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OBASANJO’S LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUHARI: MY TAKE HOME By Ikenna Asomba
Since Tuesday, January 23, 2018, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo released to the Press, his 20-page Open Letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, where he advised Mr. President to jettison the temptations of contesting the 2019 Presidential Elections, mixed feelings have continued to trail that letter.
In Obasanjo’s Special Press Statement, purportedly the 7th in series to Nigerian Presidents, he advised that President Buhari, in 2019, shouldn’t recontest but “join the stock of Nigerian leaders whose experience, influence, wisdom and outreach can be deployed on the side line for the good of the country.”
OBASANJO’S MAJOR REASONS
Obasanjo cited the following reasons for President Buhari not to recontest the Presidential Elections in 2019:
1. Buhari’s Failing Health
2. Insecurity/Herdsmen Menace
3. Poverty and Unbearable Socio-economic Situation
4. Poor Economic Management
5. Passing of Buck
6. Nepotism
7. Condoning Misdeeds and Corruption of close allies etc.
OBASANJO’S LETTER WRITING SKILLS SINCE 1983
Recall that Obasanjo in September 1983 wrote Civilian President Shehu Shagari and in December 1983, Shagari was ousted in a military coup.
Sometime in June 1985, he wrote Military Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and in August 1985, Buhari was ousted in a military putsch.
Obasanjo also wrote Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babaginda (IBB) and in 1993, IBB was forced to resign back to his Minna countryhome.
Obasanjo was critical of the General Sanni Abacha military regime and also wrote him, Abacha jailed him, and in 1998, Abacha was called to eternal glory.
Obasanjo was critical of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, and Yar’Adua was called to eternal glory.
Obasanjo wrote an 18-page Open Letter to President Goodluck Jonathan in December 2013 entitled, “BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE,” and in May 2015, Jonathan handed-over to an opposition party’s candidate, the first of its kind in Nigeria, and worthy of emulation.
Recently, on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, Obasanjo had written President Muhammadu Buhari in another 20-page letter entitled, “THE WAY OUT: A CLARION CALL FOR COALITION FOR NIGERIA MOVEMENT.”
LAI MOHAMMED’S DIPLOMATIC BUT DODGY RESPONSE
Following Obasanjo’s Letter, the Minister of Information, our own Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had responded on behalf of the Presidency, on Wednesday, January 24, 2018.
He listed the Achievements of the Buhari administration among which he said are:
1. Foreign Reserves peaked at $40b in about four years
2. Inflation fallen for 11 consecutive months, standing at 15.37% as at Dec. 2017.
3. Some N108 billion saved through Treasury Single Account, TSA, with N24.7 billion saved monthly.
4. N120billion saved through elimination of Ghost Workers.
5. Nigeria rose 24 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking.
6. JAMB remitted N7.8 billion to the coffers of the federal government in 2016.
7. Rice farmers increased from 6 million to 12 million farmers through Anchor Borrowers’ programme making rice import from Thailand drop from 644 metric tonnes to 22,000 MT.
8. Nigeria accounts for 70% of the world’s yam production.
9. 5.2 million primary school children in 28,249 schools in 19 states are being fed daily.
10. 200,000 unemployed graduates have enlisted into the N-power Job Scheme.
11. Power Generation at 7,000mw.
MY TAKE-HOME
Without mincing words, it can’t be said that the Buhari’s administration is a TOTAL FAILURE. It’s an academic discourse to say any leadership of the country since 1960 till date, is a TOTAL FAILURE, not even the Jonathan administration which was the most criticised in this nation’s history.
As one who has covered press conferences addressed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed in the past, I must say that the press statement read by him on Wednesday, in Abuja, had a diplomatic tone, but was dodgy and nicodemusly a sneer at the messenger (Obasanjo).
Throughout the reading out of the press statement, unlike the Alhaji Lai Mohammed I know and have covered in the past, he was so Ashamed to look into the tv and still cameras or the faces of the Pressmen he was addressing. Rather, he stayed eyes glued at his paper. Perhaps he must have been soliloquizing that he was lying to himself.
The indices and statistics reeled out by Alhaji Lai Mohammed don’t show in the current Socio-economic realities across the country.
The statement was dodgy. The more it tried to tackle the seven major issues raised by Obasanjo, the dodgy it sounded.
Saying Obasanjo may be too busy to notice the economic achievements of the Buhari administration is nicodemusly sneering at the former President, as if he (Obasanjo) was a globetrotter who do not live in Nigeria or have poor relations who buy from the Nigerian markets.
