I hate dubious, untrustworthy people, Obasanjo says

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

A former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday said he dislikes dubious and untrustworthy people and never wants to work with them. Mr. Obasanjo described himself as one of the easiest persons to work with, contrary to some schools of thought that he is highly temperamental and unaccommodating.

Mr. Obasanjo stated this on Monday in Abeokuta, when two authors discussed the relationship between him and Ufot Ekaette. Mr. Ekaette was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation during the Obasanjo administration.

The discussants were Muyiwa Akintunde and Des Wilson, a professor at the University of Uyo, who are co-authoring a book on Mr. Ekaette.

The former president explained at his hilltop residence that the major traits he disliked in individuals were untrustworthiness and dubiousness.

“I’m the easiest human being to work with but if you come to do “mago mago,” I throw you out.

“Not that I know it all but I know where I’m going. If I’m planning to go to Lagos and you direct me to the North, I will check the compass to know the route to where I’m going,” Mr. Obasanjo said

He called on Nigerians to always occupy every moment of their time with something useful. He said the country is supposed to have gone further than where it is today.

“(Based on) what I know about Nigeria, we shouldn’t be where we are now. It’s painful,” he said.

On the secret behind his good health and agility, Mr. Obasanjo said, “It’s God’s doing. I watch what I eat, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, but if I do any other thing you consider not good, forgive me. I enjoy humour; life without humour is not complete.”

Mr. Obasanjo commended Mr. Ekaette. He said he retained the former government scribe for eight years because Mr. Ekaette was a trustworthy and competent person whose experience in the civil service aided the Obasanjo administration.

“I (employed) him because of his experience. He is industrious, hard working and a typical public servant whose experience in the civil service assisted me a lot. He was never a novice in politics; remember he was a former deputy governor in Akwa Ibom. He did his job conscientiously. In the job of SGF, the older the better because of experience,” Mr. Obasanjo said.