Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday denied rumoured assassination, linking it to ulterior motives of his detractors. He declared that it was the handiwork of wicked and mischievous people.
The rumour of Obasanjo’s death filtered into Abeokuta, Ogun State with a circulated Short Message Service (SMS) which the former president also confirmed receiving.
Our correspondent in Abeokuta called an aide of the former president who invited the correspondent to have a chat with Obasanjo.
At his Agbeloba Farm House, headquarters of Obasanjo Farms Limited, Quarry Road, Abeokuta, Obasanjo said he was surprised to have received the text message earlier in the day from an unknown source announcing his death to him.
“I received a message this morning and I will read it to you. Breaking News: former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has been assassinated in his home town, Ogun State, by unknown gunmen. He was confirmed dead at the General Hospital, Ota, Ogun State, few hours after his convoy was ambushed,” Obasanjo stated. He explained that by the news “It would appear that I was dead but by you talking to me now in flesh and blood, it will appear that I dey kampe,’’ adding that shortly after reading the message, he burst into laughter.
But Obasanjo remarked, “But, that is a very bad joke. I don’t know why people did this, they must have an ulterior motive and you know this type of wicked rumour, they (the masterminds) just want to have a joke but it was a very bad joke’.
He added that shortly after receiving the message, it occurred to him that it was a very unique opportunity for him to announce his own death as such he decided to send it to some of his friends.
“I said to myself that I have a unique opportunity of announcing my own death and I sent the message to a number of friends. I believe some of them must have received it. Not everybody has the opportunity of announcing his death. So it’s something unique’’, he said. Obasanjo noted that his death was in the hands of God, praying that it would come after he might have fulfilled his destiny in life.
“In any case, anybody’s death is in the hands of God. My prayer is that when the time comes, God should do it after He must have made sure that the purpose and plan for my life have been achieved. It (rumoured death) may be from friends with bad headache; that is their own cup of tea,” he added.
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