1. Buhari’s Failing Health: Alhaji Lai Mohammed failed to tackle this issue in his press statement. He failed to tell Nigerians if Buhari’s old age and failing health can carry him or allow him tackle the enormous challenges of governance confronting Nigeria. 2015 till date tells us more. Needless over flogging the dead horse.
2. Insecurity/Herdsmen Menace: Alhaji Lai Mohammed also failed to convince us on what the Buhari administration is doing to tackle this issue of armed Fulani Herdsmen menace who have been running over, burning down and killing innocent men, women and children in sleepy villages, particularly in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, Enugu etc.
3. Poverty and Unbearable Socio-economic Situation: All the indices reeled out by Alhaji Lai Mohammed you would all agree don’t show in the lives and standards of living of average Nigerians since 2015. The prices of essential goods and services have skyrocketed steeply. A bag of rice which sold for N7,500 in 2014 now sells for N14,500 as I write.
Petrol pump price which in 2015 officially sold for N87/litre and N100 at the Black Market, now officially sells for N145/litre and N200/litre at the Black Market as I write.
When former President Jonathan reduced petrol pump price from N97/litre to N87/litre in 2014, Alhaji Lai Mohammed told the world it was “MERE TOKENISM,” as oil price had globally crashed to $50/barrel.
Laughable as it was, reacting on behalf of the then opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had said in a statement that the new price of petrol was “mere tokenism at a time the price of crude oil has crashed by about 60 percent.”
The APC had urged the Jonathan government to immediately cut the price of petrol to N70/litre.
Recall that Buhari’s man-Friday and former Minister of Petroleum under Buhari 1983-1985, Prof. Tam David-West, had during the campaign era in 2015 vowed that under Buhari’s Presidency, petrol would sell for N40/litre.
What’s happening today? Nigerians are paying through their noses just to get Petrol. Even with their money, they still can’t get the essential product with ease. I weep for Nigerians.
What of the Exchange Rate? In 2015, the U.S. Dollar officially exchanged for N197/$1. Now it exchanges at N305/$1 and N364/$1 at the Black Market as I write. President Buhari during campaign had purportedly promised to make $1 to exchange at N1. Where are we today, despite claims of an increased Foreign Reserves. I weep for Nigeria.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, over 16million Nigerians have lost their jobs since 2015. Banks and many companies have continued to downsize their staff strength. Many a companies and Media Organisations can no longer pay staff salaries, allowances, pensions and gratuities. As I write, most Media Organisations are owing their staff for over 7 months. A lot of businesses have closed shops.
What this means is that the claim by Alhaji Lai Mohammed that Nigeria under Buhari moved 24 places up the ladder in Ease of Doing Business is only on paper.
These are the Top 10 Indicators used in rating the Ease of Doing Business in Sub-Saharan Africa and Globally:
1. Starting a Business
2. Dealing with Construction Permits
3. Getting Electricity
4. Registering Property
5. Getting Credit
6. Protecting Minority Investors
7. Paying Taxes
8. Trading across Borders
9. Enforcing Contracts
10. Resolving Insolvency.
Quite unfortunately, Nigeria is no where among the top 10 in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite having the largest market. The so-called giant of Africa is no where found in the comity of over 46 Sub-Saharan African nations in the Ease of Doing Business (2015-2016).
Smaller nations like Mauritius, Rwanda, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Seychelles, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Swaziland, Ghana, Uganda, Cape Verde, Tanzania, Mozambique, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali, Niger and 13 others outpace Nigeria in the Ease of Doing Business in Sub-Saharan Africa.
That smaller African nations as captured above have outpaced Nigeria in the Ease of Doing Business should really throw us all into sober reflections, particularly, ahead of 2019. I weep for this nation.
Even the rich have also been crying over the current socio-economic realities. Need I over-flog this issue?
4. Poor Economic Management: Look, not only did Nigeria get into Recession in 2016, we also got into Depression. Why did it take Buhari over six months to form a cabinet and economic team? President George Weah of Liberia just recently sworn-in, hit the ground running within 24 hours by forming his cabinet. This is purposeful leadership.
When concerned Nigerians asked Buhari in 2015 to form his cabinet as soon as possible as the future is bleak, they were called Wailing Wailers. At a point, Buhari said Ministers were Noise Makers that the actual jobs in Ministries are done by Permanent Secretaries. Even when he finally formed his cabinet six months after, he surrounded himself with self-serving politicians and poster boys for corruption. Needless mentioning names. But how far today? I weep for Nigeria.
