The Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum and Ohanaeze Indigbo, respectively, gave their backings to the proposition of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in 2023, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to have the image of Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo on one of the the newly designed naira notes.
Recall that Atiku via his Twitter page praised the former president for the role he played in restoring peace in Ethiopia after the two-year-long crisis.
The Waziri of Adamawa added that the Owu politician deserves a Nobel Prize for peace for that feat in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian government has been at loggerheads with a Secessionist movement government in the country known as Tigray People’s Liberation since November 9 2020.
However, Obasanjo, ex-Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, and a former Deputy President of South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka intervened and the crisis ended on Wednesday November 2nd, 2022.
Adamawa born politician, Atiku has been full of praises for the achievement recorded by his former principal in intervening in the subject matter.
His tweet reads, “I celebrate the extraordinary prowess of His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in bringing peace to Ethiopia. I am not surprised. I know my boss. He did the same thing in Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe during our time in office.
“If for nothing else, he is most deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize, and I will nominate him when entries are open for nominations. Africa is blessed to have a statesman of such impeccable democratic credentials as Chief Obasanjo, a man whose image ought to be on the redesigned naira note, to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their nation and continent.”
Reacting to Atiku’s proposition, the National Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, said he agreed with the former vice-president that Obasanjo deserved to have his image on the naira note for his contributions and place in country’s history.
He said, “The naira notes that are to be redesigned already have pictures of some personalities who are part of our history but Obasanjo is well deserving of any honour that Nigeria considers necessary for him. As a matter of fact, no one has been more part of Nigeria’s history as Olusegun Obasanjo, so a place of honour should be reserved for him. When you look round Nigeria so far, no monument of much importance has been dedicated to his personality. I have looked round, no airport, no university, no stadium.”
Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said, “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo deserves national recognition on the Nigerian currency. He is a moral edifice who governed the country with an appreciable level of equity, fairness and ethnic sensibility. The governance structures across Nigeria are dotted by his accomplishments. Obasanjo remains the conscience of not just the nation but the entire Africa.”
On his part, the Secretary-General, ACF, Murtala Aliyu, said Obasanjo’s roles as an international figure stood him out.
He said, “Looking at the history of the country, whether you like him or not, you cannot dismiss him when talking about the development of this country. From the roles he played during the civil war, as military head of state and handing over power to the civilian government and then during his time as civilian president and even being an international figure. There is nothing stopping a country like Nigeria from honouring Obasanjo.”
In the same vein, the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu, said, “Former President Obasanjo did well during his time of administering this country as a military and civilian leader of the country. He started serious infrastructure development in the country as well as Operation Feed the Nation. Also during his time he was able to negotiate our foreign debt downwards.
“Also in the aspect of economy, remember that when he came in, one barrel (of crude oil) was selling for the lowest ever experienced in the history of the country. He was able to grow the economy and handed over a robust economy to Yar’Adua. I think so far he has done well. And up till now he still behaves like a statesman in all his dealings. He deserves to be honoured. I believe that if that honour is given to him, I am in support. That will encourage others to do the right things and they will be honoured too when they leave public office.”
Also lending his voice to the idea, the National Publicity Secretary of pan-Niger Delta Forum, Ken Robinson, said, “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo definitely deserves to have his image on one of the notes of the nation’s currency. It is very right. We will also say that elder statesmen who have consistently, from the 60s to date, promote the unity, stability and oneness of Nigeria should also be honoured in terms of being put on the naira note; (and this includes) someone like chief Edwin Clark.”