{mosimage}PDP names Obasanjo "Father of modern Nigeria, life leader"

On a motion moved by the Deputy Senate President and supported without any objection, Nigeria’s ruling party has endorsed President Olusegun Obasanjo as father of modern Nigeria and life leader.

This was a major highlight of Monday-August 28, 2006 meeting of the National Executive Council of the People’s Democratic Party in Abuja, and it is, according to observers of Nigerian history, an unprecedented move by a political party.

There are those who believe that the party can always chose to name a life leader.

But there are questions about whether it is in the place of a political party to make such declarations on behalf of the entire country, especially because the appellation includes, “the father of modern Nigeria, The

Although the declaration of President Obasanjo as father of modern Nigeria by a political party may be regarded as a child’s play by some, there is concern that such a move may send worrying signals to the international community especially because of previous dictators who had in the past been so regarded.

According to Mantu who moved the motion, the idea is to honor Obasanjo, but such labels are well known appellations of megalomaniac leaders like Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, who was named the father of the nation, Mobutu Sese Seko, of then Zaire, now Congo, named “The Guide,” and Idi Amin, who was named the “Conqueror of the British Empire.”

Others in Africa with similar titles included, Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere, who was called “the teacher,” Kwame Nkrumah, who was called the “Deliverer of Ghana,” “the immortal and the infallible” among others. There was also Hastings Bando of Malawi who designated as “Little Messiah” and Emperor Haile Sellasi of Ethiopia, who was called “the elect of God.” There is also the cases of the Haitian Papa Doc, Baby Doc Duvalier.

The concern is that most of these African leaders were dictators and sit-tight leaders, taglines which many have hoped were already abandoned in a new African image that contemporary African leaders like Thabo Mbeki and Obasanjo himself as NEPAD promoters have been advocating. (NEPAD is the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, a partnership programme conceived by African leaders and supported by G8 countries and leaders.)  

Before this new honor given to Obasanjo by his own party, vast sections of the literature of Nigerian politics and state have always regarded people like Hubert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo as founders of modern Nigeria. 

At the PDP meeting as widely reported by the news media also empowered the NEC of the party to annul primaries. The party leaders have the power to determine the final outcome of the primaries, irrespective of the outcome of any governorship or presidential primaries. The party NEC also has the powers to withdraw the candidature of any aspirant.

The motion to name Obasanjo the life leader and father of modern Nigeria was supported by the wife of Chief Tony Anenih, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, who was formerly the ruling party’s national women leader.

President Olusegun Obasanjo was in attendance at the meeting, but his embattled Vice President Atiku Abubakar was curiously absent.

Robot  # 1 | 29.08.2006 10:12

{mosimage}PDP names Obasanjo"Father of modern ...Read the full article.

Dragon  # 2 | 29.08.2006 11:09

What else does one expect from a bunch of nonentities are professional psychophants? Nonsense indeed!

Auspicious  # 3 | 29.08.2006 11:10

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity. - The Bible, Ecclesiastes XII Vs. 8

myhotbrain  # 4 | 29.08.2006 11:10

Dear Mr. Akande' Thank you for bringing forward this good news. Before this new honor given to Obasanjo by his own party, vast sections of the literature of Nigerian politics and state have always regarded people like Hubert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo as founders of modern Nigeria. I do not see any reason why in every generation or two there cannot be a designation of the title "Father of Modern Nigeria" to a well deserving Nigerian leader--but please note the stark difference from the title, "Founder of Modern Nigeria" earlier conferred on worthy Nigerian leaders such like those you mentioned above. I have no iota of doubt in my mind, that President Matthew Olusegun Aremu Okikiolakan Obasanjo (Balogun of Owu; Ekerin Egba) deserved this honor so conferred upon him by the members of his political party. Also, remember that the PDP is by far the biggest political party in Nigeria--presidency; 27 of 36 state executives and house of assemblies as well as more than 2/3 of the NASS members--therefore in my opinion, qualified to speak on behalf of the entire nation. Of course, I would like to hear other people disapprove of my assertion based on superior argument, not on sentiment and name calling. Once again, thank you Mr. Akande. Peace and Love. myhotbrain

trojan_d  # 5 | 29.08.2006 11:14

PDP as a party should be ashamed of themselves...... The common man on street are yet to feel the impact of their policy for almost 8 years of existence now. But they have the audacity to name OBJ the father of modern Nigeria....What has OBJ modernised in Nigeria ? Is only the Nigerian populace that can confer such title on an individual.