5. Passing of Buck: President Buhari has never taken charge of his gaffes, flip-flops and misgovernance. He has always blamed past administrations, anybody but not him. No true leader does that. President Buhari, after two years recently appointed over 9 dead persons into boards of parastatals and agencies. As usual, he blamed it on others not him. This is Rudderlessness of the highest order. I weep for Nigeria.
6. Nepotism: In 2015, President Buhari formed his kitchen cabinet with Northernerns- his kinsmen occupying almost all positions. He appointed Service Chiefs, same lane of Nepotism was trailed. He made other appointments tilted towards a Northernisation Agenda. The entire security aparati of a secular country like Nigeria is all North, yet Buhari never budged despite the outcry by many a concerned Nigerians. I weep for Nigeria. Little wonder the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB can be tagged a Terrorist Group, but the Murderous Fulani Herdsmen under the umbrella of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, are not Terrorists and are untouchable. NEPOTISM is the cause of this tragedy. I weep for Nigeria.
7. Condoning Misdeeds and Corruption of close allies: Obasanjo, like many of us had done in the past, even dating back 2015, raised the issue of Buhari condoning the misdeeds and corruption of his allies.
By and large, Alhaji Lai Mohammed unfortunately dodged all these pertinent issues raised by Obasanjo in his Open Letter. I now ask, who is deceiving who?
Well, for time constraint here is the link of my views about these issues as I shared on TVC News at 10.00am on Thursday, January 25, 2018.
Happy Viewing!
Ikenna Asomba is a Journalist/Social Commentator.
Why Babangida’s Hilltop Home Became Nigeria’s Political “Mecca”.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s birthday visit to Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) in Minna (where he hailed the octogenarian as a patriotic leader committed to national unity) was more than a courtesy call. It was a reminder of a peculiar constant in Nigerian politics: the steady pilgrimage of power-seekers, bridge-builders and crisis-managers to the Hilltop mansion. Jonathan’s own words captured it bluntly: IBB’s residence “is like a Mecca of sorts” because of the former military president’s enduring relevance and perceived nation-first posture.
Babangida turned 84 on 17 August 2025. That alone invites reflection on a career that has shaped Nigeria’s political architecture for four decades; admired by some for audacious statecraft, condemned by others for controversies that still shadow the republic. Born on 17 August 1941 in Minna, he ruled as military president from 1985 to 1993, presiding over transformative and turbulent chapters: the relocation of the national capital to Abuja in 1991; the creation of political institutions for a long, complex transition; economic liberalisation that cut both ways; and the fateful annulment of the 12 June 1993 election. Each of these choices helps explain why the Hilltop remains a magnet for Nigerians who need counsel, cover or calibration.
A house built on influence; why the visits never stop.
Let’s start with the obvious: access. Nigeria’s political class prizes proximity to the men and women who can open doors, soften opposition, broker peace and read the hidden currents. In that calculus, IBB’s network is unmatched. He cultivated a reputation for “political engineering,” the reason the press christened him “Maradona” (for deft dribbling through complexity) and “Evil Genius” (for the strategic cunning his critics decried). Whether one embraces or rejects those labels, they reflect a reality: Babangida is still the place where many politicians go to test ideas, seek endorsements or secure introductions. Even the mainstream press has described him as a consultant of sorts to desperate or ambitious politicians, an uncomfortable description that nevertheless underlines his gravitational pull.
Though it isn’t only political tact that draws visitors; it’s statecraft with lasting fingerprints. Moving the seat of government from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991 was not a cosmetic relocation, it re-centred the federation and signaled a symbolic neutrality in a country fractured by regional suspicion. Abuja’s founding logic (GEOGRAPHIC CENTRALITY and ETHNIC NEUTRALITY) continues to stabilise the national imagination. This is part of the reason many leaders, across party lines, still defer to IBB: he didn’t just rule; he rearranged the map of power.
Then there’s the regional dimension. Under his watch, Nigeria led the creation and deployment of ECOMOG in 1990 to staunch Liberia’s bloody civil war, a bold move that announced Abuja as a regional security anchor. The intervention was imperfect, contested and costly, but it helped define West Africa’s collective security posture and Nigeria’s leadership brand. When neighboring states now face crises, the memory of that precedent still echoes in diplomatic corridors and Babangida’s counsel retains currency among those who remember how decisions were made.
