Obasanjo Recounts How Abacha Rebuffed Late Jimmy Carter, Others’ Efforts For His Freedom 

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Sunday reflected on his arrest by the late military leader, Gen. Sani Abacha, and efforts made by various notable people within and outside Nigeria to effect his release.

He lamented that Abacha rebuffed moves by a former President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, to ensure his freedom.

Obasanjo, who highlighted efforts of various people, said he could never forget Carter because apart from being one of his foreign friends, who stuck their necks out to save his life and to seek his release from prison, his activities as US president and after he left office for humanity and Africa in particular, remained unprecedented.

Obasanjo spoke in his tribute entitled ‘JIMMY CARTER: THE DEPARTURE OF A TITAN’, at a 

memorial service held in honour of the late American President at the Chapel of Christ The Glorious King, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

The former president, spoke glowingly about the activities of the late Carter to Africa and world issues, describing him as a humble and selfless man.

The former president also highlighted his deep relationship, similar humble family and occupational background between him and his late friend.

He said: “But why should I decide to have a service in memory of an American President who lived and died almost 5,000 miles away?  

“It is because he was a great world leader. He was a righteous man whose righteousness spread over the whole world; he was a lover of humanity, a man of God; and he was a great and true friend of mine.

“In terms of early life background, I shared similarity with President Jimmy Carter.  He was born into a farming family in Plains, Georgia, and I was born into a farming family in rural village of Ibogun-Olaogun in Ogun State.  He grew up under a father and mother who were disciplinarians, who instilled in him essence of discipline, morality, hard work, integrity, kindness and humility, compassion for the poor

 “In the evenings of our lives, I became a victim of a militarist man – Sani Abacha – who wanted to rule Nigeria perpetually, till the end of his life.

“President Carter was one of my foreign friends who stuck their necks out to save my life and to seek my release from prison.  On President Carter’s visit to Nigeria, he got Abacha to agree to take me from detention to house arrest on my farm. But that did not last for too long. 

“Many other friends and leaders intervened but President Carter was the only non-African leader, according to my information, that paid a visit to Abacha solely to plead for my release.  

“I would remain ever grateful to all who worked for my release from Abacha’s gulag.  Abacha ensured that I would not be released.  Within a week of his death though, I was released by his successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who also facilitated my going round Africa and the rest of the world to thank all those who worked for my release.

“In the US, I called on President Jimmy Carter who told me all the efforts he made with other leaders and Abacha remained unyielding for my release.  But the most surprising thing Carter said to me was, ‘Please see Ted Turner and thank him for his generosity.  He came to me and asked me to get his friend, Obasanjo, released from prison.  I will take care of him and his family here or wherever he chooses to live’. 

“I was touched and moved to tears. I immediately went to Ted who expressed to me the same sentiment that President Carter expressed.  He proved his generosity and I kept going back to President Carter anytime I could spare to express my gratitude to him.  For me, I would miss a great and true friend but I know we shall meet again in Paradise.”

In his sermon at the memorial service devoid of any ceremony, the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Israel Adelani Akanji, who highlighted some of the tributes of world leaders on Carter’s death, said the late president did not allow his humble background to leave him till he died.

Making reference to a trader and Good Samaritan in the Holy Bible in Luke Chapter 10, Akanji described Carter as a compassionate person,who believed in the philosophy of “What is mine is yours if you need”.

The president of the Baptist Convention, therefore, called on leaders to be compassionate and not to fold their arms and feel unconcerned about the welfare of the people.