By Zainab Rauf, Abuja Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that his decision to appoint Sule Lamido as Nigeria’s Min...
By Zainab Rauf, Abuja
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that his decision to appoint Sule Lamido as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1999 was prompted by the withdrawal of the original nominee, who had close ties with Lamido.
Obasanjo made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the public presentation of Lamido’s autobiography, Be True to Yourself. The event attracted key political leaders and dignitaries from across the country.
Explaining the circumstances that led to the appointment, Obasanjo said: “And when we settled, we decided that my candidate would be the vice president and the chairman’s candidate would be the foreign minister. But then, the chairman’s candidate, who we agreed to be the foreign minister, declined.
And then, the choice of Lamido as foreign minister became my responsibility. Because I saw him as the closest, or one of the closest, persons to the person who had declined to be the foreign minister.”
He went on to commend Lamido’s integrity and courage in public service, describing him as one of the few ministers who could speak truth to power.
“Sule Lamido has admirable character, and I admire him,” Obasanjo said. “When I appointed the ministers—because I did not want a situation where the minister would do something wrong and I would want to say, ‘Look, Mr. Minister, thank you, you can go,’ and there would be a problem—I said all my ministers should give me undated letters of resignation.
“Sule Lamido came to me and said, ‘You appointed me, and I did not ask you to appoint me. You think I will fall?’ I acceded to his request. And of course, he didn’t have to give me a letter of resignation, and I had no cause to ask him to give a letter of resignation.”
In his remarks, Lamido expressed heartfelt appreciation to Obasanjo for his mentorship and enduring support over the years.
“I can never find enough words to express my profound gratitude to my boss, my guide, my leader, my inspiration—President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR—for all he has done and is doing for me since 1999," Lamido said.
“Evidence of his love, trust, and confidence in me is clearly manifest in the inspiring foreword he wrote for this book and his physical presence at the launch today. Baba, I sincerely and profoundly thank you. May God Almighty endow and bless you with abundant health, wisdom, joy, and well-being.”
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