From the Village to the Villa and Beyond: Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo

Funso E. Oluyitan Ed.D. Ph.D.

Description

This book is about the life and deeds of a man born to a poor farmer. He finds himself thrown into the ups and downs of his environment. A clerk, teacher, and a brilliant soldier. He excelled as a military officer and brought the 30-month Nigerian Civil War to an end. Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo (Obj in this book) gradually rose to become the Nigerian Head of State and a two-time elected President of Nigeria. A champion of democratic government in Africa and Nigeria in particular. A fearless critic of Sani Abacha’s military government and spent over three years in jail after the phantom coup trial of 1995 by the Abacha Military Regime. This volume ends on the day Obj returned to his Ota farm after the release from jail in 1998 and slept at home “Like a Baby.”

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Développement personnel
• Histoire
• Politics
• Government
• History
• War
• Nigeria

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 22 juin 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798823010313
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

The OBJ That I Know

FROM THE VILLAGE TO THE VILLA AND BEYOND: OLUSEGUN AREMU OKIKIOLA OBASANJO










FUNSO E. OLUYITAN Ed.D.; Ph.D.



© 2023 Funso E. Oluyitan Ed.D.; Ph.D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Cover page designer:
Adetayo Adeolu
Ile-Ife, Nigeria.



ISBN: 979-8-8230-1030-6 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-1032-0 (hc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-1031-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023911257



Published by AuthorHouse 06/20/2023












This book is sponsored by the Association of
Nigerians Against Corruption (ANAC) 17 Opopo Alafia Oniyo Estate
Efon-Alaaye
Ekiti State, Nigeria
www.anachq.org ;
[e-mail]



CONTENTS
Dedication
About The Author

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Journey of Life
Chapter 3 Resurgence with Olusegun Obasanjo (Obj)
Chapter 4 Capacity to Establish Relationship
Chapter 5 The War General
Chapter 6 Puncturing Holes in Success Story
Chapter 7 The First Home Coming
Chapter 8 Confronting Family Obstacles and Toll of War
Chapter 9 Glory to A Nation
Chapter 10 A New Leader Emerged – Olusegun Obasanjo
Chapter 11 Glory to The World
Chapter 12 Success in Failure
Chapter 13 The Journey to Prison
Chapter 14 Olusegun Obasanjo in Jail
Chapter 15 Olusegun Obasanjo Released From Prison

Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
References
Media Profession



DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to all the male and female soldiers in both sides of the Nigerian Civil War for enduring Visible and Invisible Wounds during the 30-month War.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Prof. Funso E. Oluyitan, founder of the Association of Nigerians against Corruption (ANAC) is a world renowned scholar, author, educator and anti-corruption activist. Professor Oluyitan has had many distinguished careers spanning more than four decades in journalism, academics, criminal justice and advocacy in Nigeria and the United States. After graduating in political science, from Bowie State University in Maryland, Funso Oluyitan earned two doctorate degrees, in education at Indiana University, and in leadership and change at Antioch University.
He started his working career in Nigeria as print journalist reporter with the Morning Post in 1964, producer with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (now Radio Nigeria) from 1965-1969, and trainer with the Nigerian Television Authority in 1978.
He topped his career in Nigeria as a senior lecturer at the education faculty of Ahmadu Bello University as head of the Instructional Education Department and Dean of post graduate studies at the faculty.
In the United States, Prof. Oluyitan was a program officer for the National Association for Equal Opportunities for Higher Education (NAFEO). He was director of public relations at Lincoln University and Bennett College, as well as professor of communication at Wilberforce University. Professor Oluyitan is passionately committed to model transparency, and activist against corruption and impunity in leadership. Prof. Oluyitan and his wife are founders, of ASE African Centre for global promotion of African culture. He is a prolific writer and expert on African affairs and producer of “International Insights“ and “Sermon from the Studio” on Time Warner-cable television stations in Ohio.
This book is the sixth book he has authored.



