Stop attacking Buhari, take rest at 82, Alake advises Obasanjo

Published

8 years ago

March 5, 2019

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo, on Tuesday advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo to desist from his ceaseless attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari.

The monarch gave the advice in his goodwill message to mark the 82nd birthday anniversary of Obasanjo at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.

Gbadebo, who noted that Obasanjo had been ‘‘a warrior’’ all his life, urged him to rest, fight less and rather take a position of a consultant at his new age.

‘‘At 82 years, I think you should keep your sword more rather than use it always,’’ he said.

Gbadebo, who served as a military officer during the military administration of Muhammadu Buhari between 1984 and 1985, said he had always told Obasanjo to leave his boss (Buhari) alone.

Obasanjo, who responded to goodwill messages from friends, family members and well- wishers at the programme, responded by saying that the issues between him and Buhari were not personal.

According to the elder statesman, governance is not a family affair, adding that democracy involves criticisms and consideration of all sides to an issue.

‘‘There is nothing personal between President Buhari and I.

‘‘In a democracy, you can criticise a policy, a government or a leader because democracy is not a family affair.

‘‘If it is my brother that is occupying the leadership role and he is not doing what I believe he should do, he must be criticised and that is what democracy is all about.

‘‘I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there.

‘‘So if I say anybody in government in Nigeria is not doing well, let that government prove that it is doing well,’’ he said.

Former Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, delivered a lecture entitled: ‘‘Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising.’’

Buthelezi, in the lecture, identified corruption as the biggest challenge facing the African continent.

He expressed concerns that South Africa currently ranked so poorly on the Corruption Perceptions Index of the Transparency International.

The former South-African Minister attributed the development to ‘‘the mistakes we have made, allowing resources to be consumed by greed and abuse.’’

Buthelezi, who noted that only six countries in the African Union had ranked above 50 on the corruption index, stressed that ‘‘corruption is pervasive throughout the region.

‘‘This is difficult to hear and perhaps, it stirs our anger. We must, however, accept the facts and fix them.

‘‘When we consider countries like Seychelles and Botswana who have become paragons of excellence, we need to ask what they did to achieve this.

‘‘We know that Botswana, for instance, reinforced its legal and institutional frameworks and made resources available specifically to fight corruption.

‘‘There are measures we can take and we must take them.

“If we can overcome these challenges in Africa, we will open the possibilities for growth, development and social justice that were the dreams of my generation, he said.

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BREAKING: President Tinubu Returns to Nigeria from European Working Visit

Published

4 hours ago

September 29, 2026

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President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after spending about four weeks in Europe. Government

The presidential aircraft carrying the President landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 6:22 p.m. on Tuesday.

Journalists at the airport were restricted from taking visuals of the President’s arrival as the aircraft made its way to the terminal.

Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London, then travelled to Paris, where he held engagements with French President Emmanuel Macron, including a dinner. Government

His return marks the end of his extended stay abroad; the President is expected to participate in activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1st.

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Tinubu Unveils $7bn Plan to Drive Ogun Deep Seaport, Special Economic Zone, Says Onanuga

Published

5 days ago

September 24, 2026

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President Bola Tinubu has unveiled an investment package of more than $7 billion for the development of the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone and the Gateway Deep Seaport, describing the projects as a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s maritime economy and attracting foreign investment.

In a statement by his Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, the President spoke in Paris, France, during the signing of Memoranda of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World, a global ports and logistics operator, for the development of the projects.

Tinubu assured domestic and foreign investors that the Federal Government would continue to provide regulatory clarity, policy stability and a predictable business environment to support long-term investments in Nigeria.

“The agreements before us bring together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity. I particularly welcome DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators,” the President said.

He added that the Federal Government would provide the necessary regulatory and institutional support to ensure that the projects moved seamlessly from agreements to implementation.

According to the President, the agreements are expected to attract an initial investment of more than $7 billion into the Nigerian economy and create over 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed, alongside additional indirect employment opportunities.

Tinubu said the projects would also generate non-oil export earnings and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification.

“This is economic diversification made tangible. This is industrialisation made visible. This is Renewed Hope in action,” he said.

The proposed Gateway Deep Seaport at Ogun Waterside will have a four-kilometre berth and an 18-
metre draft. The facility is expected to help decongest the Lagos port corridor and ease pressure on the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

The president said the deeper draft would enable the port to accommodate larger vessels while providing a competitive gateway for trade within Nigeria and across the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He noted that the proposed Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone would cover about 10,000 hectares and would be integrated with the deep seaport to support manufacturing, processing, exports and logistics.

“The Gateway Deep Seaport is the critical infrastructure that will support the zone’s viability. A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other,” Tinubu said.

He said the Federal Government would facilitate road, rail and power connectivity to the projects, while strengthening investment security and the maritime domain and removing unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.

The president also linked the projects to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the Ogun section of the road as a critical transport connection for the emerging industrial and maritime corridor.

“The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is central to this corridor’s commercial viability,” he said, adding that the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the 700-kilometre highway was scheduled for completion before the end of the year.

Tinubu said the port and industrial zone would also form part of a wider strategic corridor linking the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard with the OK LNG Project.

The President commended Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration for securing the land and structuring the investment framework.

“I commend Governor Dapo Abiodun and the government and people of Ogun State for securing the land, structuring the investment framework and reducing project risks for global investors,” he said.
Governor Abiodun led the Ogun State delegation at the signing ceremony, which also included state commissioners and other senior officials.

Senior representatives of DP World, the Nigerian Ports Authority and SkyKapital were also present at the event.

Tinubu urged Ogun State and the investors to maintain the momentum created by the agreements and move quickly towards implementation.

“Nigeria lies at the heart of West African trade. Yet, our strategic advantage has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that increase the cost of doing business. These projects respond directly to those constraints,” he said.

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Happy Birthday to Me! 🎂🎉

Published

1 week ago

September 22, 2026

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Today, I celebrate myself and give all glory and thanks to Almighty God for the gift of life and for bringing me this far. I am grateful for the opportunity to be alive, healthy, peaceful, happy, and prosperous.