On Wednesday, this newspaper announced that it had exclusively obtained an “open letter” in which Iyabo Obasanjo, the ex-President’s eldest daughter and a former senator, bitterly accused her father of being a liar who treated his family shabbily, described his recent criticisms of President Jonathan as hypocritical and told the world that she wanted no further contact with him.

Meanwhile, Chief Segun Osoba, the former Governor of Ogun, the Obasanjos’ state of origin, has allegedly alleged that the contents of the letter are almost identical to remarks that Iyabo has recently made in his presence.

I used to spend a lot of time with Iyabo before Life took us in different directions. We were close enough in those days for her to stay in my house when she visited Port Harcourt; and I recall her grumbling about her Dad’s penchant for relating to her as if she was a baby and saying that she wished he would remember that she was now a grown woman with her own child. That was the worst thing I ever heard her say about him. And she even laughed as she said it.

Iyabo Obasanjo and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

Furthermore, I watched her interacting with her Dad on quite a few occasions.
And they were genuinely affectionate with each other in my presence. Very relaxed. Lots of jokes. Their warm rapport was a pleasure to observe.

I am extremely surprised to now be hearing that this rapport has totally evaporated and that Iyabo now loathes her father with a burning passion and is eager to tear him to shreds in public and never wants to see him again.

If this letter had been brought to light by any other newspaper, I would have insisted that it was a forgery that was composed by someone who has personal or professional reasons for wanting to rubbish the former Head Of State…
…and that the letter sounds credible only because its author has cleverly interwoven complete lies with verifiable facts that are common knowledge and intimate details that anyone who has had access to the Obasanjos is aware of.

According to internet reports, Iyabo has denied writing the letter. But one cannot believe everything on reads online, so we’ll just have to wait and see whether she issues a firm and unequivocal rebuttal. Or not.

I certainly hope that she does. I haven’t seen either father or daughter for ages. But I have fond memories of both and want them to be happy.

Last week’s caustic correspondence
Many thanks to the many Vanguard readers who took the trouble to comment on last week’s column in which I discussed Obasanjo’s “explosive missive” to President Jonathan. Your feedback is always much-appreciated (unless it is downright abusive or mega-dim-witted!), even when you disagree with me.

Some respondents told me off for not highlighting Obasanjo’s shortcomings and praising Jonathan. But most shared my opinion that even though the latter has what it takes to save Nigeria, his performance to date has been so disappointing that his former mentor cannot be blamed for addressing him like a wayward son.

On reflection, though I continue to be convinced that the message is more important than the messenger and feel that Obasanjo did a better job than Jonathan has done so far, I agree with those who say that I should also, in the interests of balance, have pointed out that Obasanjo is no saint himself…

…and that his administration was also far from perfect…and that a man who dishonourably sought an unconstitutional Third Term is a fine one to sanctimoniously carp about Jonathan’s apparent desire to sit tight beyond 2015.

Meanwhile, PDP-supporting friends who know that I am pro-Jonathan at heart have called me to say that they are very unhappy about my failure to defend him within the context of the most damaging item in Obasanjo’s letter:

The rumour that Jonathan has put 1000 people on a “watchlist” and is training snipers and clandestinely acquiring weapons, the implication being that Mr President is planning to assassinate his opponents in cold blood.

I didn’t even briefly mention this item last week and my silence was deliberate. Obasanjo made it clear that he didn’t know whether the above rumour was true and I felt that it wasn’t my place to join a retired General in speculating about a dangerous, serious and sensitive security issue that I know nothing about.

There are times when one is totally out of one’s depth!

However, since I am being berated me for shrinking from this topic in a cowardly and disloyal fashion, I now feel obliged to say that while one can never completely vouch for another human being – especially a Nigerian politician! – I HONESTLY do not believe that Jonathan is capable of that kind of violence.