His Excellency, Olusegun Obasanjo His Excellency, Olusegun Obasanjo Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Incontestably noted as one of the preeminent elder statesmen in Africa today, Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo was born on 5 March 1937 in the village of Ibogun, located in the present day Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State in Southwest Nigeria. He began his career as a teacher at the Baptist Boy’s High School (BBHS), Abeokuta, before enlisting in the Nigerian military and embarking on what was to become a long and illustrious career of service to his country. In 1959, after completion of his military training, he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant and attached to British Battalions in England and in Germany. A year later, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. As a soldier, President Obasanjo held several command positions including service with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the Congo. In 1961, he transferred from the Infantry to the Corps of Engineering, and in 1963, was promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed Commander Engineering Corps. That year, he was elevated to the post of General Officer, commanding the Third Marine Commando Division, where he conceived and immediately launched “Operation Tail Wind” which helped to bring the debilitating Nigerian civil war to an end. He accepted the surrender of the Biafran forces in January 1970. In 1975, Chief Obasanjo was appointed Federal Commissioner for Works, and also served as Chief of Staff and second in command to Brigadier Murtala Muhammed, following the coup of 1976. After the assasination of Briadier Muhammed, he reluctantly stepped into his shoes, but refused to renege on his administration’s goals and objectives. In 1977, he formed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), organised the second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC ’77), set up the Corrupt Practice Bureau; and through his government’s efforts, independence was achieved for Angola and later Zimbabwe. In 1979 he was decorated with the highest national award, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). To cap it off, he became the first Head of State on the African continent to ever relinquish power to a democratically elected government peacefully and voluntarily. Having retired from the armed forces as a general in 1979, Obasanjo started a company called Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Ltd. in Otta, Ogun State. Obasanjo also became a fellow at the University of Ibadan’s Institute of African Studies. During the 1980s and 1990s, he wrote prolifically, publishing My Command and numerous books and articles on African development. The international community also realised his vast skills and talent and decided to exploit them. Thus Obasanjo was appointed or nominated into one international service after the other including: 1987-93: Director, Better World Society, Washington D.C. 1993-95: Member, United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Panel on Africa. 1994-99: Member, Advisory Council, Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflicts 1995-99: UNDP Human Development Ambassador He was also involved in international mediation efforts in Namibia, Angola, South Africa, Mozambique and Burundi. These and many others have helped to raise the stature of President Obasanjo above that of any other living Nigerian. In 1992 he was even in the race for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations. In 1995, this former Head of State became a very important prisoner when military dictator General Sani Abacha clamped a phony coup plot charge on him. Found guilty, he was held prisoner in a regional local prison until June 1998, when he was released following the death of his accuser. In 1999 and 2003, Chief Obasanjo ran for and won two successive terms for the presidency of Nigeria, during which his administration initiated and executed projects that positively impacted the lives of Nigerians and launched the country into an unprecedented path of social and economic growth. A few of the achievements recorded during his tenure include, the anti-corruption campaign/recovery of looted funds from national treasury from past and serving government functionaries; the renegotiation and eventual settlement of Nigerian debt; the consolidation of the banking industry; the institutionalisation of transparency in the financial sector; the opening up of the telecommunication industry; the liberalisation of the education sector and the engagement of private sector participation and investment in tertiary education. Significant improvements were also recorded in the space technology program (the launch of two satellites, SAT 3 and NICOMSAT); the energy and nuclear sector, the education sector, the ICT sector, and the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission. Indeed, as a result of the reforms enacted by the Obasanjo administration, Nigeria now stands as one of the fastest growing economies in the world today. In 2002, the country’s GDP grew by 21.1%, and from then until 2010, posted an annual growth rate of 9.15% , making it one the ten fastest growing economies in the world today. In 2007, Chief Obasanjo retired from office to his farm in Ota, Nigeria. However, in view of his commitment and dedication to the cause of Africa as well as his experience and understanding of the political, socio-economic and cultural landscape of the continent, he was appointed as UN Special Envoy to broker peace among the conflicting parties in Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region. His involvement reunited the avowed enemies and brought peace to the region. He has also served served diplomatically on behalf of The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other organisations to broker peace in many other troubled regions in Africa, most recently serving as head of the joint African Union-ECOWAS observer mission to Dakar, during Senegal’s tumultuous elections. Obasanjo has played a pivotal role in the regeneration and repositioning of the African Union – with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) designed to engender and promote the ideals of democracy and good governance, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). He has consistently supported the deepening and widening of regional cooperation through ECOWAS and the Co-prosperity Alliance Zone incorporating Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. He was also involved in international mediation efforts in Namibia, Angola, South Africa, Mozambique and Burundi. For his service to the African community, Mr. Obasanjo has received numerous honorary doctorates from leading institutions from all over the world, including Howard University in the United States and the University of Namibia. His farm, Obasanjo Farms, Nigeria, is now the largest poultry farm in Nigeria. He is presently devoting his time to mobilising and encouraging investment in Nigeria and Africa, and to the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), which he conceived in the mould of the American Presidential Libraries, to be an enduring legacy that would capture leadership and governance in Nigeria over the years. OOPL remains the first of its kind in Nigeria and arguably in the whole of the African continent. The massive project located his hometown of Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria, will provide an accommodation for the life’s work and memorabilia on the Obasanjo Presidential years as well as an ambience to carry out research work on matters of interest-CourtesyNigeria Initiative Independent Economic Affairs London In Association With The Nigerian Presidency Project .niiea.org
Posted on: Sun, 02 Jun 2013 10:41:06 +0000
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