Atiku wants Obasanjo awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving Ethiopian crisis

FORMER vice president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has asked for his ex-boss Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize following his successful resolution of the civil crisis in Ethiopia.

Known as the Tigray War, the conflict in Ethiopia is an armed uprising began on November 3 2020, involving the Ethiopian federal government and Eritrea on one side and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) on the other. Nigeria's former president Chief Obasanjo has been sent there as a peace envoy and it appears that he has managed to get the belligerents to lay down their arms.

Yesterday, Alhaji Abubakar, who took to Twitter handle to congratulate Chief Obasanjo for his role in restoring peace in Ethiopia after two-year-long crisis, added that his image should also be added to the new naira note as a result. An agreement was signed in Ethiopia on Wednesday facilitated by Chief Obasanjo, ex-Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta and a former deputy president of South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

Alhaji Abubakar added: “I celebrate the extraordinary prowess of His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in bringing peace to Ethiopia. I am not surprised. I know my boss, he did the same thing in Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe during our time in office.

“If for nothing else, he is most deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize and I will nominate him when entries are open for nominations. Africa is blessed to have a statesman of such impeccable democratic credentials as Chief Obasanjo, a man whose image ought to be on the redesigned naira note, to inspire future generations of Nigerians to sacrifice for their nation and continent."

Chief Sola Ebiseni, the secretary-general of Afenifere said:“The naira notes that are to be redesigned already have pictures of some personalities who are part of our history but Obasanjo is well deserving of any honour that Nigeria considers necessary for him. As a matter of fact, no one has been more part of Nigeria’s history as Olusegun Obasanjo, so a place of honour should be reserved for him.

"When you look round Nigeria so far, no monument of much importance has been dedicated to his personality. I have looked round, no airport, no university, no stadium.”

Dr Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze Ndigbo's publicity secretary added: “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo deserves national recognition on the Nigerian currency. He is a moral edifice who governed the country with an appreciable level of equity, fairness and ethnic sensibility.

"The governance structures across Nigeria are dotted by his accomplishments. Obasanjo remains the conscience of not just the nation but the entire Africa.”

Arewa Consultative Assembly, secretary-general Murtala Aliyu, said: “Looking at the history of the country, whether you like him or not, you cannot dismiss him when talking about the development of this country. From the roles he played during the civil war, as military head of state and handing over power to the civilian government and then during his time as civilian president and even being an international figure, there is nothing stopping a country like Nigeria from honouring Obasanjo.”

Dr Bitrus Pogu, the president of the Middle Belt Forum, said: “Former President Obasanjo did well during his time of administering this country as a military and civilian leader of the country. He started serious infrastructure development in the country as well as Operation Feed the Nation. Also during his time he was able to negotiate our foreign debt downwards.

Ken Robinson, the publicity secretary of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, added: “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo definitely deserves to have his image on one of the notes of the nation’s currency. It is very right. We will also say that elder statesmen who have consistently, from the 60s to date, promote the unity, stability and oneness of Nigeria should also be honoured in terms of being put on the naira note and this includes someone like chief Edwin Clark.”