By Wisdom Nwedene
Popular Nigerian writer, Onyeka Nwelue has revealed that former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) spent about 40 minutes mocking President Muhammadu Buhari on telephone.
He revealed that was the day he discovered that President Buhari will heading back to Daura, his hometown, come 2019.
The writer also described Obasanjo as one of the most chameleonic and smartest and Machiavellian figures he has met.
In his words,
“I don’t admire him in any way, because nothing he does, inspires me. Except his ‘writerly’ side. ”
” And I didn’t tell him that I do – no, but he is not a dumbo. He is a very smart man. He is using Nigeria to play chess and ayo – which he plays every day. But you can’t take his smartness away from him. One of the most chameleonic and smartest and Machiavellian figures I have met.”
“President Obasanjo and my maternal family have known for years. So, it was easy to get access to him. To learn of so many things. In fact, when we met in Harvard earlier this year and I told him I wanted to visit him, he said he would get someone to contact me and give me a date. He kept to his word.”
“On the morning I arrived his house, he asked me to feel relaxed and comfortable. I stood and sat (sometimes) watching him play ayo with his friends. As a grassroots politician, he has his constituency covered. All sorts of politicians waltzed into that house; even US Consul General to Nigeria, sneaked in at some point. Spilling a lot? No. I am not a gossip. I am arriving at something.”
“President Obasanjo made me spend the whole day and night in his house, sharing intimate stories with me. Stories that my family members don’t even know about themselves and how he thinks one of my aunts, who was once his minister, is the brightest person he knows.”
“As we bantered, President Obasanjo received a phone call from Ibrahim Babangida.”
“They both spent about 40 minutes on the phone, mocking Buhari.”
“That was when I realized that Buhari will be heading back to Daura.”
“This is the end of my story.”
