Tunde Akingbade
16 November 2008
The book by Mrs. Oluremi Obasanjo, first wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, presented to the public, last Tuesday, in Lagos, turns out to be an x-ray of the sociological, psychological and physiological evolution of someone who has become one of Nigeria's most complex leaders since independence.
THE story of post-colonial Nigeria cannot be fully told without the mention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo- retired general in the Nigerian Army who through divine providence can be referred to as the luckiest Nigerian since 1960 till date.
Last Tuesday, his first wife, Chief (Mrs.) Oluremi Obasanjo, launched her ground breaking book entitled, Bitter Sweet: My Life with Obasanjo at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Victoria Island, Lagos. The event, which commenced at about 12 noon, was like a dramatic enactment of the Nigerian story.
It was an event spiced with a tale of hopes, intrigues, mischief, betrayals and disappointment. The book itself is a mind-boggling and chilling insight into the life of one of Africa's prominent, yet queer leaders. The book is written in elegant prose and the launch drew many from the media, the business world, the academia, relations of the author and some Owu chiefs from Abeokuta were in attendance. The former president expectedly was conspicuously absent.
The event did not draw politicians including Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, the first daughter of both the author and the ex-president, yet, it was eventful, classy and revealing. Someone had whispered in the audience that perhaps those in the political class from the constituency of the principal actors in the book were unsure of what could be their fate or their political ambition in the political chess game that is constantly at play in the country.
Even the reviewer of the book, Mr. Sully Abu, the managing director of New Age Newspapers had remarked that he first thought deeply before accepting to be the reviewer when he recalled the characteristic rage of the former president while over two decades ago he was The Guardian correspondent in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The event gradually turned out to be the chronicle of events of the life of the author and a tempestuous spouse. Indeed, just as the stories narrated in the book, those who spoke at the event revealed what could be tagged as the making of the former president and Mrs. Remi Obasanjo.
The event, just as the book itself, revealed the metamorphosis of Olusegun Obasanjo from an upstart, a brilliant self-made man, into a loving father and soldier who probably found himself enveloped by a volcano of anger at the height of success and divine protection. Sully Abu said, in his review, that the book is about a man who is a very complex character and a relationship that went sour.
The reviewer said Obasanjo may have a different view of his personality as portrayed in the book or simply be amused by the narration in the "book as we have come to know him".
"Let us hope that the book provokes others to tell their own stories," said the New Age MD. Abu recalled from the book that the spouse of the author broke the school law in 1956 to take GCE exam by lying that he was sick. This innate attribute must have been one of his "unknown characteristics which assisted him to chase some of those who voiced against him in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in recent times," the reviewer noted. He recalled that when he suggested at a chance meeting with Obasanjo that the military had done harm to Nigeria, Obasanjo was so furious. "If the had a gun, he would have shot me," said Abu, adding that after that experience, I was not ready to provoke him again. He said he read the book at a sitting and expected to find bad blood from Remi Obasanjo, but there was none and, if there was, it was not much. Abu praised the author for this restraint. According to Abu, the book is a portrait of Obasanjo as we have come to know him.
"The author portrays him as a kind loving soul at the beginning but becoming something of a different species later on," said the reviewer who noted that one will not help but wonder how a loving, romantic and caring Obasanjo suddenly became something else.
"There are several other portraits of Obasanjo which are quite admirable. He was a self-made man who was always determined to succeed in life," said Abu, recalling how the author had admiration for Obasanjo while they were young despite the fact that he approached her putting on an agbada over a khaki trouser without shoes.
According to Abu, the author was fair-minded in her narration despite the fact that she later suffered in the hands of her spouse. "She describes Obasanjo as a very intelligent person. Why did the story end in bitterness as the title of the book indicates?" asked the reviewer. The fact that Obasanjo miraculously escaped from being killed in Abacha's gulag ten years ago suggested that he is a cat with nine lives bearing in mind that Obasanjo was lucky to have escaped after being captured by Congo rebels in early 60s while serving at the United Nations Peace Keeping Force.
