Pastor Tunde Bakare, General Overseer of the Lattar Rain Assembly, in a new interview, spoke extensively about former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Bakare described Obasanjo as one of the most
fortunate Nigerians who has been lucky to be at the right place at the right
time, in the course of his life.
He also blamed Obasanjo for the failings of former
presidents, Goodluck Jonathan and the late Umaru Yar’Adua.
From the interview, Bakare made not less than 10
quotes about Obasanjo.
1. “In 1999, it was reported that I said
(ex-President Olusegun) Obasanjo would die. I didn’t say such a thing. But
where will I be going to say I didn’t say such a thing? I don’t waste my time.
I just focus on what I am doing. If I gave a false prophecy, why did Obasanjo
invite a thousand pastors to Ota to start praying for intervention? I just
said, ‘Hey, be careful; if these take place, these are the consequences that
will come.’ Nobody paid attention to the details of what I said that, ‘If by an
act of omission or commission Obasanjo is sworn, in as President of Nigeria,
three things would happen: One, corruption will reach its peak; two, the
revival of the occult will claim the lives of many; and three, family life will
disintegrate in Nigeria.’ Go back and check those things, whether they came to
pass or not.”
2. “I have no reason to hate Obasanjo, but it is
what you blow into the flute that it brings out. I have heard claims that I
said Obasanjo would die. Propaganda is the machinery of the wicked; they have a
way of making a mountain out of a molehill. Why would anybody who believes in
equity and fairness say that if someone has done evil, he should be overlooked?
No! The Bible makes it clear that when judgment is not speedily executed, the
hearts of men are set in them to do evil.”
3. “Buhari is not a young man that can be influenced
by anyone. He knows his onions and his door is open to past leaders. And he
must cross-check with them some things that are not clear to him. So, because
people change, who knows? If a Saul could become Paul, if a Jacob could become
Israel, who knows what an Obasanjo could become?”
4. “He (Obasanjo) could become the person who says,
‘Oh my God! I regretted that I had the opportunity to do my best and I did not
do quite well.’ If I had any pain where Obasanjo is concerned, it is not a pain
born out of envy; we are poles apart age-wise, in terms of exposure and status.
(In life) we are miles apart — he’s much older than I am. There is no
competition at all.”
5. “My pain is that I have not seen anyone as
specially endowed and blessed in Nigerian history and political history like
Obasanjo. There is a portion of the Scripture in John 4, where Jesus met the
woman at the well of Samaria and he said to his disciples afterwards, ‘Lift up
your eyes and see, the harvesting field is white already and I am sending you
to reap where you do not bestow labour.’ It is as if every time something major
happens in Nigeria, he is the recipient of the blessings.”
6. “Can you compare the role of Benjamin Adekunle of
the Third Marine Commando Division in the Nigerian Civil War; can you put it on
the same pedestal with the role of Obasanjo? Obasanjo joined them at the war
front; not long after, he was the one that received the surrender note (from
the Biafran troops). Obasanjo was not part of the coup that brought Gen.
Murtala Muhammed into power but he became his deputy. And immediately Gen.
Muhammed was murdered, he became the Head of State.”
7. “I remember him saying, ‘Against my personal wish
and desire, the mantle of leadership has now fallen upon me.’ I mean, I heard
his English and I said, ‘Oh my God, this is an Egba man speaking.’ But, he was
our Head of State. Whether he was rough or rugged, take it or leave it, there
is an invisible hand positioning him.”
8. “Obasanjo handed over power whether out of being
afraid or not, we don’t know. But he handed over power and he became a global
power well received. Abdulsalam Abubakar was a parade commander the day
Obasanjo handed over power to Shehu Shagari, only for Obasanjo, years after, –
more than 20 years after – to come and receive power from the same Abubakar
straight away from prison.”
9. “Those eight years (Obasanjo spent as president)
should have been formidable years of putting Nigeria upon a pedestal that
nobody can reverse it. And above all, whether it is insecurity or selfishness,
which is the greatest curse on the face of the earth, he gave the weak and the
sick to the nation.”
10. “Whatever happened during Umar Yar’Adua and
Goodluck Jonathan era – yes, they will have their own portion of the blame –
but Obasanjo thought he could manipulate things from Ota. That is my opinion;
that is my pain. He robbed this nation of quality leadership and he robbed this
nation of being put on a pedestal of predictable progress. That should be his
regret. Now, he should repent and contribute his quota towards giving quality
leadership to this nation.”
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