Jonathan’s praise and the unity argument.
Jonathan’s tribute (stressing Babangida’s non-sectional outlook and commitment to unity) goes to the heart of the Hilltop mystique. For a multi-ethnic federation straining under distrust, figures who can speak across divides are prized. Jonathan’s point wasn’t nostalgia; it was a live assessment of a man many still call when Nigeria’s seams fray. That’s why the parade to Minna continues: the anxious, the ambitious and the statesmanlike alike seek an elder who can convene rivals and cool temperatures.
The unresolved shadow: June 12 and the ethics of influence.
No honest appraisal can skip the hardest chapter: the annulment of the 12 June 1993 election (judged widely as free and fair) was a rupture that delegitimised the transition and scarred Nigeria’s democratic journey. Political scientist Larry Diamond has repeatedly identified June 12 as a prime example of how authoritarian reversals corrode democratic legitimacy and public trust. His larger warning (“few developments are more destructive to the legitimacy of new democracies than blatant and pervasive political corruption”) captures the moral crater that followed the annulment and the years of drift that ensued. Those wounds are part of the Babangida legacy too and they complicate the reverence that a steady stream of visitors displays.
Max Siollun, a leading historian of Nigeria’s military era, has observed (provocatively) that the military’s “greatest contribution” to democracy may have been to rule “long and badly enough” that Nigerians lost appetite for soldiers in power. It’s a stinging line, yet it helps explain the paradox of IBB’s status: the same system he personified taught Nigeria costly lessons that hardened its democratic reflexes. Today’s generation visits the Hilltop not to revive militarism but to harvest hard-won insights about managing a fragile federation.
What sustains the pilgrimage.
1) Institutional memory: Nigeria’s politics often suffers amnesia. Babangida offers a living archive of security crises navigated, regional diplomacy attempted, volatile markets tempered and power-sharing experiments designed. Whether one applauds or condemns specific choices, the muscle memory of governing a complex federation is rare and urgently sought.
2) Convening power: In a season of polarisation, the ability to sit warring factions in the same room is not small capital. Babangida’s imprimatur remains a safe invitation card few refuse it, fewer ignore it. That convening power explains why movements, parties and would-be presidents keep filing up the long driveway. Recent delegations have explicitly cast their courtesy calls in the language of unity, loyalty and patriotism ahead of pivotal elections.
3) Signals to the base: Visiting Minna telegraphs seriousness to party structures and funders. It says: “I have sought counsel where history meets experience.” In Nigeria’s coded political theatre, that signal still matters. Outlets have reported for years that many aspirants treat the Hilltop as an obligatory stop an unflattering reality, perhaps, but a revealing one.
4) The man and the myth: The mansion itself, with its opulence and aura, has become a set piece in Nigeria’s story of power, admired by some, resented by others, but always discussed. The myth feeds the pilgrimage; the pilgrimage feeds the myth.
The balance sheet at 84.
To treat Babangida solely as a sage is to forget the costs of his era; to treat him only as a villain is to ignore the architecture that still holds parts of Nigeria together. Abuja’s relocation stands as a stabilising bet that paid off. ECOMOG, for all its flaws, seeded a habit of regional responsibility. Conversely, June 12 remains a national cautionary tale about elite manipulation, civilian marginalisation and the brittleness of transitions managed from above. These are not contradictory truths; they are the double helix of Babangida’s place in Nigerian memory.
Jonathan’s homage tried to distill the better angel of IBB’s record: MENTORSHIP, BRIDGE-BUILDING and a POSTURE that (at least in his telling) RESISTS SECTIONAL ISM. “That is why today, his house is like a Mecca of sorts,” he said, praying that the GENERAL continues to “mentor the younger ones.” Whether one agrees with the full sentiment, it accurately describes the lived politics of Nigeria today: Minna remains a checkpoint on the road to relevance.
The scholar’s verdict and a citizen’s challenge.
If Diamond warns about legitimacy and Siollun warns about the perils of soldier-politics, what should Nigerians demand from the Hilltop effect? Three things.
First, use influence to open space, not close it. Counsel should tilt toward rules, institutions and credible elections not kingmaking for its own sake. The lesson of 1993 is that subverting a valid vote haunts a nation for decades.
