attempting to rewrite history by trying to repair what he has selfishly damaged.
The painful scars of Obasanjo’s administration, like the tragic events in the Odi community in Bayelsa State, cannot be forgotten. Those affected, whether at home or abroad, will not forgive a leader trying to whitewash their suffering. Nigerians must continue to counter his futile attempt to rewrite our history. We must vehemently oppose Obasanjo’s tortoise antics and manipulation. We must unite against his attempts to glamorize a legacy marked by violence, resentment, and oppression.
Our history shapes our future, and we cannot let it be rewoven by those who brought us all to our collective misery and national underdevelopment. Meanwhile, responsible Nigerians know the daunting tasks and challenges Tinubu’s administration face. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must use the failed, do-or-die, selfish administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo to write his own name in golden sand of Nigeria.
While tortoise Obasanjo and his gullible supporters might think they can rewrite this obvious narrative, they cannot escape the judgment of history. The truth will prevail, and it is our duty to ensure it is accurately recorded, honoring all who suffered during his dark days and the impunity of his reign. In the face of General Olusegun Obasanjo’s distortions of history, responsible Nigerians must remain steadfast in our commitment to preserving the integrity of our history for generations to come.
Yahaya Balogun, writing from Arizona, USA.