Former President Olusegun
Obasanjo has revealed that his eldest daughter, Iyabo, told him he was going to
die in office. The former President also said his daughter said if that should
happen, she would not weep for him.
The former President said he,
nevertheless, replied his daughter that such would not mean anything to him
since he would not be there to appreciate it.
Obasanjo, who said this in his
controversial book, My Watch, said that was Iyabo’s submission when he informed
her and three of his other children about his desire to contest the 1999
Presidential election.
The meeting with the four
children, which he said came after he had consulted almost all those that
mattered before joining the presidential race, was held in New York.
He said it was ironic that
Iyabo became a senator during his tenure.
Meanwhile, before being elected
a senator, Iyabo was appointed a commissioner by Otunba Gbenga Daniel, while he
was serving as governor of Ogun State.
Obasanjo said, “My mind was
almost made up (to vie for the position of President) but I had to consult with
my children. I got four of them together in New York.
“I told them I was going to
decide whether to go into politics or not. Iyabo was the most antagonistic.
“She burst out loudly, ‘I know
you will join and you will die there and if you die, I will not weep.’
“I told her ‘if I die and you
weep, it is for yourself and others, not for me as I will not know you are
weeping.’
“It is ironic that within 10
years, Iyabo became a Senator and I completed two terms of eight years without
a scratch.”
The former President added that
out of the four children in attendance when he spoke with them, it was only
Segun who he said, had a few words of encouragement.
The son, according to Obasanjo,
said, “Daddy, you have always said that we must serve God and humanity and if
this is the way you have chosen to serve God and humanity, I will pray for
you.”
With those words from his son
coupled with the words of encouragement he said he got from those he had spoken
with earlier, the Owu-born retired general said “the die was almost cast.”
In the book, Obasanjo also
mentioned the names of his 21 children. He was however silent on the number of
his wives or the mothers of the children.
Five of the children are
holders of PhD in different fields.
The children are Iyabo (PhD),
who is the eldest; Busola, Segun(PhD), Gbenga(PhD), Deboye, Muyiwa, Funke, Bola
(PhD) and Seun (PhD).
Also listed were Dare, Kofo,
Dayo, Biyi, Bisoye, Damilola, Jonwo, Bunmi, Funso, Dayo, Toyosi and Bukola.
The listing and mentioning of
the names of his children was the first time the two-time President of Nigeria,
would publicly talk about his children.
Punch
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