1
CHAPTER
Introduction
“Man finds himself in the world, or has been thrown into it, and as he stands facing the world, he is confronted by it as by a problem which demands to be solved.”
- Matthew Alper in the ‘God’ Part of the Brain – Prologue
This book is about the life and deeds of a man born to a poor farmer. He finds himself thrown into the ups and downs of his environment and gradually rose to become the Nigerian Head of State and a two-time elected President of Nigeria, Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo (Obj in this book). A man of humble birth whose name, according to the Ooonirisha of Ile-Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll, is confirmed rare to his family and by extension to the race and nation he belongs. The Royal Father described him as:
“Ayanfe Eledumare”, the beloved one who is destined to face tribulations of sorts in the course of delivering his assignments but duly empowered to overcome all evils in order to sustain the supremacy of God over human manipulations.
( The Village Network , p.7)
Olusegun Obasanjo (Obj), the enigma this book is about, in his book titled, There is Always Room: Thoughts, Ideas, and Apothegms that Guide Me (2017) wrote:
The totality of my life is a miracle that only God could have performed – from obscurity to fame, from a lowly birth and background to the highest position in the land; from the head of state to p r i s o n ; f ro m t r u m p e d - u p allegations and a sentence for treason to vindication by election to the presidency; from being despised to being venerated; from local to international recognition; and from mixing and interaction with the lowest to the greatest. It is all the work of God and He must be acknowledged and appreciated for His grace and mercy. (p. 13)
Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll buffed the statement by writing:
Hate him or love him, Olusegun Obasanjo is an enigma, a titan whose deeds are God inspired. (p.7)
This book, therefore, seeks to unravel the phenomenal man, Obj, extensively. His ascent from lowliness to leadership and power, his growth, challenges, difficulties, achievements and stability at the apex are illuminated.
To this end, Olusegun Obasanjo (Obj) wrote:
Achievements must not only be measured by the height attained but also by the depth from which we begin and the obstacles scaled to reach the height. (There is Always Room: Thoughts, Ideas, and Apothegms that Guide Me, p. 95)
In order to properly understand the life of Obj as ordained by destiny, the meaning of his names, Matthew Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo, must be understood. Obj was born a Yoruba man. Yoruba as a tribe pays particular attention to the physical characteristics and circumstances surrounding the birth of a child to give names. Yorubas believe that given names are so profound, meaningful and powerful that the names children bear can influence their entire life cycle, from sundry behaviour to integrity, professions, success and so on.
Obj’s first name, Matthew, is evidence of the Christian religion practiced by his parents in a community made up of the three main religions: Traditional, Christian and Islam. Matthew, in the New Testament of the Holy Bible, was professionally a tax collector and an accountant before Jesus recruited him. He must have been a mathematician to be an accountant. This can be related to Obj whose mathematical intelligence elevated him in all his educational careers. Matthew was the first author of the Gospels in the New Testament of the Bible. Obj like Matthew is an author of several books including, There is Always Room: Thoughts, Ideas and Apothegms that Guide Me; My Command; Not My Will; Women of Virtue; My Dear God: 52 Heartfelt Letters of Love, Hope and Gratitude; This Animal Called Man; and My Watch (Volume I, II, III).
His name, Olusegun, can be translated to mean God has conquered for one to overcome and take control. Obj escaped death several times in his life as revealed in this book.
The name, Aremu, means to pacify or placate someone in order to please him or her. In the professional and social space, it is a herculean task to get Obj to change his mind on an issue.
Okikiola means to be famous for wealth and great honor by all and sundry. Obj is a national and global enigma. His Okiki (fame/influence) is a global phenomenon.
Aremu and Okikiola are praise names ( oriki ). According to a Yoruba historian, Samuel Johnson, oriki , expresses what a child is or what he or she is hoping to become. If the gender is male, a praise name is usually expressive of something heroic, brave or strong. Obj’s heroic achievements are therefore expected.
His family name, Obasanjo indicates that God, the King, has rewarded good deeds in exchange for good acts, labour or investments in the past. Obj’s status nationally and internationally is a return and reward of his good acts redeemed by God, the King.
The meanings of Obj’s names are reflected in all his deeds as rendered in this book.



2
CHAPTER
The Journey of Life
Life is like a journey in an automobile programmed with a Global Positioning System (GPS) by the manufacturer. The driver is the human being born into the journey of life to drive to fulfillment of destiny. The driver is guided as he/she drives to the destination through bumps, smooth roads, mountains and valleys. A Yoruba icon juju musician, Commander Ebenezer Obey, encapsulates this better