Second, mentor for unity, but insist on accountability. Unity cannot be a euphemism for silence. A truly patriotic elder statesman sets a high bar for conduct and condemns the shortcuts that tempt new actors in old ways. Diamond’s admonition on corruption is not an abstraction; it’s a roadmap for rebuilding trust.
Third, convert nostalgia into institutional memory. If Babangida’s house is a classroom, then Nigeria should capture, publish and debate its lessons in the open: on peace operations (what worked, what failed), on capital relocation (how to plan at scale), and on transitions (how not to repeat 1993). Only then does the pilgrimage serve the republic rather than personalities.
At 84, Ibrahim Babangida remains a paradox that Nigeria cannot ignore: a man whose legacy straddles NATION-BUILDING and NATION-BRUISING, whose doors remain open to those seeking power and those seeking peace. Jonathan’s visit (and his striking “Mecca” metaphor) reveals a simple, stubborn fact: in a country still searching for steady hands, the Hilltop’s shadow is long. The task before Nigeria is to ensure that the shadow points toward a brighter constitutional daybreak, where influence is finally subordinated to institutions and where mentorship hardens into norms that no single mansion can monopolise. That is the only pilgrimage worth making.
Ajadi Celebrates Juju Legend Femolancaster’s 50th Birthday in the UK
Nigerian Juju music legend, Otunba Femi Fadipe, popularly known as FemoLancaster, is being celebrated today in London as he clocks 50 years of age.
Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a frontline politician and businessman, led tributes to the Ilesa-born maestro, describing him as a timeless cultural icon whose artistry has enriched both Nigeria and the world.
“FemoLancaster is not just a musician, he is a legend,” Ambassador Ajadi said in his birthday message. “For decades, his classical Juju sound has remained a reminder of the beauty of Yoruba heritage. Today, as he turns 50, I celebrate a cultural ambassador whose music bridges generations and continents.”
While FemoLancaster is highly dominant in Oyo State and across the South-West, his craft has also taken him beyond Nigeria’s borders.
FemoLancaster’s illustrious career has seen him thrill audiences across Nigeria and beyond, with performances in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, and other parts of the world. His dedication to Juju music has projected Yoruba traditional sounds to international stages, keeping alive the legacy of icons like King Sunny Ade and Chief Ebenezer Obey while infusing fresh energy for younger audiences
He further stressed the significance of honoring artistes who have remained faithful to indigenous music while taking it global. “In an era where modern sounds often overshadow tradition, FemoLancaster stands as a beacon of continuity and resilience. He has carried Yoruba Juju music into the global space with dignity, passion, and excellence,” he added.
The golden jubilee celebration in London has drawn fans, friends, and colleagues, who all describe FemoLancaster as a gifted artist whose contributions over decades have earned him a revered place in the pantheon of Nigerian music legends.
“As FemoLancaster marks this milestone,” Ajadi concluded, “I wish him many more years of good health, wisdom, and global recognition. May his music continue to echo across generations and continents.”
celebrity radar - gossips
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
By Aderounmu Kazeem Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria — The gospel music scene is aglow today as the “Duchess of Gospel Music,” Esther Igbekele, marks another milestone in her life, celebrating her birthday on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Known for her powerful voice, inspirational lyrics, and unwavering dedication to spreading the gospel through music, Esther Igbekele has become one of Nigeria’s most respected and beloved gospel artistes. Over the years, she has graced countless stages, released hit albums, and inspired audiences across the world with her uplifting songs.
Today’s celebration is expected to be a joyful blend of music, prayers, and heartfelt tributes from family, friends, fans, and fellow artistes. Sources close to the singer revealed that plans are in place for a special praise gathering in Lagos, where she will be joined by notable figures in the gospel industry, church leaders, and admirers from home and abroad.
Speaking ahead of the day, Igbekele expressed deep gratitude to God for His mercy and the opportunity to use her gift to touch lives. “Every birthday is a reminder of God’s faithfulness in my journey. I am thankful for life, for my fans, and for the privilege to keep ministering through music,” she said.
From her early beginnings in the Yoruba gospel music scene to her rise as a celebrated recording artiste with a unique fusion of contemporary and traditional sounds, Esther Igbekele’s career has been marked by consistency, excellence, and a strong message of hope.
As she adds another year today, her fans have flooded social media with messages of love, appreciation, and prayers — a testament to the profound impact she continues to make in the gospel music ministry.
For many, this birthday is not just a celebration of Esther Igbekele’s life, but also of the divine inspiration she brings to the Nigerian gospel music landscape.
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