A letter written by former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, on his former political ally who reportedly died of COVID-19, Buruji Kashamu, has set the social media on fire figuratively with a lot of people from other countries in Africa asking questions on whether the letter was to condemn the deceased or to condole with his family.
The late Kashamu was Ogun State former Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), same party through which Obasanjo ruled Nigeria for eight years.
In a message entitled, ‘Letter of condolence,’ addressed to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Obasanjo, the ex-President who condoled with the family of the deceased and the state as a whole, also alleged that Kashamu used the instruments of law and politics to evade justice.
“The life and history of the departed have lessons for those of us on this side of the veil.
“Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji Kashamu) in his lifetime used the manoeuvre of law and politics to escape from facing justice on alleged criminal offence in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.
“But no legal, political, cultural, social or even medical manoeuver could stop the cold hand of death when the creator of all of us decides that the time is up,” the former military head of state said, while praying that Allah forgive Kashamu’s sins.
Is this a letter of condolences? Ednan Mubinu, a Kenya journalist asked on Twitter as the message generated serious debate on social media.
Former governor of Nigeria’s Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who is another political ally-turn-foe to Obasanjo, declared on his verified twitter handle; “It is regrettable that Obasanjo could say what he said about Buruji Kashamu after his death and when he can no longer question him. Why didn’t he say that when Kashamu was alive?
“Can Obasanjo say in good conscience that he did not at some point collaborated with Kashamu and most of the things he (Kashamu) did politically were not with his collaboration?”
“Nigerians will watch out for Obasanjo’s own end. He should stop forming saint because he is not. He should also remember that his own end will come too and nobody knows how the end will be,” he declared.
Here is the letter and twitter response:
