Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he doesn’t care what people will say about him when he’s dead.
Obasanjo who ruled from 1999 to 2007 stated this in reaction to the backlash received over his comment on the death of Senator Buruji Kashamu who died of COVID-19.
The former president had said that Kashamu had manipulated the law to escape being extradited to the US but couldn’t manipulate death when it came calling.
In response to the backlash, he said, “When I was growing up, in our community, when anyone known with bad character died, we usually only mourn him and bury him. No eulogy. No praise-singing.
“There is an English saying that urges us never to talk ill of the dead. But in this case, we are not talking ill of the dead. We are only drawing lessons from the life and history of the dead. I am not gloating over his death. It is sad for anyone to die and we must mourn him.
“But we must learn from such a passage. There will be bad lessons. There will be good lessons. But we should not just be praise-singing or eulogising the dead, especially when there is no need to do so.
“We should not cover up bad histories and conducts so that the right lessons can be learnt.”
Obasanjo added: “As you know, I say my mind as truthfully as I know them and in line with my convictions. People are free to say whatever they want about my comment. I don’t begrudge people for holding opinions on whatever I say or do.
“Let people say whatever they like when I transit. Now that I am alive, am I not being abused? Whenever I transit, let people say whatever they know or think about me. Let them say it as it is. What my maker thinks of me is what matters most.”
Source: concise.ng
