Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was on Friday evening grilled by lecturers and students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife on his presidential administration to the point that he was angry and refused to answer many questions posed to him by his hosts.
Chief Obasanjo had stormed the campus for a programme organised by the Staff Club of the university tagged: "7th Roundtable with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo" and entitled: "Reflections Of An Elder Statesman: An Evening With OBJ."
The event held at the Club's Garden in OAU under the chairmanship of Prof. Fola Lasisi, the former Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo, Uyo also had in attendance the Vice Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Bamitale Omole among other officers of the institution.
A Professor of Biology of the institution had asked Mr. Obasanjo who was decked in white 'agbada' to explain why he refused to release some money for the National Assembly when he was the president of the country but he could not answer the question convincingly.
Instead, the former president blew hot on the lecturer amid apparent anger saying: "you don't know so many things that transpired during my administration and so many things were not resolved, so don't attack my intelligence and personality."
As a result of this development, Chief Obasanjo tactically avoided some questions asked him by the audience.
It could be recalled that Mr. Obasanjo had recounted recently in a controversial relleter addressed to the National Assembly that while he was in office as president, he was
threatened with impeachment by the members of the National Assembly
for not releasing some money they had appropriated for themselves which he said
were odious and for which there were no incomes to support.
Answering a question asked by a student of Political Science on the fate of graduates of Political science in the mainstream politics, Obasanjo said advised the students not to rely on godfatherism to excel in politics but to work hard to gain ground.
The former president who said he did not have any godfather said politicians get "their hands dirty and their feet wet" before major opportunities come their ways in politics.
He said: "you have to get your hands dirty and your feet wet in politics before you can make it. So, I admonish you (students) to work hard in order to gain ground and not rely on godfatherism because I never had any godfather."
Obasanjo insisted that the search for the abducted Chibok girls would be in vain because "nobody can bring back the girls for they are nowhere to be found."
While commending the President Muhammed Buhari led federal government's fight against corruption, Chief Obasanjo urged Nigerians to support Buhari's anti graft war.
During the interaction which lasted for about two hours, Chief Obasanjo while answering a question on education asked by a retirewd professor on botany and flowering plant of teb university said though education is free for all in the country, the country nees the contribution of the citizenry to achieve this to maximum.
"The country cannot declare free education alone without individual paying their own quota, maybe by paying or doing part-time jobs."
On the discord between him and Nobel Laurete, Professor Wole Soyinka, Obasanjo said Soyinka is no man to be trusted.
According to the ex-president, 'I will trust wole soyinka as an "aparo hunter" dan trusting him as a political analyst. I have no issue with him."
Earlier, Chief Obasanjo who arrived OAU around 6:20pm for the programme slated for 4:00pm, apologised for arriving late.
He said he had not been able to pay a condolence visit to the families of the late Olubadan, so he thought it wise to visit the bereaved. He also said he visited the newly crowned Oluwo of Iwo and also paid homage to the Ooni of Ife becoming attending the programme.
Ends
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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