Reminiscences -By Richard Olanrewaju Odusanya

On the 5th of JUNE 1999, exactly 21 years ago. I received a call on my cellular phone in the days of 090……., in the presence of Dr. Deji Adeleke in company of his amiable and lovely wife ‘Aunty Vero’ of blessed memory, both of them parents of the legendary ‘DAVIDO’. The call was from Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, an intimate friend of President Olusegun Obasanjo as he was then.

The message was a clear instruction and a reminder of President Obasanjo for me to work with him in what was known as the ‘outerbox’, some people called it ‘engine room’.

I had previously worked in such capacity with Abu Bello, the current Governor of Niger state during the General  Abubakar Abdusalam regime. I was actually excited about the prospect of a New Nigeria under the leadership of a man whom I thought must have met God genuinely in prison, similitude of MADIBA my hero and I was under the illusion that we have another MANDELA in the making.

My excitement knew no bound and when the opportunity to play certain roles came calling, I then disengaged from the team that birthed MTN Nigeria in Dec, 1998. My first assignment was the Inaugural committee headed by an erudite Prof. Tunde Adeniran with other members such as: Dr Gbolade Osinowo, Pauline Tallen, Ferdinand Agu and yours truly.

Fast forward to the first two years of the 4th Republic… On the 29th of May 2001, at the villa chapel, during the church service of the then Democracy Day Celebrations, the respected Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye delivered the sermon that I considered to be a ‘wake up call’, and I completely aligned myself with the message. By this time I was totally dissatisfied with the styles and policies of the government, particularly on issues of political intolerance, self righteousness/aggrandizement, ineffective anti corruption crusade, visible corruption perpetuated at the echelon structure of government, and politically motivated assassinations.

MY EXIT.
After the wake up call by the servant of God Pst. Adeboye, I noticed that the entire political and administrative system and particularly those tendencies have not changed, I could not trust the system any longer,  I then began to plot my exit, particularly, after the assassinations of high profile political personalities, including: a sitting Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in person of Chief James Ajibola Ige SAN, A.K Dikibo, Harry Marshall, Senate President Dr Chuba Okadigbo and many others. I was carrying a burden and hoping for a change via the ballot box in the 2003 elections, which did not materialized.

I had to deliberately traveled to the U.S during the Inauguration ceremony of 2003 and stayed there for seven days. I remembered that my immediate elder brother’s wife, Tosin, our golden mum drove all the way from Boston to New York so that I can spend some time with family, I could not discuss details of my journey to the US with my brother, even my wife then, because of the sensitivity and the mentality/excitement for public positions by an average African….I kept it to myself and continued with the assignments while plotting my exist.

MY RESIGNATION LETTER..
I Finally made up my mind and arranged for my immediate family members out of the country. Whilst the family members were in Boston, I drafted a RESIGNATION letter faxed it to Dr. Deji Adeleke in Lagos and traveled to Kaduna to meet with Bishop David Abioye…with the blessings of the two eminent personalities, I was good to go. It was difficult to trust anyone else who are usually engrossed in the fantasies of public position with such uncommon decision; however, I subsequently moved out of the Defense house and soon began to settle for a more private life, almost immediately, some individuals around me informed my family members in the USA without my knowledge.

THIRD TERM GAMBIT
At the full realization of the plot by President Olusegun Obasanjo to clandestinely elongate the constitutional rights of his administration, I joined forces with progressive minds to stop the madness and prevent another Mugabe from emerging in Nigeria.

I would like to salute my comrades in the battle-line with whom we truncated the Still-born third term agenda.  I salute President Muhammad Buhari, former V. President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Garba Shehu, Ojo Adinoyi Onukapa of blessed memory and many other great patriots. Series of my interviews with both local and international media organizations will suffice.

LEADERSHIP RESCUE INITIATIVE and AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE.
As we approach the June 12 Democracy Day Celebration, which was successfully championed by ACRI last year, I will be writing about the JOURNEY SO FAR in the coming days.

From a REVOLUTIONARY

Richard O. Odusanya.