I made ‘successful’ mistakes as president – Obasanjo

By OLA AJAYI
IBADAN — FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday,
reviewed criticisms that greeted his leadership style when he was
president, saying all mistakes his critics claimed he made were
"successful mistakes."
Many Nigerians, especially people from the South West, had severally
scored his eight-year rule low, particularly for turning his back on
the zone.
Chief Obasanjo, who was in Ibadan at the lecture marking the 50th
anniversary of Aare Afe Babalola's qualification as a legal
practitioner listed his achievements, travails in prison and handing
over power to a civilian government, and concluded that if his
critics saw those achievements as mistakes, so be it.
He said: "There was one mistake I made that turned out to be a
successful mistake."
"When I was looking for somebody to give leadership in University of
Lagos, Ichose Aare Afe Babalola and some said I made a mistake, it is
now a successfulmistake."
The ex-president further stated there are many Nigerians, but there
are not many good Nigerians.
Part of achievements he claimed he recorded includes ending the civil
war which threatened the corporate existence of this country and
drawing up a successful programme for smooth transition.
He added that having spent over three years in prison, he was
persuaded to become the President of this country.
While delivering his lecture entitled,'The future of Law in Nigeria',
the former chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related
Offences Commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd), said: "We delude
ourselves in this country if we believe that we can be a great nation
without a great legal system.
"The path to the greatness of our nation is through a reliable,
efficient, trustworthy and value-driven legal system."
Governor Abiola Ajimobi, at the occasion, called on Chief Afe Babalola
to make his philanthropic gesture felt in Oyo State.
Present at the ceremony were President Goodluck Jonathan who was
represented by the Solicitor General ofthe Federation, Abdulahi Gulak;
Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Dr. Olusegn
Mimiko (Ondo), representative of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun);
formerEkiti State governor, Chief Segun Oni; Justice Emmanuel Olayinka
Ayoola (rtd), Chief (Mrs.)Folake Solanke (SAN), Prince Bola Ajibola
(SAN), Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prince
Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Alhaji Lasun Salami (SAN) and a business tycoon,
Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.
Also in attendance at the ceremony traditional rulers including the
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Olugbo of Ugboland,
Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, among others.
Two books, 'Current Legal issues in contemporary Nigeria,' and 'Source
of a Legal Icon' were launched at the event.