tengallons  # 6 | 29.08.2006 11:28

A totally unneccessary and immodest gesture at this point. These tags are best appreciated when they evolve organically in the fullness of time. Then, people can look back and say with certainty that so-and-so began a sustained trend that took us out of a particular phase. It is morning yet... When did "modern" begin anyway?

omoba  # 7 | 29.08.2006 11:37

I think this is absolutely ridiculous and potrays OBjoke for who he really is. An unsecured attention sicking girlie-man who is afraid of life after presidency. This explains why he wanted third term and why he is using his terror machine to harrass and hound all real and imagined political opponents ahead of the 2007 election. (Just yesterday the NBA -Nigerian Bar Association- declared EFCC a terror organization and call for the immediate removal of Nuhu Ribadu). PDP as presently constituted is not qualified to speak on behalf of all Nigerians. Look at the characters that move and supported the motion, Ibrahim Mantu, Josephine Anenih etc.. In a decent and just society Mantu should be in jail by now but hey, this is Nigeria where anything is possible. In any case i am not surprised. Are those not the same people who where singing the praises of ABacha, IBB and all the corrupt rulers before OBJoke?. Let OBjoke enjoy the title for 9months and i bet you by this time next year no one would remember this event anymore. The hawks would be dancing around the new "LEADER and FATHER of MODERN NIGERIA". Nigeria we hail theee!!!

WaleAkin  # 8 | 29.08.2006 11:56

MyHotBrain, It was so shocking reading your response but since we all have our ways of passing across points, i'd leave u to read and decipher my points below: Olusegun Obasanjo is the president of Nigeria, so we can say that the bucks stop at his table, right? If yes, then all atrocites being commited by the PDP and those in power should be his utmost problem, Adjudging him as the father of modern Nigeria is a collective slap on our national psyche, should i jog your memory that his advent into partisan politics was accidental. PDP is a group of thieving politicians and on whos head will the crown fits better, if not the father of thieves? Lets go and conduct a national poll on the credilbility of Obasanjo and we will be so shocked at the results. You need to visit Nigeria, most especially Oshodi, Yaba, Itire and Ijeshatedo to see the way Nigerians live, so why give accolades to someone who cant even alleviate poverty? We got our external debts wiped off partially, so what? Has that affected the way of life at all? I once wrote here that the only way to get things moving in Nigeria as a result of our partial debt cancellation is to bring down drastically the price of petroleum products which will in turn less the burden of hardship in all ramifications, anything short of this is tantamount to beating the air. "Also, remember that the PDP is by far the biggest political party in Nigeria--presidency; 27 of 36 state executives and house of assemblies as well as more than 2/3 of the NASS members--therefore in my opinion, qualified to speak on behalf of the entire nation." I also find the quote above quite funny and lacking lustre, PDP has never won any election in Nigeria, PDP Governors came on selection mode, the likes of Salisi Buhari, Ghali N'abba, Evan(s) Enwerem, Late Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim, Atiku Abubakar to mention a few are all bunch of mediocres and whats always the output of medicores if not the following: Disinformation, Misinformation, Maladminitration and mundane issues of course. PDP rose from a meeting over the weekend and adjudged an incumbent president as the father of modern Nigeria, just as saying when the directors of a company say their Chairman is the best to ever happen to the company, why wont they say that when they know what to gain in return? Obasanjo should begin to bury his head in shame that in his own time as the president, a sitting Attorney-General was killed and the suspected killer won a senatorial seat right from prisons, the same suspect was released on bail to be able to attend a swearing-in ceremony, picked up 2 days later and finally discharged and acquited. CASE CLOSED We also have the siphoning of public funds with gross greed under this same administration and here we are the same group passing a vote of confidence on a mega thief. Whatever the pre-requisites that might have been used in arriving at this decision, it is nothing but pure balderdash!!! Cheers, Wale

Calche  # 9 | 29.08.2006 12:03

The real question is this: Is the country Nigeria by any chance a modern state? Do you hire colonial forensic experts to investigate a murder case? Do you take the economic dictates of the World Bank and IMF to help a modern state? Do road of a modern state contain craters? Do modern states exist in darkness? Do modern state import everything? Do modern states rig elections? Does modern states shut down their universities for lack of funding? Do modern state lack everything and anything modern?

Abamieda Wanderer  # 10 | 29.08.2006 12:17

Reading this article by Laolu reminds of the Youruba adage that goes like this: " Ta ni esinsi o ba gbe; bi ko se elegbo" (translation; The flies will always support the man with the open sore) Surprise Ko Surprise ni. I was expecting him to be named the President For life like President Banda. I think the question should be why do we Nigerians love vanity so much? Shikena, Abamieda

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