"With his many escapades and escapes, many would admit that Obasanjo is one of the luckiest Nigerians alive. But how has he repaid God and indeed Nigerians for the positions he has been privileged to hold?" Abu noted that the author narrated that the change became evident in Obasanjo after his return form the war in 1970.
What completely changed the man? The war? Power? Wealth? Asked the reviewer. Some people believe that no one goes through the experience of war without the psyche being affected, Abu noted. He said others attributed his change to his incarceration by Abacha, but Kunle Ajibade, author of Jailed for Life and Executive Director of The News disagrees with Abu. Ajibade said he was incarcerated too with Obasanjo but this never changed his psyche and relationship with people.
The managing director of Diamond Publications Ltd, the publishers of the book, Mr. Lanre Idowu, said that the book means a lot to the author and that is why she had to put her thoughts and ideas on paper. "As publishers of the book, the book means a lot to us too," Idowu added, noting that some of those present at the book presentation may have come to satisfy their curiosity." He hoped they would leave the venue fulfilled.
According to Idowu, the chairman of the event, Mr. Moses Ihonde, the author of First Call - Account of the Gowon Years, had some knowledge of Dodan Barracks, the seat of government in those years the author wrote about. Ihonde was the chief press secretary to General Yakubu Gowon before Generals Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo rose to power. While thanking Vanguard for the professional touch given to the serialisation of the book, he noted that what was serialized was a fraction of what was contained in the book.
"Bitter-Sweet," according to Ihonde, is an unusual book, not only because of its subject matter, but also because of the perspective it offers. He recalled that most of the authors who had written about their actions while in office were mostly male and their views had been male-centered, leaving a collective imbalance of our understanding of those factors, situations and events that shape our understanding of public life and public figures. "It is good that a woman of Mrs. Obasanjo's stature has thought it fit to put pen to paper. I think she deserves our commendation and support. Our prayer is that her tribe will continue to multiply," prayed Idowu.
He added: "The appeal of the book transcends gender. It is a fast pace account of events across many places at home and abroad, it is a human interest story told in uncommon candour. It is a story of love and betrayal. Of dedication and indifference, of tender lover, of great expectations and monumental disappointment. It is the story of a wife and a mother, a participant observer who in her own world witnessed so many things in power, its allure, its use and misuse."
Idowu told the gathering that the story was put together by the author in two years and the publishers had several consultations with her during the period, adding that the nation should expect more stories in the future. The publisher counseled those present to put their thoughts on paper, for the transformation of our society and to share experiences and perspectives.
He noted that it is such ideas that move societies, pointing out that it is our responsibility to read what Mrs. Obasanjo had written and engage her in lively discussion and draw the necessary lesson in the ensuring rich intellectual encounter.
Master of ceremony
Mr. Kunle Bamtefa, the popular Chief Fuji in the television sit-com, Fuji House of Commotion, who was the master of ceremony, brought fun into the book launch when he told the gathering that his wife, who was in the United Kingdom, called him to hint that he had better behave well because she too was writing a book on him. Bamtefa said, rather sarcastically, that for those who look at actors as clowns who make-up unrealistic events and stories in their drama, reading Remi Obasanjo's book could give them an impression that they were watching him- Chief Fuji- on the screen. "If we all know that someday, somebody is going to write a book, maybe we all will be better behaved," said Bamtefa.
Chief Duro Onabule, former chief press secretary to General Ibrahim Babangida, said at the book launch that he was present because of Mrs. Remi Obasanjo's frankness and her stand for the truth on the side of her husband despite the fact that she had issues with the former president. Onabule gave an example noting that Remi Obasanjo recently spoke the truth that Obasanjo was not sired by an Igbo father as a section of the press claimed in recent times.
Professor Tam David-West, former minister of petroleum, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, Professor Patrick Anna of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife were also present at the event. The author's siblings, Mr. Yinka Akinlawon and Mrs. Olowookere, were in attendance. Others present were Professor Olabisi Aina, dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Lagos State University, LASU, Mrs. Matanmi, Mr. Ben Lawrence, Mrs. Busola Akanbi (the author's daughter), Chief Foluso Obanyinjobi, and publisher of Business Eye magazine, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
