President Olusegun Obasanjo last Thursday demonstrated once again his lack of tact when he thinks he has been provoked. Many people who watch the President's monthly chat with media executives are already familiar with the way he humiliates editors for the crime of asking him "probing questions".

In the past, we have had cause to advise Mr. President to be wary of the way he talks to (and about) fellow Nigerians, as this attitude of his puts the country to shame, giving the world an impression of a haughty and impatient president, lacking guile, eloquence and above all, unwilling to brook opposition.

President Obasanjo seems to enjoy speaking in a manner that does not edify the office he occupies.

Once, he accused the Nigeria Police of recruiting armed robbers. Yes, the police may have recruited a lot of undesirable elements in the last few years, but to give the impression (to the world) that the Nigeria Police was recruiting robbers into the force was uncalled for and a disgrace.

Last Thursday, the President was in Plateau State on trouble-shooting, after close to a thousand people had been killed in a violent combustion involving Christians and Muslims.

However, in response to a comment by the Chairman of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state (Plateau) he (Obasanjo) described the CAN leader as "a total idiot" and went on to brand himself a better Christian than the CAN leader.

We are worried that after 5, years the president has refused to change. He hads demonstrated this trait many times and many still remember his arrogant, undignifying appearance before the Justice Oputa panel, when rather than answer questions put to him, he kept abusing the lawyer who asked the questions.

President Obasanjo is not the only world leader lacking the gift of eloquence, at least, George W. Bush, the American leader, is another.

However, no world leader shamelessly insults people in public the way the Nigerian leader does.

It is also puzzling that the CAN leader was picked up for questioning by security operatives late last week for "embarrassing the President".

President Obasanjo must guide his utterances, which are tactless and unstatesmanly to say the least.

He must remember at all times that he is a president, and as such, must not use uncouth language in public against anybody, no matter how lowly the person may be.

He must stop putting Nigeria to shame through unnecessary verbal assaults on his hapless subjects.