How Obasanjo sabotaged Bola Ige’s efforts at solving Nigeria’s power problems —Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo deliberately sabotaged efforts by late Chief Bola Ige at solving the power problems of the country while he was the Minister of Power.

Prof. Soyinka made the revelation at the launching of his latest work, Interventions VIII in Lagos on Thursday, adding that he was very involved in Bola Ige’s stint as the Minister of Power.

He lamented that “after Ige died, Obasanjo claimed that the deceased never knew his left from his right.

‘’I found that statement unforgivable. He owes him for maligning him and sabotaging his genuine and structured efforts to transform the power sector of the country.

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“I was here when Ige moved his office to Lagos to solve the power problem of Nigeria. He deliberately sabotaged the efforts of the late minister. Before Ige took office, he summoned a group of experts and mapped out strategy to transform the power sector.

‘’But he was sabotaged from the inside because he begged me to persuade Obasanjo to remove Sulaiman Bello from office.

“This was the man he believed was used to sabotage his efforts and the consequence we are still suffering today. Obasanjo protected the saboteurs of the power sector and that is why I challenged him to engage me publicly.”

Soyinka, who described Obasanjo as a hypocrite and a pretender, however credited him for not been a stupid man.

“Obasanjo isn’t a stupid man but reads the wind and move in. He is busy hijacking existing movements. And that is why I have warned many that have movement and that includes him, to be careful because he could hijack them.

‘’He frustrated June 12 and often put himself forward on any issue. He is welcome to reform and as his slogan maybe, the redemption process has started.”

The Playwright also said he finds it hard to remember any good thing former President Obasanjo did in his times as Head of State and President.

“I don’t remember the good he has done. It will be very difficult to find one. I can’t remember one at this moment. There are many groups emerging with very good manifesto and it is a long time between now and next year. The field is widely open.’’

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

 

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