The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose have condemned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his negative comment on the death of former representative of Ogun East Senatorial District and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2015 elections in Ogun State, late Buruji Kashamu.
While Tinubu cautioned Obasanjo on the need for the living to be kind to the dead since death is inevitable for all mortals, Fayose described Obasanjo’s statement as “regrettable”.
Tinubu made the remark on Sunday, in a statement he personally signed on the death of Kashamu.
He, however, specifically, did not mention Obasanjo’s name in the statement, the ex-President remained the only person to have made a negative comment on Kashamu since he died on Saturday.
Tinubu’s statement read in part, “Again, Kashamu’s sudden death has demonstrated the transience of human life and rekindles the fact that death is inevitable for every mortal. As such, it behoves on us to be kind to the dead.
“I’m deeply shocked and saddened by the news of the passing of Senator Buruji Kashamu. He was a notable leader in the country and a true grassroots politician. He fought for his convictions, for the people of Ogun State and for his country.
“He worked assiduously to advance the political and economic fortunes of his state. Kashamu represented, with merit, Ogun East in the 8th National Assembly and worked well for his constituents. He was a kind and generous man, a philanthropist in his own right and an astute businessman.
“I admire his political doggedness and sagacity, and his steadfastness in pursuing whatever he believes in, though we were never in the same political party.
“Again, Kashamu’s sudden death has demonstrated the transience of human life and rekindles the fact that death is inevitable for every mortal. As such, it behoves on us to be kind to the dead.
“I also offer my condolences to Governor Dapo Abiodun, the government and people of Ogun State over the demise this important son of the soil. I pray that Almighty Allah forgive of his shortcomings, reward his good deeds and grant him Aljanna Fridaus.”
However, Fayose in his reaction said it was “regrettable that Obasanjo could say what he said about Kashamu after his death and when he can no longer question him.”
“Can Obasanjo say in good conscience that he did not at some point collaborated with Kashamu and most of the things he (Kashamu) did politically were not with his collaboration,” Fayose said in a series of tweets on Sunday.
The former governor said Obasanjo should “stop forming saint because he is not. He should also remember that his own end will come too and nobody knows how the end will be.”
The animosity between Obasanjo and late Kashamu over the leadership of the PDP in the South West was quite pronounced in 2013 when Obasanjo criticised the PDP leadership for retaining Kashamu as a leader of the party in Ogun State.
In the same vein, a political ally of late Senator Buruji Kashamu, Comrade Abayomi Olufemi Arabambi, has carpeted former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the condolence letter he sent to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on the death of Senator Kashamu.
Arabambi, who titled his response, “The Unending Misdirection of ill-will from a Thoroughly Demystified Letter Writer, the very same OBJ”, noted that
Obasanjo has truly added another inglorious, insensitive and anti-culture chapter into condolence letter – writing, even at his age and nearness to the inevitable end as a creature of God on earth.”
He said, “his will, of course, become a format to employ freely by those yet left on earth at his own demise.”
“It is an accepted unwritten code and law for all to refrain from saying ill about a departed fellow human being. Of course, as a man irredeemably given to absurdity in his manners at almost all times, it doesn’t come as surprising or unexpected of him.”
“Fortunately, he (Obasanjo) has tons of ills on record of very ugly wrongs acts that are far more unbefitting, uncomplimentary and unflattering to his clearly double-crossing and very treacherous image through which he acquired the image and visibility on the military, political and social platform.”
“The insinuations he tried to incorporate into the letter with a view to blacken the name of the just departed Buruji has been subjected to very many court trials both in Nigeria, USA and in England, all recording not guilty ruling despite the behind the scene conspiracies of people like Obasanjo to further railroad Buruji into another round of trial in the US which was to be facilitated by some abracadabra means that Buruji won with another solid and final embarrassing judgement of the Court,” Arabambi emphasised.
“This shows how very true the adage that says, age isn’t a guarantee or an assurance to being favoured with wisdom.”
“If at a variously doctored and deliberately reduced official very old age of Obasanjo, he could shamelessly gloat over the death of a far junior departed individual who Obasanjo himself, could comfortably father is an indictment on his own unenviable personality,” he said.
“It is rather a very big shame that as old as OBJ has become, he could still show this level pettiness and social rascality.”
“However, it is a fact that no one single man will avoid death at his own appointed time, as such Obasanjo has by this reckless letter of condolence in an unambiguous way demonstrated how people should write condolence letters at his own death when it comes.
“Obasanjo is a cowardly Army General who couldn’t resist the urge to deliver a blow below the belt and comfortable at shooting at his enemy who is by every consideration seen as unarmed.
“Obasanjo has by this one letter written a very black testimonial for himself once again in addition to the catalogue of very rotten, totally corrosive and which are by far extremely bad and ugly.
“In conclusion, all of these could be easily understood by the initiated who is aware of the depth of vindictiveness in Obasanjo that because Buruji facilitated his quick irrelevance and final retirement from the State and National politics with the active support by the then President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”
“The unforgiving nature of Obasanjo is clearly responsible for this self-inflicted International, Continental and National disgrace upon himself and by implication on the Nigerian Nation.”
“This should, of course, serve as a lesson to other vindictive and egoistic visible National political player on how not to write a condolence letter.”
On August 8 2020, shortly after the passing late Senator Kashamu, Obasanjo, in a condolence letter to Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, said the Senator, in his lifetime, manoeuvred the law and politics to escape from facing justice on the alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.
“Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashamu) in his lifetime used the manoeuvre of law and politics to escape from facing justice on the alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.
“But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical manoeuvre could stop the cold hand of death when the Creator of all of us decides that the time is up.
“May Allah forgive his sin and accept his soul into Aljanah, and may God grant his family and friends to bear the irreparable loss.”
Kashamu was reported to have died of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, while reacting to the death of Senator Kasamu said Nigerian have lost one of their generous souls who would be sorely missed.
He said apart from the deceased not failing to make his voice heard as a senator from Ogun State, he had an unusual attachment to his constituents that they will not forget in a hurry because of his kindheartedness and generous spirit.
Uzodimma commiserated with Buruji’s widow and other family members, the Governor and people of Ogun State and urged them to have solace in the fact that the deceased led a good a life and touched lives when he was alive.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo submitted himself for COVID-19 test and has returned negative. – Vanguard.
