Obasanjo’s Remarks On Fulanisation/islamization: Frustration Or A Gimmick - Politics

When an ordinary man (and by ordinary, I mean a common man or woman) peddles an inflammatory statement that is divisive or diversionary in nature, in most cases it is dismissed with the wave of a hand and usually goes unnoticed by most people as it may be borne out of frustration.
However, when the same comment emanates from someone with significant clout, and who is generally considered an eminent statesman, it then calls for a critical review of the message and the messenger. Going by Nigeria’s nature characterised by a plurality of Languages, Ethnicities and Cultures, achieving unity is the most cherished value amongst lovers of such a nation-state.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently at the synod of the Anglican Communion in Oleh town Delta State, said that the violent acts of Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen are no longer an issue of lack of education and lack of employment for our youths in Nigeria but an agenda he simply described as; “West African Fulanisation” and “ African Islamisation”
This statement intends to portray the activities of some misguided bandits and herdsmen as deliberate and calculated actions towards an expansionist agenda by the Fulani Muslims in Nigeria.
One tends to wonder why such divisive comments are coming from Obasanjo, who had fought to keep Nigeria one and built bridges across the divergent ethnic, religious and cultural divides. Obasanjo has hitherto portrayed the North as his second home because of his long standing history of comradeship and mutual trust with the people of the region (North). A region that even his kith and kin agree made him what he is today.
His affiliation with the North has at various times earned him chieftaincy titles as, the ”Yallabai of Sokoto” conferred on him in November 2016 by the Sokoto Caliphate. His northernisation also earned him another chieftaincy title from the Kano State Emirate by his eminence, Late Ado Bayero as “Danwajen Kano.”
Former President Obasanjo has always been a faithful partner/friend of many a northerners.
General Murtala Mohammed, a Fulani man from Kano made Obasanjo his Deputy when he was the Military ruler of Nigeria in February 1976 until his assassination in June of same year.
T.Y Danjuma, another northerner during their Provisional Ruling Council (PRC), meeting suggested that Obasanjo be made the next president being the deputy and all other northerners concurred to the move considering Obasanjo being a loyal friend of the North.
When General Abdulsalam Abubakar promised to organise election in 1999,the same northerners, Fulanis and Muslims organised themselves, packaged and convinced Nigerians with their resources to massively vote Obasanjo that saw him emerged as president in 1999. His people on the other hand, wholly rejected him, he could not even win his polling unit talk more of his state.
The massive support from the North continued even in 2003, where he beat a Fulani man ( Muhammadu Buhari) to serve his second term up till 2007.
However, since leaving office, he has been masquerading himself as the Godfather of Nigerian modern day democracy. He has never commended any government even if he helped in the installation of that Government; all his predecessors became victims of his pungent criticism. All he wanted is more power and being in a position to dictate to the sitting government.
At this juncture, the question that readily comes to mind will be ; what does Obasanjo want? The answer is simple. The octogenarian has always seen and acted like a ‘philosopher king’ – only Obasanjo can govern till eternity. This explained his desperation to perpetuate himself through the failed third term bid. The old man wants Power to himself and him alone. Power enables him to continue with his amorous lifestyle unchallenged. It enables him to freely dish out oil blocs for sexual gratification as claimed recently by Wole Soyinka.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s outburst is indeed both an act of frustration and a gimmick. He is frustrated that he no longer has access to resources of the state; that he can no longer facilitate government contracts/favours for sexual gratification; that he cannot railroad President Muhammadu Buhari and his amiable Vice Yemi Osinbajo into doing his biddings; that the apparatus of state are not at his beck and call.
General Obasanjo’s outburst is also a gimmick! ; a gimmick aimed at casting aspersion on a democratically elected government; a gimmick designed to whip up sentiments against a democratically elected government; a gimmick hoping to generate negative conversation against a democratically elected government; a gimmick desirous of seeing the escalation of religious/ethnic mistrust in Nigeria; and indeed a gimmick aimed at scuttling democratic growth in Nigeria.
The message subtly calls for anarchy and ostensibly charges the divergent religions and tribes to unite and ethnically cleanse their fellow countrymen – the Fulani Muslims.
For those that were seeing Obasanjo as an elder statesman, the ball is in their court to believe whether he is actually a statesman or is just masquerading as one.

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