OBJ: I feel 10 years younger: He’s father of modern Nigeria –IBB

[NewEte]

Culled from the Daily champion Website.


NIGERIA'S two foremost hotel groups, Transcorp-Hilton and Sheraton, yesterday sought to beat each other in ceremonial cake making as President Olusegun Obasanjo turned 70.


At two separate cake-cutting sessions, President Obasanjo, who said he felt 10 years younger, had to pose twice officially to receive the cakes which arrived almost the same time.

Transcorp Hilton Hotel's depicting Aso Rock Villa and a bespectacled Obasanjo, was taken to the president's residence shortly after he had cut another one baked by Sheraton Hotels and draped in the national colours and the coat of arms.

Obasanjo was assisted in the cake cutting sessions by former President Shehu Shagari, Head of defunct Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, and the governors of Yobe, Borno, Gombe and Oyo states.

As soon as the Transcorp's cake was laid on the table, Obasanjo and the dignitaries decided that another round of the ceremony be conducted with the new cake.

Transcorp Hilton general manager, Andre Herrenschmitdt said the hotel decided to bake a cake depicting the president and Aso Rock because it wanted to present Obasanjo as a true traditionalist.

President Obasanjo later cut the cakes in small pieces and distributed to his guests, but would not take a bite as he was said to be fasting. The event was marked with a thanksgiving service at the Aso Villa chapel, Abuja , organized by the president's family, associates and senior aides after which he said that he still feels as strong as he felt 10 years ago.

"You know, how you feel is not necessarily your age. For me, I feel as agile as I felt 10 years ago: "It is the grace of God. Atimes, I marvel myself. But of course, if God gives you ability to do things, then you must continue to do things.

"I try to leave no stone unturned as far as acquiring knowledge and being educated in as many areas as possible. I try to do exercise regularly, then reading and listening as much as possible; and meditate in everything around me. It is also a means of learning".

Former military president Ibrahim Babangida, in a birthday message to Obasanjo described him as the "Father of Modern Nigeria".

Sounding poetic, Babangida said to Obasanjo: "To some, you are simply enigmatic, tenaciously thematic or painfully pragmatic; but privately and publicly, I have observed you closely and come to believe that you are just YOU – disciplined soldier, a wonderful commander, a patriotic leader and a statesman imbued with federal blood and the insatiable desire to reform Nigeria to become a better state".

He, however, advised that "as the pride of the black world, our nation has set in motion exemplary sustainable and enduring mechanism for preserving the principles of the respect for the rule of law, fundamental human rights and democracy. It is fascinating to witness history beckoning you into its hall of fame as the Father of Modern Nigeria, whose groundbreaking reforms will transform our entity and touch our collective individuality", Babangida wrote.

[NewEte]

First off, what the hell is "father of modern Nigeria"? What has Nigeria ever been modern?  Such useless acolade coming from one failed leader to another is typical of what obtains in Nigeria.
When I was a very little boy years ago, Obasanjo with his fat stomach showed up at a gathering of school children mainly toddlers saying we were the leaders of tomorrow. Donkey years later, and I am an adult now, Obasanjo is still the leader of tomorrow, not us.

It really pissed me off when Obasanjo claims that he feel 10 years younger, yet everyone present had to assist him in cutting his cake, as if that's difficult. This same kind of rubbish happened some years ago during a pointless and lavish commonwealth hosting in Abuja. One of the events was a ceremonial tree planting activity. Tony Blaire stepped up and planted his tree without any fanfare. The Queen that seniors Obasanjo did the same thing without any drama. When it came it to Baba's turn, Oh gosh, the drama began. SSS men had to aid baba's hand while others grabbed his Agbada from all corners, while others helped him stoop low so he could out a plant in an already dug hole.  Why all the ridiculous drama? If Queen that is close to 100 years, could efficiently plant her tree with class and walk away, why could Obj not do the same simple thing? Therein lies the problem with Nigeria. The simplest things are overly complex.

My cousin is an accountant with KPMG in North Carolina. Federal government hired his firm as Nigeria's auditors, and he being a senior exec, and a native Nigerian, was on the auditing team.  So they arrived in Nigeria to begin their work. I think less than 5 seconds after they began auditing Federal government books all kinds of strange things began surfacing.  They could not make much sense of government's expenditure. But in any case, way too much money could not be accounted for in just one account link to the Presidency. When KPMG began asking questions, Obasanjo waded in as usual telling them " Don't worry about that, just continue".

I really do not doubt that story. That is exactly the kind of comment one would actually expect from Obasanjo. How does anyone ask an accounting firm to overlook missing money from an organization's books? He said they shouldn't worry, meanwhile, it is their job to worry about those kinds of things exactly.  Of course, that business relationship did not last long.

I recall also when Ngozi Iweala was removed from the Finance Ministry and re-assaigned to Ministry of External affairs. Barely two days after she took over, she began uncovering all the rot and corruption that existed there. At one point, she discovered a missing $4.9 million that could not be accounted for. As soon as these revelations were made public, Obasanjo jumped right in to try and douce the embarrassment. He claimed that the missing money was a known issue but offered no common sense explanation to the discovery and other findings by Ngozi Iweala.

This has been the legacy of Obasanjo from day one. He is a total confusionist, a conflict originator, and a player. Like IBB, he had no agenda in creating the foundations for change in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, when a few others in his administration attempt to actually do the right thing for a change, he becomes an hinderance. Despite all these inadequacies, that gapped tooth mouse from Minna, who obviously has an agenda, referes to Obasanjo as "father of modern Nigerian". How ridiculous? I recall not too long ago, when the vagabond refered to himself also as one of the founding fathers. Can you imagine IBB regarding himself as one of the fonding fathers of Nigeria?  It is becoming more and more obvious that these people are indeed not with their faculties intact.

[HUSNAA]

OBJ feels like a sixty yr old man while his successor is struggling to convince ppl that he is as healthy as any 56 yr old man and in the mean time he has been advised by his Abuja doctors to get a medical checkup abroad, which he is currently doing so.  Could it be possible that OBJ is sucking the youthfulness out of 'yar adua in order to remain young? You know vampirisim and all that............ :o

[lionger]

Sounding poetic, Babangida said to Obasanjo: "To some, you are simply enigmatic, tenaciously thematic or painfully pragmatic; but privately and publicly, I have observed you closely and come to believe that you are just YOU – disciplined soldier, a wonderful commander, a patriotic leader and a statesman imbued with federal blood and the insatiable desire to reform Nigeria to become a better state".

Sychophancy 101  ::)...

Maybe I should stop sipping the hatorade. Happy bday OBJ :) >:(

[alkanawi]

those guys are charlatans of the highest order.Drivelling,snivelling,sycophantic,bootlicking,hypocritical bunch of people to ever walk the face of Nigeria.The sad part is the elder statesmen gracing such occasions.