Former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has responded to the criticisms that have trailed his controversial condolence message on the passing of Buruji Kashamu, a former senator and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State.

Mr Obasanjo, in the condolence message, said late Mr Kashamu, who was wanted in the U.S for alleged drug offences, was able to escape justice but could not evade death.

“Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashmu) in his lifetime used the manoeuvre of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria,” Mr Obasanjo said.

“But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical manoeuvre could stop the cold hands of death when the Creator of all of us decides that the time is up.

“May Allah forgive his sin and accept his soul into Aljanah, and may God grant his family and friends fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” he added.

Several Nigerians have attacked Mr Obasanjo for his remarks which they say demonstrated disrespect for the dead.

A former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose said, “He (Obasanjo) should also remember that his own end will come too and nobody knows how the end will be.”

Mr Fayose who took to Twitter to post his comment said the former president was not a saint, and should, therefore, stop behaving like one.

“Can Obasanjo say in good conscience that he did not at some point collaborate with Kashamu and most of the things he (Kashamu) did politically were not with his collaboration?” Mr Fayose said.

“I thought that our culture is that every fight ends once one of the parties die?” Joe Abah, a policy analyst, said of Mr Obasanjo’s comment.

Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, in his condolence message, said people should be kind to the dead since everyman would die someday.

But Mr Obasanjo in his response to the criticism told PREMIUM TIMES, Sunday, it was okay for people to mourn every death but that the living, including himself, must draw the right lessons from the lives of those who have died.

He said it is only in doing this that societies can make progress.

“When I was growing up, in our community, when anyone known with bad character died, we usually only mourn him and bury him. No eulogy. No praise-singing.

“There is an English saying that urges us never to talk ill of the dead. But in this case, we are not talking ill of the dead. We are only drawing lessons from the life and history of the dead. I am not gloating over his death. It is sad for anyone to die and we must mourn him.

“But we must learn from such a passage. There will be bad lessons. There will be good lessons. But we should not just be praise-singing or eulogising the dead, especially when there is no need to do so.

“We should not cover up bad histories and conducts so that the right lessons can be learnt,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES told Mr Obasanjo that were already suggestions by his critics that on his passage, he might be mourned in the manner he did Mr Kashamu.

The former president responded, “As you know, I say my mind as truthfully as I know them and in line with my convictions. People are free to say whatever they want about my comment. I don’t begrudge people for holding opinions on whatever I say or do.

“Let people say whatever they like when I transit. Now that I am alive, am I not being abused? Whenever I transit, let people say whatever they know or think about me. Let them say it as it is. What my maker thinks of me is what matters most,” he said.

Mr Kashamu, a controversial politician who for years was wanted by the U.S government for alleged drug offences but managed to beat repeated extradition attempts, died in Lagos Saturday from coronavirus complications.

He was buried on Sunday in his home town, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun state.

Obasanjo Versus Kashamu

Mr Obasanjo had in a January 7, 2014 letter to the leadership of the PDP and then President Goodluck Jonathan, announced he was withdrawing from the then ruling party following the elevation of Mr Kashamu, whom he described as “a wanted habitual criminal” as the South-West leader of the party.

In that letter, Mr Obasanjo said he personally found the South-West PDP’s celebration of Mr Kashamu, who was a major financier of the party, unsavoury.

“Politics played by any national political party must have morality, decency, discipline, principles and leadership examples as cardinal practices of the party,” he said. “I have attached here recent documents that clearly indicates that you extolled PDP Zonal leader in the South West of Nigeria and an indigene of Ogun State, who is, to say the least, not a credit to the party as a member let alone being a zonal leader.

“While I believe that a good and truly national political party must be a microcosm of the nation in its membership, made up of all sorts of characters from near-saints to near-satan, I also believe that on no account should a known habitual criminal that is wanted abroad to face criminal charges levelled against him be extolled as a political leader in a respectable and wholesome nation-building political party.”

Mr Kashamu tore back at Mr Obasanjo at the time While arguing that the former president had no moral right to attack anyone, the politician said Mr Obasanjo used him to wrestle power from former Governor Gbenga Daniel, who was then a thorn in Mr Obasanjo’s political career.

He said Mr Obasanjo dumped him thereafter and then began plotting his extradition to the United States.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/407970-exclusive-people-can-mourn-me-the-way-they-like-when-i-die-obasanjo.html

Of course you will be mourned as a past leader who has contributed his fare share to Nigeria.

You are the longest serving leader of Nigeria and your death will be mourned nationwide.

Even your areas of imperfection as a human will be forgiven.

Everyone is not like the potors who pray for death and go for thanksgiving because someone died.

Good Nigerians and myself will forgive your shortcomings.

So if buhari dies una expect us to mourn am as a saint after the rubbish he did to Nigeria.

I saw the insensitive comments of many Nigerians when Abba Kyari and Ajimobi died of COVID19 on Social Media. Mentioning that they had the opportunity to reform our health sector but they didn’t.

