Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is undoubtedly the most frequent former Nigerian leader in the Villa since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. He has visited the President in his office in broad daylight with journalists seeing him and he has also visited Buhari many times in his official residence away from the prying eyes of reporters.
Lately, whenever he decides to visit during working hours, he has been very friendly with journalists. He will crack jokes with them and even dance as the case may be.
So as information filtered in on Monday that the former President would be visiting Buhari by 1pm, we knew we were in for another unique treatment by the Ota farmer. So at about 12.40pm, we moved from our Press Gallery operational base to the forecourt of the President’s office in order to lay ambush for the man.
At exactly 12.54pm, the Service Chief’s Gate was opened and a black Toyota Sports Utility Vehicle marked ABJ425 PY was seen approaching us. The cameramen quickly focused on the vehicle. As the SUV came to a stop, a policeman quickly opened the rear door and Obasanjo, decked in a blue agbada and cap to match, alighted. One of his daughters also alighted from the vehicle.
Obasanjo, a retired army general, looked at the way all the cameras were focused on him and said, “I like this guard of honour that you mounted.” He exchanged pleasantries with us briefly and entered the President’s office.
While he was still inside, the President of the world football governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino, who was on a two-day visit to the country also arrived to meet with the President. Infantino’s appointment with Buhari was scheduled for 2pm. So his arrival gave us the hope that Obasanjo would soon come out.
Not long after, the former President emerged from the President’s office and came directly towards where we were waiting for him. For us, that was an indication that he wanted to talk. There were instances that no matter the effort we put into it, he would just jump into his car and wave at us.
On why he visited the President, Obasanjo reeled out the countries he had visited lately and how he decided to come and intimate Buhari of the outcomes of his missions to those countries. “I am visiting this time because I have some messages for the President. Not too long ago, I was in Liberia and The Gambia and I have messages these two countries would want me to deliver to the President. Also, only yesterday (Sunday), I came back from Seychelles Island where I attended this year’s Annual General meeting of Africa Export Development Bank. And there are aspects of the proceedings that I think I should update the President,” he said.
We felt we should utilise his visit to the maximum by getting good story, so we asked him to react to the allegations and counter allegations on alleged budget padding currently emerging from the House of Representatives viz-a-viz his earlier position that the National Assembly is filled with “rogues and robbers.” We got a winding answer that, simply put, meant he stood by his earlier comment.
Obasanjo obviously did not want to answer any further questions. He showed this by making a gesture that seemed he wanted to kiss the microphones. As we laughed, he turned his back and made to leave. I succeeded in getting his attention back when I told him that I suspected that he was enjoying his trips to different countries. He stopped, turned back and said, “Travelling is a good education. What you will learn about a country by visiting that country for two or three days, you won’t learn by reading books.”
Then, the former President rushed towards his car. As he sat down, just before his security detail could shut the door, I fired another salvo. This time, I asked Baba Iyabo the time that he would consider slowing down in his activities. He looked towards my direction again and asked that I repeat the question as if he did not hear me well. I suspected that it was a strategy to quickly prepare an appropriate answer for me. I also used the opportunity to modify the question so that it would be milder in case he wanted to give me a bashing. By the time I repeated the question, a quick answer did not come handy, so he resorted to a prayer. Pointing to me, Obasanjo declared like a pastor (after all, he studied Theology), “May God not allow you to slow down now!”
We all shouted a loud “Amen!” as his vehicle was being driven out of the Villa.
What manner of help from Nigeria to Germany?
Saturday last week, President Muhammadu Buhari joined other world leaders to condemn the shootings which recently rocked Munich, Germany. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President sent his condolences on behalf of the Federal Government to the families and friends of the victims.
Maybe if the statement had ended at that, it would not have attracted the kind of criticism that trailed it. The statement further quoted the President as assuring the German government that his (Buhari’s) government was ready to assist in any way possible to defeat planners and executors of such crimes. “The President also assures the people of Germany that Nigerians as a people are standing with them at this time and are ready to assist in any way to defeat the planners and executors of such crimes,” it read.
Not a few people were surprised that Nigeria which still needs all the help it can muster from friendly nations to tackle its myriad of problems could be promising to help the “almighty Germany” to solve its problem.
It will be recalled that shortly after he was inaugurated in May 2015, the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised countries had invited Buhari to come to its summit with a wish list. G7 is a forum of the world’s seven most industrialised countries of United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany (which Nigeria wants to help), Italy and Japan which meets annually to deliberate on global economy, governance, international security and energy policy.
Top on the list of requests the President presented to the G7 leaders in Germany was the security issue. One year down the line, Buhari wanted all stakeholders to believe that Nigeria is already standing on a good footing as far as security is concerned to the point that it can now begin to help nations like Germany because of the recent unfortunate incident in Munich.
Will Buhari be sending troops to Germany or will he be helping the country with intelligence or military hardware? For me, that offer of help by Nigeria to Germany was a case of when one is knocked down by a big problem, smaller problems will seize the opportunity to pounce on one. Enjoy your weekend.
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