How Obasanjo Used Book Launch to ‘Unite’ IBB, Buhari

Written by This Day Friday, 06 August 2010

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday used the occasion of a book launch to bring two former military heads of state together for the first time in many years.
The occasion was the launch of the book, “Praxis of Political Concepts and Clichés in Nigeria ’s Fourth Republic ,” a compilation of essays in honour of Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State.

Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida who toppled the Buhari regime came together at the launch. Incidentally, both are presidential aspirants now, Buhari on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Babangida on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.
Though, both leaders had met briefly in the past, they have never stayed long together on the high table.

Obasanjo who was the presenter of the book had to drag the two former leaders to the podium along with him to perform the duty with him
Both Buhari and Babangida were initially reluctant, but had to yield grounds as a result of the pressure from dignitaries seated close to them and from the hundreds of people gathered at the Ladi Kwali Hall of Abuja Sheraton Hotel venue of the event.
Obasanjo, who noted the initial reluctance of the two generals, jokingly blamed it on democracy, saying their action was the result of democracy as they would have quickly obeyed his instruction if they were still in the military.

“I don’t know whether you noticed what happened between the two of them. They were reluctant to get up. A few years back, they wouldn’t because it would have been an order that they would have to obey. Well, General Buhari called it dividend of democracy,” he said.
Commenting on the book, the former president said he found it interesting and easy to read but added that it ought to have addressed political concerns of political practitioners and their victims.

In his comments, Buhari faulted the position of the author of the book, Prof. Isaac Albert, who had said in his introduction that universities worldwide were short of resources to acquire facilities.
The former head of state pointed out that in countries like Saudi Arabia where they make money, they spent it wisely and pay nothing for virtually all social services.
While regretting that the nation’s universities were churning out too many graduates who could not be deployed for the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), he urged the editor to clarify his position in subsequent editions.
Giving his goodwill message at the occasion, Babangida advised the author to include clichés used during the military era in subsequent editions because, according to him, “they are part of the nation’s history.”