BY KOLA ANIMASAUN
You cannot ignore the former President of the Federal Republic, Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo.  He has been in the lime light for God knows how long.  Somebody else would not have made a name as a soldier, but Obasanjo did.

He made name in the Congo and in Nigeria.  He was a GOC for the Third Marine Commando and he had the distinction of accepting the Biafran surrender.

He was a minister of the Federal Republic and he became a Military Head of State.  He had the good sense to surrender to the civilian government of Shehu Shagari, which he did when it was appropriate to do so.

He retired to the farm and he was popular not only in the military, he also was responsible for some civilians going into farming.  He never touched politics except playing the politics that was allowed in the barracks.

But this is high wire.  He never rocked the boat and he played it with an eye on those who mattered and would foster his interest.

He was a valuable contributor to the lecture circuit.  That way, he was able to put his views across.  That way, he made some troublesome views.  Particularly, when they concern how we are not to proceed in some matters.

Of course, he got into trouble particularly with his primary constituency. He thought he was the finest thing that has happened to this country.

He drinks his palm-wine and rubs his mouth from time to time and gets into trouble.  In this country and outside it, he thinks he can say what he wants and gets away with it.

No wonder he said he thought the late MKO was not the messiah we wanted.  He was pilloried by the press and the people.

So Abacha thought he had spoken too much and that he must be taught a lesson.  So, he went to prison and he went out of it to become the President of the country.

We may not know how much went behind the curtain but we know that IBB played a role in the making of President Obasanjo.

Obasanjo thinks he is the best thing that has happened to this country and he has taken Nigerians up on a number of occasions.  He has tried to perpetuate his hold on the people.  Vide the third term.  He could not win.  He had singularly anointed a President for Nigeria – Vide Umar Yar’Adua – in that quest he had won.  He had foisted a Vice President, and he won.

Now he has also said Goodluck would become the President in 2011.  That has to be seen.  But he is a man who does not just say it, he will follow up with action.

So invincible has Olusegun become that he has trodden where angels fear to tread.  He has taken legislators head-on.  He has not just lambasted them, he said the legislators were corrupt.  And that opened the floodgate of vituperation.

They said Obasanjo was the “father and grandfather of corruption”.  Of course they are in cahoots.

An ANPP Rep, Ali Nduma representing Borno who addressed National Assembly correspondents did not deny its members were corrupt.  He said it was Obasanjo who taught them to be corrupt.

“Obasanjo is our father and grandfather in corruption…” and rubbing it in he said, “But was it not Obasanjo that bribed every member of the House in 2006 with N50 million each to support his failed Third Term agenda?

I want the press to go and find out what was the asset and bank account of Obasanjo before he became the President in 1999.  Then go and check his bank account now and his asset, then you will understand what I am saying.”

Senators have asked Obasanjo to prove they are corrupt or report the corrupt ones to appropriate the authorities.

When matters get to that point, one would expect the ex-President to shut his traps.  But he is not one to do any such thing.

Perhaps, Obasanjo does it to disorientate the legislators so that he can, like the car player, use his ace.

He looks to me he is a cat with nine lives, he will like the spinx he will rise again and again.

Count down…
We have done pretty nothing… and we would not do anything more till the election.

The country is in count down time.  There will be revision time and examination time will follow.

The President will not be able to attend to anything.  And this will be regardless of all his pretences at being busy.  He will busy honing his strategies.
The politicians are now very busy nibbling, like the house rat, at the honey of those who would contest.

On top of the heap will be the President of the Republic.  I am not being sarcastic, I’m very realistic.  They have done so many times to think it has been an accident.