Buruji Kashamu died of the same ailment, Obasanjo registered his condolence though blunt, and Nigerians started lambasting him. Obasanjo actually said the truth, though he isn’t holy. The same Nigerians that didn’t respect the dead when Kyari and Ajimobi died were calling on Obasanjo to respect the dead.

It is so glaring that many Nigerians have been reduced to partisan minds. We have been cultured to loath the ruling party and sympathetic to the opposition, Forgetting that they are all the same

Simplyleo:
Really?

What happened to your butterflyleo account

Me na Azonto and Gbese be Ma style of Dance..!

Waiting for the Big Day

Ebora owu himself, the man no just care

Nezzjnr:

What happened to your butterflyleo account

I'm not butterflyleo

Simplyleo:

I'm not butterflyleo

Lies

Nezzjnr:

Lies

Okay.

flyingpig:
You think say i go waste my time mourn you? You're the reason why I don't have consistent power supply. You were the first president in 4th republic you couldn't even build for us everlasting independent institutions @INEC,CBN,CUSTOMS,POLICE,SENATE,NNPC, et cetera because they are the pillars of democracy.

You increase fuel pump price, privatize NEPA, wetting you no do

I rather fück my wife than mourn you, who you epp

indeed you are a flyingpig I bet u type prefer the present cueless, insecurity, property stricken, high rate of unemployment Buhari govt to that of Obasanjo.. He may not have gotten everything right but he is a saint compared to Muhammadu Buhari.

Come to think of it if nu b him you for nu get fone take type this nonsense. Ungratefulness smells around you reason why they gave you guys APC + Buhari to enjoy.

Damnnnnn niggarrr
Make Obasanjo rest for this matter na

No matter what the dead should be treated with a little bit of respect and nervousness

Talking about someone behind him is gossip



Speaking truth about the dead, speaking Ill about the dead, to what purpose?
The dead won't be angry about the gossip.
In this case the living don't even need the gossip.

Gossip to what purpose?
To prove you are more a Saint?

or

"oh, you can use law to your advantage.....

Or to spite his person?

We are all gonna die someday.

Obasanjo is a man who doesn't mince words, he used to critize kashamu when he was alive so while should he stop now that he's dead all in the name of don't abuse the dead..as I've always said. Nigerian policiticans have this easy, when they're alive nobody critizes them because of fear when they die also we don't talk because we don't want to insult the dead.

Buruji Kashamu died of the same ailment, Obasanjo registered his condolence though blunt, and Nigerians started lambasting him. Obasanjo actually said the truth, though he isn’t holy. The same Nigerians that didn’t respect the dead when Kyari and Ajimobi died were calling on Obasanjo to respect the dead.

It is so glaring that many Nigerians have been reduced to partisan minds. We have been cultured to loath the ruling party and sympathetic to the opposition, Forgetting that they are all the same

My friend, Olusegun obasanjo is an OG

Blunt and Unapologetic

Truly, old age does not usually come with wisdom...

What is my consider!

.

Honestly,my pity goes in advance to those who'll take out their time to mourn this *murderer* when he finally dies..

if you are a bayelsan,you'd know and understand what i mean and why i called obj a murderer,prior to how he single-handedly ordered the massacre of a whole community in bayelsa.(tho i'm a deltan)


if truly say where GOD dey 4 heaven no far from earth,i believe say thunder 4 don fire obj 4 all im atrocities.

flyingpig:
You think say i go waste my time mourn you? You're the reason why I don't have consistent power supply. You were the first president in 4th republic you couldn't even build for us everlasting independent institutions @INEC,CBN,CUSTOMS,POLICE,SENATE,NNPC, et cetera because they are the pillars of democracy.

You increase fuel pump price, privatize NEPA, wetting you no do

I rather fück my wife than mourn you, who you epp

I wished u ever picked up textbook to read.... Society is not built on street sense only

Amotolongbo:
I saw the insensitive comments of many Nigerians when Abba Kyari and Ajimobi died of COVID19 on Social Media. Mentioning that they had the opportunity to reform our health sector but they didn’t.

Buruji Kashamu died of the same ailment, Obasanjo registered his condolence though blunt, and Nigerians started lambasting him. Obasanjo actually said the truth, though he isn’t holy. The same Nigerians that didn’t respect the dead when Kyari and Ajimobi died were calling on Obasanjo to respect the dead.

It is so glaring that many Nigerians have been reduced to partisan minds. We have been cultured to loath the ruling party and sympathetic to the opposition, Forgetting that they are all the same

Dont mind hypocrites , they pick and choose. As if it's not the same die that kyari died,

Baba iyabo

Imagine someone that is supposed to be in International Criminal Court (Hague) jail, because of Zaki biam genocide, Texas Precincts because of $16 Billion Enron gate & committed blasphemy that Jesus cannot conduct free, fair election , is here talking about mourning.

OBJ gallant and Strong the living God that u are serving is with u Sir, best Nigerian President, whether u like it or not.