Oluṣẹgun Mathew Okikiọla Arẹmu Ọbasanjọ, GCFR , a soldier, farmer and politician. He is the Balogun of the Owu Lineage and the Ekerin Balogun of the Egba clan of Yorubaland. He was President of federal Republic of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.
Obasanjo, like 2face means different things to divers of people, some may talk good about him, while some may talk bad about him. In Political arena that is no go area because politics in Nigeria is a bitter game. ‘To ba o pa, tio ba buu lese’. Meanwhile that is beyond the scope of this write-up.
My first encounter with this African great man dated back to 1986, when i went to his house in Abeokuta in order to sign my Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) form purchased for me then by General Martin Luther Agwai (then Major). At that time, i really love to be a soldier because some of my friends were already graduated from the NDA, while some were still there, and i really want to belong.
On getting to his house at Abeokuta, I met some soldiers at the gate and told them i would like to see the ‘General’, that is how he was called then; the soldier told me that General is not around but will soon be back and to my surprise, i was allowed to pass through the gate and ushered straight to rendezvous area where i sat down waiting for his arrival.
I was there for almost 3 hours! Along the line, Baba Iyabo’s chef came to me and requested if i would like to eat, without wasting much time i said in affirmative, yes. Within minutes, i was served with hot Rice and fresh Fish stew! The chef told me that General will soon be home and i should exercise some patience.
Around 5pm, General Obasanjo came in with about four of his friends, i could only recognised Chief Onolapo Soleye; he walked straight to me, greeted me and he went to his living room with his friends. The chef went in to see them, minutes later; he started to dish their food. What baffled me was that, they were eating the same Rice and Fish stew i already eat from! What a humble and simple life.
By the time they finished their food the time has been well spent and the chef politely told me that Baba would not be able to see me that night and i should try to meet-up with him at his farm in Ota, second day. To be sincere, i was very pleased.
On second day, very early in the morning I was at Obasanjo Farm in Ota, because i was looking for something! Eni to ba fe gba nka lowo e ma ngun! I signed an appointment form with his secretary, I decided familiarising myself with the environment by looking at the photographs on the wall, at around 11am on that morning, while i was at the far end of the lobby, Baba Iyabo has already entered his office!
On my appointment form, i wrote my name, hometown and the purpose of my visit. To my surprise, General came out of his office, calling ‘Baba-Ijebu’, without known he was referring to me! I went straight to him, greeted him, and then told him that i was at Abeokuta yesterday bla bla bla..he apologised , then signed my form, crack jokes and gave me 500 naira.
That is Baba Iyabo for you, a typical African man to the core.
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