Babalola said Obasanjo, who had a rare opportunity to lead
the nation three times, first as a military Head of State in the late 70s and
twice as civilian president from 1999 to 2007, was known to him to be ‘a very
energetic, strong-willed, and stubborn person’.
“He is difficult to persuade but he is a progressive man. He
never became a professor but he knows better than most professors. He is a
highly talented man and he is the best president Nigeria ever had,” Babalola
said.
The Founder and President of Afe Babalola University, Ado
Ekiti, made the remarks while receiving the members of the Yoruba Patriots
Group, who nominated him as their patron.
According to him, it was Obasanjo’s efforts in supporting
UNESCO during his tenure that helped in repositioning education in the country.
Speaking about the
objectives of the group, its publicity secretary, Segun Adewale, said it was
formed in 2005 by some progressive Yoruba people who desired progress and unity
for the nation.
He said, “We felt that the way the Yoruba nation is being
relegated to the background in Nigeria is not acceptable.
“What we intend to do is to create a legacy that would
survive us. And to do this, we are consulting with established Yoruba men who
love the nation and who have the knowledge and have made serious sacrifices to
make Yoruba number one in the world.
“Aare Afe Babalola is one of them. This is why we consult
him to get a template that would make Yoruba the most economically developed
nation in Africa.”
Speaking on the agenda of the group, Babalola said he
supported the YPG for the Yoruba to have their rightful place.
“The kind of restructuring that is needed in Nigeria is one
that would give autonomy for each ethnic nationality to manage itself in the
areas of economy, education, power and others with the exception of
geographical expression,” he said.
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